Urban Informality

Sep 23 2026 Past Event Screening: The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos Speakers:  Rapid Urbanization
Nov 12 12:00 pm Civic Learning and Urban Problem Solving in Risky Times: A Youth Perspective Speakers:  Mukta Naik Climate Change & Resilience Urban Development
Announcement July 23, 2026 Penn IUR Co-Director Eugénie L. Birch Receives International Planning History Society’s Highest Honor for Lifetime Achievement Eugénie L. Birch received the 2026 Sir Peter Hall Award for Lifetime Achievement in Planning History, the highest honor bestowed by the International Planning History Society (IPHS). Urban Development
Gallery May 20, 2026 Illuminating Shared Urban Futures: Announcing the Winners of the 2026 Penn IUR Global Photo Contest The Penn Institute for Urban Research announces the winner of its 10th annual photo contest: Sharing and Caring Cities: Portraits of Collective Urban Life. Climate Change & Resilience
Article May 19, 2026 Penn IUR and Urban Studies Program Convene the 21st Urban Doctoral Symposium Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR), in partnership with the Penn Urban Studies Program, hosted the 21st Urban Doctoral Symposium on May 15, 2026. 
Kimberly Noronha long hair glasses smiling
Staff Kimberly Noronha
Post-Doctoral Researcher
Climate Change & Resilience Urban Development
Article May 22, 2025 Image of Newark Skating Community Named Winner of the Penn IUR Photo Contest "Gather" Luke Walter's image of skaters in Newark, New Jersey is this winner of the 2025 Penn IUR Photo Contest celebrating place-based connection. Urban Development
Tariq Thachil in yellow suit, arms crossed
Faculty Fellow Tariq Thachil
Professor, Madan Lal Sobti Chair for the Study of Contemporary India
Rapid Urbanization
Affiliated PhD Student Adwaita Banerjee
Climate Change & Resilience Urban Development + 1
Headshot of Tiffany Minh Tran
Affiliated PhD Student Tiffany Minh Tran
PhD Student, City and Regional Planning
Urban Development
Mar 13 2024 Past Event Powering the Slum: Exploring Alternatives Forms of Energy for Informal Settlements Climate Change & Resilience Rapid Urbanization
Article September 27, 2023 Powering the Slum II: Alternative Sources of Energy in Accra’s Informal Settlements Climate Change & Resilience Rapid Urbanization
Sep 22 2023 Past Event Uneven Access to Digital Tools and Tech in Low-Income Informal Communities Rapid Urbanization Urban Development
Apr 19 2023 Past Event Providing Sustainable Heat Solutions to Urban Informal Settlements Climate Change & Resilience Rapid Urbanization
Mar 23 2023 Past Event Providing Sustainable Electricity to Urban Informal Settlements of the Global South Rapid Urbanization
Article February 13, 2023 The Forum on Urban Informality Continues to Build a Community of Practice Urban Development
Oct 28 2022 Past Event Book Talk with Chandan Deuskar: Urban Planning in a World of Informal Politics Rapid Urbanization Urban Development
Article February 22, 2022 Forthcoming Books in the City in the 21st Century Series The City in the 21st Century series is looking forward to adding its 50th book. We are proud of this achievement and looking forward to what’s next. Read on for a preview of what’s to come in this cross-disciplinary series edited by Penn IUR Co-Directors Eugénie Birch and Susan Wachter and published by the University of Pennsylvania Press. Urban Development
Article September 23, 2021 Urban Informality Research Insights A seminar series highlighting research on urban informality offers academics and practitioners an opportunity to exchange knowledge and together delve into topics such as informality in settlements, services, livelihoods, water supply and waste, and transportation. Urban Development
Sep 03 2021 Past Event Rethinking the Theoretical Divide: Urban Informality in the Global North Rapid Urbanization

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