Philip Harrison

Philip Harrison holds the South African Research Chair in Spatial Analysis and City Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand. His professional background includes:

• Member of the National Planning Commission (Office of the President, South Africa) from 2010 to 2015
• Executive Director in Development Planning and Urban Management at the City of Johannesburg from 2006 to 2010
• Professor and Chair of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand from 2001 to 2006

His research focuses on urban planning and spatial analysis with deep expertise in African city development. He investigates sovereign circuits linking Africa with East Asia and urban density challenges in Global South contexts, emphasizing practical policy applications for sustainable urban growth.

Harrison's recent work centers on comparative urbanism in African cities, exemplified by his 2020 edited volume examining Johannesburg's density challenges alongside global case studies. This reflects his consistent research trajectory analyzing urban governance, spatial inequality, and development planning in post-colonial contexts.