Liam Riley

Liam Riley is an Adjunct Professor at the Balsillie School of International Affairs (Wilfrid Laurier University). His research focuses on urban food security, gender dynamics, and development challenges in African cities.

• PhD in Geography (2013), Western University

His work combines participatory GIS and mixed-methods fieldwork in Malawi, Cameroon, South Africa, and Botswana to analyze:

• Gendered household food strategies
• Political economic dimensions of urban food security
• Informal settlement food environments
• Secondary city food systems

Liam leads the SSHRC-funded project Mapping African Urban Foodscapes and contributes to Consuming Urban Poverty 2 and the Hungry Cities Partnership. His publications examine urban poverty, corruption perceptions, and cross-cultural food security comparisons.

Scientific awards include:

• SSHRC Impact Award (Talent Competition): Finalist
• Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship
• SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship
• African Geographical Review Paper of the Year
• Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Award
• International Development Research Centre Doctoral Research Award

As Co-Editor of the Hungry Cities Partnership reports, he produces open-source information for Global South practitioners and researchers.