CISC

Culture, Identity and Social Cohesion is a thematic area that is framed in terms of its intersectionality with respect to gender, race, class and sexuality.

There is a growing understanding that there is an urgent need to revitalize a humanities-driven research theme, to build our understanding of closed identities in relation to understanding our past, our heritage and our future in a transforming and developing state.

The movement is towards a knowledge-based economy, investment in development and greater emphasis on building human capital. This will be realized by promoting the value in the human meaning of public policy in evidence-based research.­

The following documents are aimed at contributing to the growing policy discourse on culture, identity and social cohesion.

Policy briefs

• 'Xenophobia': Violence against foreign nationals and other 'outsiders' in contemporary South Africa 
  
  One in a series of migration policy briefs summarising research to inform debates around­ human mobility in Southern Africa.
  Forced Migration Studies Programme (FMSP), June 2010
• Development on the move: Measuring and optimising migration's economic and social impacts 
  
  Executive summary of a report on a wide range of migration's impacts on development, including poverty reduction in developing countries.
  Institute for Public Policy Research, May 2010
• From Evidence to Action: a newsletter of the Policy > Action Network 
  
  Issue 4 of the newsletter focuses on the issue of violent crime in South Africa. The newsletter aims to stimulate debate around evidence-based policy-making. To contribute to future editions plesae send your submissions to pan@hsrc.ac.za­.
  Policy > Action Network, August 2011
• From Evidence to Action: Issue three: Child-centred policy 
  
  Issue Three of the PAN newsletter focuses on the interface between child-centred evidence and related policy. It features a range of resources that illustrate how child-focused data and research evidence can contribute to and inform better outcomes for children when formulating social policy.
  Human Sciences Research Council and the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development, June 2011
• Housing, public policy and social inclusion 
  
  Peer reviewed positioning paper which reviews the literature on social inclusion and housing as the foundation for an empirical research project on the best forms of policy intervention.
  Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, September 2010
• Identity, politics and public policy 
  
  Aims to understand what new evidence can reveal about some important public policy questions that involve issues around identity.
  Institute for Public Policy Research, April 2010
• Social inclusion in the family support sector 
  
  Summarises some of the literature and research on social inclusion and considers the relevance of the concept and its application to family support services. Provides definitions of social inclusion and exclusion.­
  Australian Family Relationships ClearingHouse, March 2011
• Transformation: African people in the Western Cape: An overview 
  
  Also read the working paper based on data from interviews with a number of mostly Western Cape based companies and employees with the objective of understanding the barriers to the achievement of employment equity for African people.­
  Development Policy Research Unit (DPRU), UCT, January 2011
• Vacancy: Head: Research Use and Impact Assessment (RIA) (Deputy Executive Director) 
  
  The Research Use and Impact (RIA) programme at the HSRC wishes to appoint a suitable candidate to lead the programme. The successful candidate will be based in Pretoria on a 5 year contract. The closing date for applications is 18 November 2011.­­
  Human Sciences Research Council, November 2011

Research reports & papers

• Call for papers: Social movements, civil society and transitional justice 
  
  The International Journal of Transitional Justice invites submissions for its 2011 special issue, with a 1 April 2011 deadline.­
  Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, January 2011
• Co-operatives for development  
  
  Views on cooperatives as instruments that provide a stake in major economies for communities and create incentives for social cohesion.­
  South African Civil Society Information Service (Sacsis), January 2011
• Towards better use of evidence in policy formation: A discussion paper 
  
  A report intended as an initial high-level paper to stimulate discussion amongst New Zealand policy advisors and policy makers.­
  Gluckman, P., May 2011
• Xenophobia research 
  
  A study intended to feed policy-oriented recommendations back to civil society regarding both xenophobia and the lessons needing to be learned about strengthening civil society.
  Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO), May 2009
• Adaptation amidst prosperity and adversity: Insights from happiness studies from around the world 
  
  With examples from the economics, democracy, crime, corruption, and health arenas, concluding with policy implications.
  Brookings Institution, July 2010
• Citizens' engagement in policymaking and the design of public services 
  
  Citizen participation in policymaking and service design has been debated or attempted, but too infrequently realised. Considers current reform initiatives in the Australian Public Service (APS) and examines the implications of citizen-centric ideals for the processes and structures of government agencies.­
  Australian Public Service (APS), July 2011
• Citizenship, violence and xenophobia in South Africa: Perceptions from South African communities 
  
  Reports on a rapid response study to investigate the causes underlying the outbreak of 2008 ­xenophobic violence in South Africa.
  Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), June 2008
• Defining and measuring social cohesion 
  
  Register to download this report which examines the concept of social cohesion in policy debates and assesses its role in social development.
  United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), November 2010
• Demons and democracy: Positive values and the politics of outsiderness in contemporary South Africa  
  
  Reflects on xenophobia and the language used to talk about outsiders.
  Heinrich Boll Stiftung, May 2010
• Evidence for social policy and practice: Perspectives on how research and evidence can influence decision making in public services 
  
  Essays from organisations using different methodologies and approaches to generate evidence and influence policy and practice in a number of service areas including criminal justice, childrens' services and poverty reduction.
  NESTA, April 2011
• Implementing the APRM: Views from civil society  
  
  Assembled collaboratively over the past year by several South African civil society organisations (CSOs), this report scrutinises the country’s track record in fighting corruption, managing diversity, addressing xenophobia and racism, managing elections, consolidating democracy and upholding the rule of law, as well as confronting social exclusion and effective service delivery. ­­
  APRM Monitoring Project (AMP), June 2011
• Knowledge, networks and nations: Global scientific collaboration in the 21st century 
  
  Reviews the changing patterns of science, and scientific collaboration, in order to provide a basis for understanding such ongoing changes. Aims to identify the opportunities and benefits of international collaboration, to consider how they can best be realised, and to initiate a debate on how international scientific collaboration can be harnessed to tackle global problems more effectively.
  Royal Society, March 2011
• Mass localism: A way to help small communities solve big social challenges 
  
  Proposes an approach by which central and local government can encourage local responses to social challenges.
  NESTA, February 2010
• Migration and health in South Africa: A review of the current situation and recommendations for achieving the World Health Resolution on the Health of Migrants 
  
  F­ocuses on South Africa, and explores the linkages between health and the diverse movements of people within the county and across its borders.
  African Centre for Migration and Society, November 2010
• Policy papers on responses to social cohesion challenges 
  
  A selection of papers including topics such as language pluralism, expression of identity and economic inequalities.­
  Shared Societies Project, 2010
• Practical peacemaking wisdom from Africa: Reflections on Ubuntu 
  
  Outlines the five stages of the peacemaking process found among Ubuntu societies, including: acknowledgement of guilt, showing remorse and repenting, asking for and giving forgiveness, and paying compensation or reparation as a prelude to reconciliation.
  Journal of Pan African Studies, June 2006
• Racial identity, citizenship and nation building in post-apartheid South Africa 
  
  Looks at issues around promoting national unity, including the question of racial identities and the nature and feasibility of social cohesion.­
  Alexander, N., March 2006
• Report: South African civil society and xenophobia 
  
  Analyses the conditions that allowed xenophobic violence to erupt in South Africa in 2008, focusing on the role played by civil society.
  Atlantic Philanthropies South Africa, July 2010
• Residential land security as social protection 
  
  Papers and publications on residential land insecurity as a key factor in the processes of social marginalisation.
  Collective for Social Science Research, October 2010
• Social cohesion: a South African perspective 
  
  Traces factors impacting on social cohesion in South Africa, giving a historical ­background as well as challenges facing the country since the first democratic elections.
  Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance, June 2009
• South Africa's public policy clubs of exclusion  
  
  Commentary from the South African Civil Society Information Service (Sacsis) that the Zuma administration is attempting to insulate public policy choices from contestation in society, and as a consequence failing to build broader­ policy consensus.­
  Hassen, E-K., July 2010
• South African Development Index (SADI) 
  
  An initiative by the South African Institute of Race Relations which aims to track development trends in South Africa, and will be released on a quarterly basis. ­
  South African Institute of Race Relations, February 2011
• State of the cities report: Towards resilient cities 
  
  Assesses the progress made by South African cities over the last decade in relation to key development outcomes and reviews strategic problems and opportunities relating to planning and management­
  South African Cities Network (SACN), April 2011
• The impact of culture on creativity 
  
  Calls for policies on innovation to recognise cross-sectoral and multi-disciplinary aspects of creativity, including elements of 'culture-based creativity', 'economic' and 'technological innovation.'
  KEA, June 2009
• The state of the world's children 2011: Adolescence - an age of opportunity 
  
  Examines the global state of adolescents, outlines the challenges they face in health, education, protection and participation, and argues that investing in them now is our best hope of breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty and inequity and laying the foundation for a more peaceful, tolerant and equitable world.
  UNICEF, March 2011
• The university in development case studies of use-oriented research 
  
  This analysis provides new understandings of current concepts of 'globalisation', 'use-oriented' research, 'knowledge society and economy', and 'national system of innovation'.
  HSRC Press, November 2011
• Towards tolerance, law, and dignity: Addressing violence against foreign nationals in South Africa 
  
  Outlines the political economy of violence against outsiders and immediate triggers and factors that helped translate xenophobic attitudes into the violent attacks of May­ 2008.
  International Organization for Migration (IOM), January 2009
• What holds us together: Social cohesion in South Africa 
  
  Examines the effects of a range of crosscutting global forces on local forms of identity, coherence and cohesion.
  Human Sciences Research Council, 2003

Case studies

• Call for proposals: To conduct a series of case studies on the policy influence of impact studies 
  
  Call for proposals to conduct a series of case studies to identify factors that contribute to or impede evidence from rigorous impact evaluations to influence policy(deadline is 28 February 2011).
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), February 2011
• Community conversations: Communities embracing each other - 2009 
  
  Details the outcomes of ­15 dialogues the Nelson Mandela Foundation convened in various communities across South Africa affect­ed by xenophobic violence in 2008.­
  Nelson Mandela Foundation, January 2010
• Systematic review database 
  
  ­This database provides policymakers and practitioners with easy access to systematic reviews that examine evidence on the effects of social and economic development interventions in low- and middle-income countries. It draws together systematic reviews from a range of sources and covers all sectors.
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), September 2011
• The smoke that calls: Insurgent citizenship, collective violence and the struggle for a place in the new South Africa  
  
  Eight case studies of community protest and xenophobic violence in South Africa with recommendations under the categories of social justice activism, reforming the state, and socio-economic interventions.­
  Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), July 2011
• Where biodiversity, traditional knowledge, health and livelihoods meet: Institutional pillars for productive inclusion of local communities (Brazil case study) 
  
  Considers questions regarding medicinal plants with a view to exploring opportunities for productive inclusion of traditional communities. Highlights the importance of bottom-up approaches to policy development and inclues a one-page summary.
  
  
  International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG), April 2011

Country studies

• Africa Capacity indicators 2011: Capacity development in fragile states 
  
  This report introduces a unique and unprecedented series of data on the state of capacity in Africa. It also examines key issues and challenges confronting in-country and cross-border capacity development.
  African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), February 2011
• Assessing progress in Africa towards the Millennium Development Goals 
  
  The third in a series which discusses what needs to be done further in reaching the MDGs,  an abridged version of a much more comprehensive joint Economic Commission for Africa, African Union Commission, and African Development Bank report.
  United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, February 2009
• Diagnostic overview 
  
  Aims to identify the main challenges confronting the country and examine their underlying causes. Serves to advance the discussion about the major issues confronting South Africa.
  National Planning Commission (NPC), June 2011

Toolkits & guidelines

• Analysing and measuring social inclusion in a global context 
  
  A guiding framework for policymakers, researchers and practitioners interested in developing practical tools for evidence-based policymaking, impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation in ­the area of social inclusion.
  United Nations, 2010
• Call for submissions: Terms of reference for an online course on how to build a policy influence plan 
  
  Call for the development of a course which will improve  organizational capacity to influence public policies in developing countries - deadline 23 January 2011
  Global Development Network (GDNet), January 2011
• Community cohesion: Seven steps: A practitioners toolkit 
  
  Identifies seven steps to developing community cohesion, illustrating with in-depth cases studies and practical examples.
  Cohesion and Faiths Unit, Home Office, United Kingdom, March 2005
• Data strategies for policymaking: Identifying international good practice 
  
  Reviews international good practice for using data in policymaking and develops a conceptual framework for characterising and classifying the different elements of a data strategy for public sector orga­nisations.
  RAND Corporation, 2010
• e-Atlas of global development 
  
  A free, online, interactive tool, which maps and graphs more than 175 indicators from the World Bank’s development database.
  World Bank, March 2011
• From Evidence to Action: Issue 6: Evaluating our way to better government performance 
  
  In the final issue of the PAN newsletter for 2011 ­we look at how the evaluation of government programmes can be invaluable in improving performance and service delivery.
  Policy > Action Network, Human Sciences Research Council, December 2011
• From Evidence to Action: P>AN Newsletter 1/2010 
  
  This is the first edition of the Policy > Action Network newsletter, From Evidence to Action, published with support from the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development (PSPPD), a partnership between the Presidency and the Eu­ropean Union.­
  Policy > Action Network, November 2010
• Handbook on monitoring, evaluating and managing knowledge for policy influence 
  
  The main purpose of this handbook is to facilitate the investment process of a public research institute in developing a system (from the simplest to the most sophisticated) of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and knowledge management (KM) of the impact of research on public policy.
  CIPPEC, February 2011
• Magenta book 
  
  Sets out the key issues to consider when designing and managing evaluations, and the presentation and interpretation of evaluation results. Describes why thinking about evaluation before and during the policy design phase can help to improve the quality of evaluation results without needing to hinder the policy proce­ss.
  HM Treasury, April 2011
• Managing for development results: A focus on Africa 
  
  A case book aimed at ensuring­ that managers are using evidence to make decisions and development stakeholders are able to keep track of progress.
  African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results, 2010
• Research as a tool for advocacy 
  
  A presentation outlining approaches to achieving research-based­ policies.
  Institute for Security Studies (ISS), 2010
• Sound expectations: From impact evaluations to policy change 
  
  A conceptual framework to be used in the production of case studies which identify factors that help or hinder rigorous impact evaluations from influencing policy.
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), April 2011
• Taking action on threats of xenophobic violence: Recommendations for the Inter-Ministerial Committee 
  
  A set of recommendations sutmitted to the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on xenophobic violence, with a 10-point action plan.­
  Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA), June 2010
• The broadcasting independence handbook: Lessons from the South African experience: A handbook in three parts 
  
  For use by South African and Southern African Development Community (SADC)-wide civil society organisations, as well as independent and community media.­
  Freedom of Expression Institute, 2008
• Tools and resources 
  
  Aims to provide analytical tools and resources to assist analysts and managers with policy development or service-planning projects.
  Population and Sustainable Development, New Zealand, March 2011

Conference & seminar papers

• Engaging meaningfully with government on socio-economic rights: A focus on the right to housing 
  
  A booklet explaining what 'meaningful engagement' is, when it should take place and the role of community leaders.
  Socio-economics Rights Institute of South Africa, March 2010
• International conference on social cohesion and development 
  
  Papers from conference aiming to deepen understanding of the complex and pertinent relationship between social cohesion and development.
  OECD, January 2011
• Mapping social cohesion: 2009 Scanlon Foundation report 
  
  Transcript of a discussion focused on ­immigrants' experiences of connectedness, social justice, sense of belonging and worth.
  Grattan Institute, June 2010
• National conference on structural poverty in South Africa 
  
  Conference presentations can now be downloaded. Also look at the summing-­up, Cross cutting golden threads.
  Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) et al., September 2010
• Presentation: Evaluation as a key source of evidence for policy-making 
  
  Presentation from a seminar which reviewed evidence-based policy-making and the potential role of evaluation as a key, and a systematic, source of evidence. Presented by Dr Ian Goldman, Deputy Director General, Evaluation and Research, DPME,­ The Presidency.­
  Goldman, I., January 2012
• Producing knowledge syntheses that are both rigorous and relevant to policy makers 
  
  Workshop report where participants were enabled to apply a knowledge synthesis ­method including: choosing a relevant policy for study, analysing it, performing a literature review (in a way that differs from literature reviews on simple interventions) and organising deliberative processes.
  National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy, June 2011
• Public policy: Why ethics matters 
  
  Essays based on a conference which aimed to ­encourage and facilitate debate about the ethical basis for policy making.
  Australian National University, October 2010
• The African debate on social justice 
  
  Examines the concept of social justice in Africa and the possible role to be played by the youth, especially in the age of globalis­ation.­
  Centre for Policy Dialogue, Zambia, 2008
• The country we want to live in: Hate crimes and homophobia in the lives of black lesbian South Africans 
  
  C­aptures key aspects of a roundtable discussion and makes recommendations that have relevance for research, policy and practice.
  Human Sciences Research Council, September 2010

Reading lists

• Annotated bibliography on social exclusion, adverse incorporation and chronic poverty 
  
  Explores the latest thinking on social exclusion within development studies and the more historical debates  concerning the ways in which processes of 'adverse ­incorporation', closure' and 'marginalisation' work to impoverish regions, sectors and people.­
  Smith, B., December 2007

Advocacy initiatives

• African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results 
  
  A community of over 1,000 practitioners managing for development results (MfDR) from 37 different African countries and regions across the world.
  March 2011
• Archival Platform 
  
  A networking, advocacy and research initiative, referring not only to archives and libraries, but also to memory, cultural practice and places that tell the stories of the past. It aims to facilitate dialogue and information sharing between professionals, academics and government employees in the heritage and archive sector.
  2009
• From Evidence to Action: the Policy > Action Network newsletter 
  
  Download the second issue of the Policy > Action Network newsletter and email pan@hsrc.ac.za if you would like to make comments or submissions for the next issue.
  Human Sciences Research Council, February 2011
• IPC-IG Internship Programme  
  
  This internship offers outstanding graduate-level students the opportunity to acquire direct exposure to IPC-IG’s work as a global forum for policy dialogue and South-South learning on development innovations.
  International Poverty Centre, January 2011
• National Planning Commission (NPC) Jam 
  
  If you have some ideas on building a better South Africa, please register for and participate in the National Planning Commission (NPC)­ Jam (an online brainstorming event from noon on 28 September until noon on 1 October). Additional information can also be found here. ­
  National Planning Commission (NPC) , September 2011
• Observatory of Cultural Policies in Africa 
  
  ­A pan-African non-governmental organisation aiming to enhance the development of national cultural policies in the region and their integration in human development strategies through advocacy and promoting information exchange, research, capacity building and cooperation at the regional and international level.
  January 2010
• Online training: How to build a policy influence plan 
  
  CIPPEC, a leading think tank in Argentina will award 12 scholarships to participate in the third edition of this online training programme developed jointly with Global Development Network (GDN)­ which will start by the end of August 2011.­
  
  CIPPEC, August 2011
• September National Imbizo 
  
  A new Facebook forum for a national citizens' dialogue, currently working against xenophobia and planning for ­a National Indaba in September 2010.
  July 2010
• Shared Societies Project 
  
  A Club of Madrid global initiative that supports democratic development through leadership for dialogue, diversity and social cohesion. Read about their Call to action and their Ten Commitments outlining policy areas essential for promoting social inclusion. ­
  January 2010
• Working against xenophobia 
  
  A project aimed at preventing xenophobic violence and protecting refugee rights, with related documents including case studies and commentary.­
  Sonke Gender Justice Network, June 2010
• World social forum 2011 
  
  Follow events at this open meeting in Dakar, Senegal from 6-11 February.
  February 2011