Strong SALDRU Participation at Paris Conference on Development, Inequality and Social Cohesion

Fazila Farouk
SALDRU’s Director, Prof. Murray Leibbrandt, speaking at AFD’s 13th International Conference on Development, Inequality and Social Cohesion in Paris

A strong SALDRU contingent, represented by Murray Leibbrandt, Vimal Ranchhod, Patrizio Piraino, Rocco Zizzamia, Simone Schotte and Haajirah Esau, participated in AFD’s 13th International Conference on Development, Inequality and Social Cohesion from 6-7 December 2018 in Paris, France.

Leibbrandt, Ranchhod, Zizzamia and Esau were also representing the South African country node of the African Centre of Excellence for Inequality Research (ACEIR), which had project meetings before the conference. They were joined by ACEIR’s Ghanaian team. Unfortunately, the third node of the ACEIR team from Kenya were unable to participate due to visa issues.

SALDRU’s Leibbrandt, Ranchhod and Zizzamia made an input in a special session on Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa at the conference. Piraino presented his work on intergenerational income mobility. Zizzamia delivered a paper on growth, poverty and inequality in Africa. While Schotte talked about her work with Zizzamia and Leibbrandt on social stratification in South Africa, with reference to the middle class.

Leibbrandt also participated, as part of a panel, in a discussion on the middle class, inequality and social cohesion. According to Leibbrandt, there was consensus on the panel that in North Africa, South Africa or anywhere else, economic changes are making it very hard for societies to build and retain a stable middle class. “Coincidentally, the ‘yellow vest’ protests were taking place in Paris at the same time and the French audience was super-engaged in this discussion about inequality and social cohesion,” Leibbrandt said.

To download the conference programme, click here (PDF).

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