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Staff Profile

Dr William Otchere-Darko

Lectureship in Urban Planning

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7801
Background

I am a Lecturer and Researcher with an interdisciplinary interest in energy, environmental politics, and planning practice. My research explores the regulatory practices and lived experiences surrounding energy: its underpinning materialities, infrastructure, and spatial-environmental politics. My PhD (University of Milan-Bicocca, 2020), focused on territorial transformations in emerging oil regions in Ghana and Tanzania. I am a Principal Investigator on a British-Academy-funded 'Knowledge Frontiers' research project. The project (EnergyScapes) aims to examine land and livelihood challenges in three selected communities in Ghana situated near distinct energy infrastructures (gas, hydroelectric, and solar). I am also a Co-Investigator on an artist-led research exploring the impact of successive and overlapping energy regimes in Aberdeen.

Research

My research generally tracks the interactions between energy, environmental politics and planning practice. I am interested in the role of planning practices and lived experiences in relation to new energy-resource discoveries and infrastructure projects, as well as broader spatial-environmental questions regarding the discovery/creation, distribution, and consumption of energy.

My PhD at the University of Milan-Bicocca, focused on territorial transformations in emerging oil regions in Ghana and Tanzania. Particularly, how planning institutions attempt to reshape and re-value land and marine spaces, and its incommensurability with extant economic, ecological, and cultural conceptions of territory.

I am currently a Principal Investigator on a British-Academy-Funded research project (EnergyScapes) which utilises interdisciplinary methods to explore and address the multidimensional land and livelihood challenges linked to large-scale energy infrastructures in some selected communities in Ghana. This project focuses on three geographically diverse communities situated near distinct energy infrastructures (gas, hydroelectric, and solar).

I am also a Co-Investigator on an artist-led project examining the lived experiences of 'energy transition' in Aberdeen. The project includes soundwalk methods and public activities to explore the impact of successive and overlapping energy regimes in the once self-declared 'oil capital of Europe' (with anthropologist Gisa Weszkalnys; freelance curator Rachel Grant, and interdisciplinary artist-researcher Maja Zećo).

My additional research interests include: District heating and Planning Practices; Low carbon and Degrowth Futures in planning.

Teaching

As a Lecturer in Urban Planning, I lead two Modules:

  • Globalisation and Social Justice Project (TCP8920) – PG
  • Spatial Strategies (TCP7021) – PG

I also contribute to other Modules:

  • Globalisation and Social Justice (TCP8921) – PG
  • Linked Research Project (TCP8025) – PG
  • Practice Issues Report (TCP4002) – PG 
  • Dissertation Mentoring (TCP8099) – PG
  • Dissertation Mentoring (TCP3099) – UG
Publications