PUG INSIGHTS | Issue 3, 2025

The PUG Insights newsletter (2025 | Issue 3) covers updates on the recent projects, news, and events, focusing on politics, human rights, and urban governance.

In short, the newsletter includes:

• Prof. Fiona Anciano’s Inaugural Lecture: A celebration and reflection on her lecture, ‘Beyond the Ballot: Rethinking Urban Governance in the Shadows of Democracy,’ which explored the relationship between urban governance and democracy amidst crisis and inequality.
• New Project Announcement: Details regarding the plan to co-host South Africa’s first Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Resilience in 2026, a democratic innovation endorsed by the City of Cape Town.
• Research Highlights: Updates on ongoing fieldwork for the Caring for the Other Half project, and the GoJUT Photovoice Exhibition where research participants shared stories about accessing water and energy in informal settlements.
• Internship Programme Conclusion: A farewell to the 2025 PUG interns, including their reflections on gaining capacity, being exposed to fieldwork, and navigating the significant barrier of needing experience to gain employment.
• Publications and Dissemination: Listings of the latest journal papers and blogs, along with information on PUG’s attendance at various academic conferences (like the SSAG and IGU conferences) and the Democracy Next Workshop in The Gambia.
• Recent and Upcoming Events: Summaries of recent activities, such as the African Universities’ Hub Summer School for human rights defenders, and a schedule of upcoming PUG events for 2026.