Call for Papers for the 2021 Social Policy in Africa Conference—Development, Democracy and Social Policy: Remembering Thandika Mkandawire

The neoliberal counter-revolution in development economics / studies re-purposed the idea of development as poverty relief. In contrast, Thandika Mkandawire offered a vision of development grounded in the Bandung Spirit. In very fundamental ways, Mkandawire’s ideas of "development", "democracy", and "social policy" differ from the conventional wisdom in the contemporary approaches to these concerns. In each area, he provided seminal contributions.

In seeking to propose a coherent conceptual underpinning for the idea of an Inclusive Democratic Development Project, Thankdika Mkandawire encouraged the different literatures of Development, Democracy and Social Policy to speak to one another.

The organizers of the 2021 Social Policy in Africa Conference invite abstracts and papers on the theme of the conference: "Development, Democracy and Social Policy: Remembering Thandika Mkandawire".

Papers and the conference will address a wide range of issues: from social policy for inclusive and democratic development, to social policy responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, non-formal social provisioning, poverty and inequality, and land and agrarian reform. Contributions need not be limited to the African context, and work covering contexts and experiences of the global South broadly is welcome.

Abstracts and papers are invited in the following thematic areas:

1. Critical Reflections on the Oeuvre of Thandika Mkandawire: Development, democracy and social policy
2. Social Policy for Inclusive and Democratic Development
3. Critical Reflections on Social Policy Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic
4. Poverty and Inequality in Africa
5. Critical Perspectives on Social Protection
6. Non-Formal Social Provisioning: The African Experiences
7. Land and Agrarian Reform: The Social Policy Perspectives

The 2021 Social Policy in Africa Conference will be an online event held on 22-24 November 2021, and hosted by the University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.

Deadline for Abstracts: Friday, 27 August 2021

Authors of accepted abstracts will be informed by Friday, 10 September 2021
Deadline for full papers of accepted abstracts: Friday, 22 October 2021

Access the full Call for Papers here.

Access the Abstracts Submission Page here.

Please direct all enquiries to:

Ms Simangele Sithole
Administrator
2021 Social Policy in Africa Conference
South African Research Chair in Social Policy
University of South Africa. City of Tshwane-Pretoria. South Africa.
E-mail: sarchisp[at]unisa.ac.za
Tel: +27 12 337 6114

Conference partners