Phase One: Set up: June 2021-June 2022
Set up of the project at the University of Sheffield including the recruitment of three PDRA’s that will contribute to WP1 and act as the Research Leads for the case study areas. The recruitment process resulted in over 80 applicants for three posts with three-year contracts awarded. Setting up of management systems, ethics and risk assessments, and other administrative duties. Re-design of the work packages.
Phase Two: Global Assessments and Comparative Framings - July 2022-August 2023
In this phase the research team undertook a detailed literature review of the academic studies on corridors as part of the theoretical development of the project resulting in an initial two papers, one published and one nearing publication. We developed a historical framework for thinking through histories of trade/technology and urban growth leading to a monograph length paper. We worked on the database and atlas with our technology team, producing a bespoke software with over 10,000 data points across over 70 corridors. We received ethics clearance from the University of Sheffield and worked with our Independent Ethics Advisor to ensure fully comprehensive risk assessments in place. We worked with the university to develop a new set of protocols around extended fieldwork period of one year. We initiated our global corridor seminar series.
Phase Three: Fieldwork Design and Delivery, September 2023 to September 2024
In this phase the three Sheffield based PDRAs moved to be hosted by our partners and acted as Research Leads for each case study region. We finalised agreements for partnerships with Karachi Urban Lab, IBA (Pakistan), British Institute of East Africa (Kenya), Crete University (Greece), American University of Cairo (Egypt) and Polytechnic di Torino (Italy). We undertook recruitment of research teams based at our partners with up to x3 research assistants and a creative collaborator joining the project in Pakistan, Greece and Kenya. We conducted detailed training, case study selection and research co-design with our teams. We are currently researching across a diverse set of case studies sites including: Lahore, Karachi, Gwadar, Faisalabad, Tharparker, Mbale, Lamu, Mombasa, Naivasha, Nairobi, Hoima, Kampala, Athens and Crete, as well as the infrastructure systems that connect these urban spaces.
Phase Four: Analysis and Publications September 2024 to end of project
In this phase we will analyse our data, developing eight comparative papers, a number of case study based papers from our case study regions with our partners, we will also deliver our symposium and a collective book project and exhibition.
