PhD students from UiB and UKZN attend an international workshop in Cape Town

Read the PHD students impressions from the workshop in Cape Town here

On 27-28 February 2018 PhD students from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Bergen took part in an international workshop on “Perspectives on the Democratic Developmental State”  co-organised by CROP, Universitetet i Bergen (UiB), the School of Government at UWC Online – University of the Western Cape (UWC), and the Southern African-Nordic Centre (SANORD) at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. During the event they had a chance to present their papers. The workshop was divided into five thematic panels:

• PANEL 1: Solidarity Economies and the Challenge of Populism Chair: Leon Pretorius, School of Government. UWC
• PANEL 2: Democracy, Citizenship and Growth in Developmental States Chair: Peter Vale, University of Johannesburg
• PANEL 3: Disciplining Capital in Developmental States Chair: Greg Ruiters, School of Government, UWC
• PANEL 4: Education, Knowledge and the Democratic Developmental State Chair: Tor Halvorsen, University of Bergen
• PANEL 5: Inequality, Poverty and Democratic Developmentalism? Chair: Chris Tapscott, School of Government.

Methembe Mdlalose (UKZN) discussed the topic of “Combating extractive governance and promoting inclusive economic growth in the fight against inequality, poverty and unemployment in the Global South” during the third panel.

During the next panel, participants had a chance to listen to Reidar Øygard’s (UiB) presentation on “The State, Agricultural Development, Knowledge”. 

During the last panel of the workshop Isaac Khambule (UKZN) presented on “Constructing a Democratic Developmental State through the South African Developmental Local Government” and Kristin Dalen (UiB) – on “Reducing inequality – with Chinese Characteristics”.

The workshop also provided a framework for a book launch for CROP’s most recent book: “The Democratic Developmental State: North-South Perspectives” that was well attended by staff and students from UWC. The event was successfully concluded on 28 February.