Governance of Spatial Change: Shaping urban policies and investments in Kuwait

Principal Investigators: Dr Nuno F. da Cruz and Dr Dhari Alrasheed
Duration:September 2020–October 2022

There is a growing wealth of context-sensitive evidence and practical guidance about policies, investments and land use patterns that support more sustainable models of urban development. But even when there is political will, many countries and cities around the world struggle with implementation. By looking at the particular case of metropolitan Kuwait, this project explores whether this may be explained by governance.

In Kuwait, past decisions have led to a city characterised by low-density urban sprawl, heavy reliance on private cars, spatial segregation and limited use of public space. To analyse the governance framework underpinning these decisions, the project will look into the relevant laws and institutions, public finance mechanisms, and norms, traditions, aspirations and informal relationships shaping urban governance in Kuwait.

The research will also take stock of spatial inequalities and cross reference them with socioeconomic traits such as ethnicity and class. This will be instrumental to test the links between governance arrangements and socioeconomic and political outcomes. A key objective is producing research findings that can inform Kuwaiti decision-makers about reforms that could help shape future spatial development in the metropolis

Outputs

• Nuno F. da Cruz, Dhari S. Alrasheed, Muneeah Alrabe and Abdullah al-Khonaini, ‘Spatial Patterns and Urban Governance in Kuwait: Exploring the Links Between the Physical, the Socio-Economic and the Political’, LSE Middle East Centre Kuwait Programme Paper Series25 (April 2024).
• Nuno F. da Cruz, LSE Cities; Dhari Alrasheed, Kuwait University; Hyun Bang Shin, LSE South East Asia Centre; Do Young Oh, Lingnan University; '. Thursday 10 March 2022

Principal Investigators

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  Dr Nuno F. da Cruz

  Nuno is Assistant Professorial Research Fellow at LSE Cities.

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  Dr Dhari Alrasheed

  Dhari is an Assistant Professor in the College of Business Administration at Kuwait University.

Researchers

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  Muneerah Alrabe

  Muneera is a consultant on the project.

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  Abdullah Al-Khonaini

  Abdullah is a consultant on the project.