
UCT’s Poverty and Inequality Initiative co-hosted a social cohesion and inequality workshop with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) on 8 February 2018 in Philippi Village. The workshop was the culmination of research led by SALDRU research associate, Justine Burns, SALDRU’s director, Murray Leibbrandt and Anda David of the AFD. Key findings of the research were presented at the workshop.
The social cohesion research project aimed to address the following questions:
- What is the relationship between social cohesion and economic inequality?
- What kinds of institutional change do we need in order to promote social cohesion
and reduce inequality? - How do we bridge the growing inter-generational divide?
Discussions at the workshop were led by a panel of experts who are among those leading South Africa to think through and deal with the lack of trust and social cohesion in our families, communities, firms and social and educational institutions. To find out more about the panelists, explore the workshop programme.
This research project produced six working papers and two policy briefs: Defining and Measuring Social Cohesion in South Africa and Seeing the Gap: Trends and Relationships Between Social Cohesion and Inequality in South Africa.
Below, you will find some of the workshop’s social media coverage to give you an idea of the interesting and engaging nature of the discussion.
Ayabonga Cawe: Black people know how whites live, but whites don't know how we live. #SocialCohesion #Inequality #WorldinCommon @AFD_en @_IJR_ @SALDRU1 https://t.co/cp9N9HZE4G pic.twitter.com/8N1mSGrkX8
— PII (@PII_UCT) February 8, 2018
#SocialCohesion: Less than one out of every three South Africans often or always talk or socialise with someone from a different race. Individuals with higher levels of education were more likely to engage in interracial interactions @AfD @_IJR_ @SALDRU1
— PII (@PII_UCT) February 8, 2018
Interracial interactions improved slightly between 2003 and 2013, but then declined. #SocialCohesion @AFD_en @_IJR_ @SALDRU1 https://t.co/E6bs3Ft7vq
— PII (@PII_UCT) February 8, 2018
One of the stumbling blocks in discussion on #SocialCohesion is that government has run it for most of post-apartheid period: @MurrayLeibbrand tells Philippi workshop @PII_UCT @AFD_en @_IJR_ @SALDRU1
— Pippa Green (@green_pippa) February 8, 2018
Starting point in researching #SocialCohesion is to draw local maps that pinpoint inequalities of health, education and income in each area: @MurrayLeibbrand to Philippi workshop @AFD_en @PII_UCT @SALDRU1 @_IJR_
— Pippa Green (@green_pippa) February 8, 2018