Urban slums: Stepping-stone for some and traps (or shields) for others by Luciene Pereira published by VOXEU (2/2026).
Rapid urbanisation has been accompanied by the expansion of urban slums, raising concerns about whether cities foster opportunity or entrench poverty. This column shows that slums can play a dual role: they act as stepping-stones for low-educated households but become barriers for more educated families. Poor school quality in rural areas and within slums is a key driver of slum formation and persistence, respectively. These effects imply that education and urban policies must be targeted and adapted to a country’s stage of development.
