Context

South Africa is facing a combination of negative factors, which include: weak economic performance; significant levels of poverty and inequality; and increasing dissatisfaction with the performance of the state.

Present conditions could be explained in terms of three basic narratives.

• First, Apartheid framed domestic social and economic conditions to such an extent that positive approaches to development have been structurally compromised.
• Second, global actors, globalisation and northern hemisphere understandings of development have restricted domestic opportunities for productive development.
• Third, institutional weaknesses in the nature of the domestic social contract have temporarily/permanently compromised productive developmental pathways.

Assignment:

Using the above narratives as a point of departure, provide a critical review of the current state of development in South Africa to date.

In doing so, address the concepts and theories of development, the role played by development actors (global and domestic) and notions of the social contract.

Guidance:

The assignment should avoid offering purely personal perspectives and instead attempt to offer a carefully thought through assessment of the domestic state of development and the factors that best explain it.

1. Introduction (context)

2. Background (Context)

3. Theories of development (Context)

• Development definitions and theories - what does it mean, and why does it matter?
• The changing nature of development politics and practice
• Povery and inequality, decent standard of living
• South African development challeges - various case studies
• Urban development & rural development

4. The role played by development actors (global and domestic) (Context)

• Perspectives of development management
• New Public Management of development
• Developmental actors

5. Notions of the social contract. (Context)

• Conflict, fragility and challenges of building the state.
• Conflict and development.
• Fragility and development.
• State building.
• Social contracts as a framework for development.
• The role of SDGs in setting the development agenda

6. Conclusion (Context)

7. References