Jeffrey Paller

Jeffrey Paller specializes in African politics and sustainable urban development. His current research examines 1) the contentious politics of African urbanization, 2) the building of sustainable neighborhoods in African cities, and 3) political change and local governance in emerging cities. His first book Democracy in Ghana: Everyday Politics in Urban Africa (Cambridge University Press) was published in 2019. He also curates the weekly news bulletin “This Week in Africa.”

• African politics

• Sustainable urban development

• Global development

• Democracy and collective action

• Housing and public services

• Research Associate, Governance and Local Development Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2022-

• Researcher, Department of Government, Uppsala University, 2024-

• Fellow, Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study, 2022-23

• PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• BA, Northwestern University

• PI, FORMAS research grant, "Building Sustainable Neighborhoods in African Cities," 2024-26.

• Co-PI, Swedish Research Council research grant, "Political Change and Local Governance in Emerging Cities," 2023-26.

• Co-I, Research Council of Norway research grant, "Political Transformation in African Cities," 2020-25.

• Bob-Milliar, G. and J. Paller (2023). “The social embeddedness of elections: Ghana’s 2016 and 2020 election campaigns.” Commonwealth & Comparative Politics 61 (3): 293-314.

• Klaus, K., Wilfahrt, M. and J. Paller (2023). “Demanding recognition: a new Framework for the Study of Political Clientelism.” African Affairs 122 (487): 185-203.

• Hoelscher, K., Dorward, N., Fox, S., Lawanson, T., Paller, J. and Phillips, M. (2023). “Urbanization and political change in Africa.” African Affairs 122 (488): 353-376.

• Donaghy, M. and J. Paller (2023). “Sustainability Politics and Housing Development in Urban Brazil and Ghana.” International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society 36: 329-347.

• J. Paller (2021). “Everyday politics and sustainable urban development in the Global South.” 2021 in Area Development and Policy 6 (3): 319-336.