In response to deepening poverty and inequality in South Africa, the Human Sciences Research Council has defined its strategic focus for the next five years as: 'poverty and inequality: diagnosis, prognosis, responses'.
Looking towards comprehensive diagnosis, prognosis and response, the Council has identified three priority research projects:
1. Poverty and Inequality in South Africa in 3D: Using a 3 Dimensional Human Wellbeing Lens to Move Us Forward
2. Towards a centre for excellence for research and teaching on city-region economies
3. Transformative Governance Initiative
Amidst concerns that poverty and inequality is growing at an alarming rate, rather than decreasing, as evidenced in the Poverty Trends in South Africa report released by StatsSA last week, the Human Sciences Research Council will discuss the concept of holistic wellbeing at a seminar on Wednesday 30 August 2017. This concept has been traditionally looked at purely through an economic lens.
Through its multi-disciplinary approach towards this concept, the HSRC hopes to contribute to the global pool of knowledge on this topic by grounding its work in the African context, and addressing the intersections of race, class, gender and geography with poverty and inequality.
