Work

Ghost projects and the ambiguity of infrastructure development

Year: 2026

Type: editorial

Abstract: This editorial introduces the special issue on ‘Ghost Projects – Ruined Futures and the Promises of Infrastructure Development’. It defines ghost projects as a way of encountering unfinished infrastructure whose ambiguous present-absence continues to influence development imaginations and practices. Drawing on the empirical material provided by the 12 contributions to this special issue, the editorial distinguishes ghost projects from related concepts and proposes a typology based on the dimensions of visibility, outcome and temporality.

Source: Third World Quarterly

DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2025.2610335

Authors: Detlef Müller-Mahn, Eric M. Kioko, Theo Aalders

Institutions: University of Bonn, Kenyatta University

Language: English

Topic: Urban Planning and Governance

Subfield: Urban Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft