Thesis Proposal Mason in Senegal Dakar – Free Word Template Download with AI

This thesis proposal outlines a research initiative by Mason, a doctoral candidate in Urban Planning at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in Dakar, Senegal. The study directly addresses critical challenges facing Africa's fastest-growing megacity—Dakar—which faces accelerating urbanization, climate vulnerability, and spatial inequalities. With 65% of its population residing in informal settlements like Fann and Pikine, Dakar exemplifies the urgent need for localized sustainability frameworks. Mason's research proposes a novel "Community-Driven Urban Resilience Model" (CDURM) specifically calibrated for Senegal's socio-cultural context, positioning this work as pivotal for Senegal Dakar's 2035 sustainable development roadmap.

Current urban interventions in Dakar predominantly rely on top-down infrastructure projects that fail to engage communities at the grassroots level. International frameworks like UN-Habitat's "Cities for All" often disregard Senegal's unique communal governance structures (e.g., *njuup* systems) and environmental constraints, such as coastal erosion affecting 40% of Dakar's shoreline. Mason identifies a critical gap: no existing model integrates local knowledge with climate adaptation while centering community agency. This disconnect has perpetuated cycles of displacement in Senegal Dakar, where 15,000 households were relocated annually between 2018-2023 without participatory design. The thesis directly confronts this by positioning Mason's CDURM as the first framework explicitly co-created with Dakar's urban communities.

Mason's research synthesizes three key literature streams:

• Post-Colonial Urban Theory: Critiquing Western-centric models (e.g., UN SDG 11) through the lens of Senegalese scholars like Ousmane Sembène, who emphasized community sovereignty in urban life.
• Climate-Resilient Informal Settlements: Analyzing case studies from Nairobi and Accra but highlighting their misalignment with Dakar's saltwater intrusion challenges and *matriarchal* community leadership patterns.
• Civic Participation Frameworks: Evaluating participatory budgeting in Porto Alegre against Senegal's *jambur* (community assembly) traditions, revealing gaps in cultural translation.

Crucially, Mason's work transcends existing scholarship by proposing a methodology where Dakar residents—not researchers—lead the framework design through iterative *mɛkɛr* (consultative dialogue) sessions across 5 districts. This directly addresses the "one-size-fits-all" limitation in current Senegal Dakar urban planning literature.

Mason's thesis aims to develop and validate the CDURM through three interconnected objectives:

1. To map existing community-led adaptation practices in Dakar's informal settlements (e.g., flood-mitigation gardens in Grand-Yoff)
2. To co-design a scalable urban resilience framework with Senegal Dakar communities using participatory action research
3. To quantify CDURM's impact on reducing climate vulnerability and improving social cohesion through 18-month longitudinal data

Core research questions include: How can Dakar's *njuup* governance be formalized into urban planning? What metrics best capture community agency in climate adaptation? And how might Mason's framework influence Senegal Dakar's National Urban Policy 2030?

Mason employs a mixed-methods approach grounded in Senegalese epistemology:

• Phase 1 (4 months): Ethnographic mapping of community adaptation strategies across Dakar's *quartiers* using mobile apps developed with local youth groups.
• Phase 2 (6 months): Co-creation workshops with community elders, women's collectives (*kotu*), and municipal officials to prototype CDURM modules (e.g., rainwater harvesting integrated with *mbar* tree conservation).
• Phase 3 (8 months): Randomized controlled trial testing CDURM in two neighborhoods (one high-risk, one moderate-risk) versus control zones, measuring:
  • Environmental indicators: Soil salinity reduction, flood frequency
  • Social metrics: Trust in local governance (via community surveys)
  • Economic outcomes: Household income stability during climate shocks

This methodology rejects extractive research by compensating community partners for their time and ensuring all data ownership remains with Dakar residents. Mason collaborates with UCAD's Center for African Urban Studies and Senegal's Ministry of Environment, aligning with Dakar's "Green City" initiative.

Mason's framework promises transformative impact for Senegal Dakar through:

• Policy Innovation: Direct input into Dakar's 2025 Climate Action Plan, potentially influencing the ECOWAS Urban Resilience Network.
• Community Empowerment: A replicable model for Senegal's 1.8 million informal settlers to lead their own adaptation efforts, reducing dependency on external aid.
• Academic Legacy: Establishing "Senegalese Urbanism" as a distinct field challenging Eurocentric planning paradigms in Global South scholarship.

Crucially, the CDURM explicitly addresses Dakar's unique challenges: coastal erosion risks (where 1.2 million residents face imminent displacement), water scarcity (Dakar consumes 40% more water than supply during dry seasons), and gendered climate impacts (women spend 5 hours daily fetching water in marginalized zones).

Mason proposes a rigorous 18-month timeline:

• Months 1-4: Community mapping & ethical approval (with UCAD IRB and Senegalese Ethics Committee)
• Months 5-10: Co-creation workshops across Dakar's 5 districts (Fann, Pikine, Ouakam, Guediawaye, Hann)
• Months 11-18: Implementation trial & impact analysis with local NGOs (e.g., Sénégal Environnement)

Required resources include $45,000 for community stipends ($35/week per participant), open-source GIS tools, and 2 local research assistants trained in participatory methods. All funds would be channeled through UCAD's sustainable development fund to ensure transparency.

This thesis by Mason represents more than academic inquiry—it is a call for justice in urban development. In Senegal Dakar, where 80% of the city's growth occurs in unplanned zones, Mason's CDURM offers a path to dignity through autonomy. By centering community voice over technical prescriptions, the research directly embodies Senegal's national ethos of *sàb xan* (living together). The proposal’s success will be measured not by journal publications alone but by the number of Dakar neighborhoods adopting CDURM principles within five years. As Dakar prepares to host COP27 successor initiatives in 2024, Mason's work provides Senegal with a homegrown blueprint for climate justice—proving that sustainable cities emerge when communities lead, not just endure.

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