Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Setting out a new, path-breaking research agenda for global rural development, this timely book offers an innovative and embedded rural social science capable of both understanding and enacting progress towards diverse and sustainable pathways. It relocates rural development at the heart of global trends associated with widespread but uneven urbanisation, climate change and severe resource depletion, rising population growth, density and inequality, and global political, economic and health crises. Chapters collapse traditional binary notions of development as north-south, rural-urban, global-local and traditional modern, embracing a revised conceptualisation of uneven development as a process dependent upon multiple theoretical and conceptual frameworks. It offers potential routes for substantive, interlinked research agendas, including new ruralities, governance, land rights, agro-ecology, financialisation, power relations, family farming, and the role of markets. Scholars of geography, planning, rural sociology and rural-urban studies looking for a broader understanding of the topic will find this book essential. It will also be beneficial for those engaged in rural development policy and practice.

Travel to virtually any African country and you are likely to find a Coca-Cola, often a cold one at that. 'Bottled' asks how this carbonated drink became ubiquitous across the continent, and what this reveals about the realities of globalisation, development and capitalism. 'Bottled' is the first assessment of the social, commercial and environmental impact of one of the planet's biggest brands and largest corporations, in Africa. Sara Byala charts the company's century-long involvement in everything from recycling and education to the anti-apartheid struggle, showing that Africans have harnessed Coca-Cola in varied expressions of modernity and self-determination: this is not a story of American capitalism running amok, but rather of a company becoming African, bending to consumer power in ways big and small. In late capitalism, everyone's fates are bound together. A beverage in Atlanta and a beverage in Johannesburg pull us all towards the same end narrative. This story matters for more than just the local reasons, enhancing our understanding of our globalised, integrated world. Drawing on fieldwork and research in company archives, Byala asks a question for our time: does Coca-Cola's generative work offset the human and planetary costs associated with its growth in the twenty-first century?

This collection addresses human rights and development for researchers, policymakers and activists at a time of major challenges. 'Critical issues' in the title signifies both the urgency of the issues and the need for critical rethinking. After exploring the overarching issues of development and economic theory, gender, climate change and disability, the book focuses on issues of technology and trade, education and information, water and sanitation, and work, health, housing and food. The chapters then examine how to operationalize human rights in development through accountability, the right to development, indicators and the Sustainable Development Goals. The conclusion proposes international standards and social mobilization for human rights and sustainable development as normative and policy-oriented tools for addressing the climate emergency, the coronavirus pandemic, social inequality, racial injustice, and the rise of populist authoritarianism and for advancing social justice and the equal value of all human beings. This book is of interest to students of development and human rights studies, international relations, international law and contemporary social issues, as well as professionals working at government, intergovernmental and civil society organizations dealing with these issues.

Political philosophy is a field of study which aims to clarify our most fundamental ethical questions as human beings living in societies under conditions of scarce resources and unequal power: How should we live? What does a good life look like? What kind of social and political arrangements are most conducive to living good lives? Puzzles in contemporary political philosophy shows the relevance of classical and contemporary thinkers to our own lives and the world we live in today. This introduction uses a wealth of real-world examples drawn from the South African context to explore some of these questions: We value freedom but where should the limits to our freedom lie? What do we mean by equality? Do we mean that we want people to be equally happy, or equally successful, or equally well fed? We think of democracies as places where citizens can enjoy a certain measure of justice, but what is meant by "justice"? Is it a particular form of distribution of goods, of services, of opportunities? Is justice the same as "equality" or is there a difference? Are some forms of inequality "just"? Is justness the same as "fairness"? Written in simple, jargon-free language, this introduction to some of the most important debates in contemporary politics is an essential guide for undergraduate South African students of political philosophy.

This comprehensive Research Handbook offers an innovative analysis of environmental law in the global South. It contributes to an important reassessment of some of the major concepts underlying environmental law, from a perspective that emphasises how their application affects poor and marginalised people as well as the wider ecosystems in which they live. Through legal analysis of environmental issues themselves, rather than the often limited discussion of existing legal instruments, this Research Handbook discusses areas rarely prioritised in environmental law, such as land rights, and underlines how these intersect with issues including poverty, livelihoods and the use of natural resources. Featuring contributors largely from, or working in, the global South with a variety of approaches and backgrounds, the Research Handbook challenges familiar narratives around development and sustainability in this context and provides new insights into environmental rights and justice. Researchers and postgraduate students will find this Research Handbook's unique perspective invaluable, particularly in the context of a growing interest in 'people-centric' environmental law. Policymakers and activists in the global South will also be interested in its analysis of key issues and suggestions for alternative models and future policy. Contributors include: S. Adelman, U. Baxi, V. Bhagat-Ganguly, S. Bhattacharjee, L. Bhullar, C.R. Bijoy, P. Cullet, J. Dehm, B. Gebremichael, K. Gill, S. Gopalakrishnan, E. Grant, M. Gupta, T. Kaime, P. Kameri-Mbote, A.H. Khan, M. Kidd, K. Kohli, S. Koonan, A. Kothari, L. Kotze, F. Lesniewska, L. Lohmann, M. Menon, F. Padel, U. Ramanthan, J. Razzaque, G. Sahu, P. Sampat

Numerous opportunities have come and gone over the past 20 years of democracy in South Africa for the State to engage with Civil Society and bring development closer to its intended beneficiaries. Civil Society, through its advocacy initiatives, has secured for itself a greater voice and choice in development, and every role player therein should continuously endeavour to make a difference by participating actively and meaningfully in development. Authentic, sustainable grassroots transformation and development, however, is not possible without public participation, social learning, self-reliance and empowerment. Development, the State and Civil Society in South Africa addresses the practical reality of the development consultant, government and public sector change agent, politician and policy maker. Departing from a humanist and people-centred perspective, it captures the fundamentals upon which most development theory, policy, programmes/projects and practices are based, namely cooperation, participatory planning and public participation. The book follows a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to assessing development management principles and strategies. Important challenges in development management and related practice and policy interventions are also functionally integrated. Contents include the following: Development theories, management and the democratic developmental State; Promoting people-centred development and good governance; The role of developmental non-governmental organisations; The private sector and social responsibility; The role of trade unions and international development agencies; Micro-level development and public participation; Integrated Development Planning (IDP); Social development research; Chapter review questions test knowledge and understanding of issues discussed, and encourage critical examination from different perspectives. The final chapter provides guidelines for writing scientific documents and using basic social research methodology - essential skills for all researchers and practitioners in development management.

This incisive Handbook critically examines the role and place of media and communication in development and social change, reflecting a vision for change anchored in values of social justice. Expert contributors discuss and evaluate the roles and outcomes of media and communication for social mobilization, media mobilization, community mobilization, advocacy, participation, empowerment, capacity-building, resistance, networking, and action for progressive social change. Chapters explore communicative actions involved in social, economic, political, and cultural integration and the transformation of individuals, communities, places, and societies in the processes of development and social change. Outlining the genealogy and history of the field, the Handbook investigates the possible new directions and objectives in the area. Key conclusions include an enhanced role for development communication in participatory development, active agency of stakeholders of development programs, and the operationalization of social justice in development. Comprehensive yet accessible, this Handbook will be a key resource for students and scholars of media and communication, political science, development studies, social work, critical education, community organization, and anthropology. It will also be of value to professionals working in associations and organizations dealing with development and social change.

The new millennium has witnessed profound changes to the way donor countries are approaching international development - with the emphasis now on collaborative, people-centred development. This timely book explores how research and research culture need to adapt to mesh with this new reality. John Spriggs, Barbara Chambers and Carole Kayrooz offer their unique perspective based on their experience working in agricultural and rural development in the Indo-Pacific region. They provide a unique take on the historical context of research to support agricultural and rural development tracing its evolution following World War 2. Advocating for the critical role of social science, the authors argue that the old, technocratic approach to research should be left behind as we explore and advance a new approach to research that reflects a collaborative, people-centred development strategy. This cutting-edge book provides a step-by-step approach, based on their Collaborative Research in International Development (CRID) research model. Pioneering the most up-to-date approaches to international development research, Towards Collaborative Research in International Development is crucial reading for researchers at all levels working in the field, particularly those working in national research bodies. Postgraduate students of development studies will also benefit from this book's critical insights and guidance for research methods.

With human-induced environmental impacts disrupting human life in deeper ways and at a wider scale than anything previously experienced, this multidisciplinary book looks at the ways that current knowledge bases seem inadequate to help us deal with such realities. It offers a critical appraisal of the current knowledge infrastructure, including science, technology, innovation, education and informal knowledge systems. Contributions from a wide spectrum of social scientists, philosophers, activists and decision-makers tackle the importance of knowledge for the Anthropocene using a mosaic of data, theories, cases, models, methods and experiences. Chapters highlight what relevant knowledge will become critical to dealing with deteriorating environmental conditions, as well as how science, technology, education and innovation can be radically transformed to deal with these challenges. The book further explores the behavioural, economic, social and cultural aspects of the Anthropocene, and how knowledge impacts both these and our possible futures. This will be a critical read for human geography and environmental science scholars, as well as social science scholars more broadly, particularly with its in-depth glossary and digital resource list. It will also aid practitioners in the planning, design, management and evaluation of knowledge systems by providing deeper understandings of the potential circumstances of knowledge in the Anthropocene.

The community development profession: issues, concepts and approaches is an informative resource for students and practitioners of community-based development as it faces the stumbling blocks of a new professionalism. Authors Professors Frik de Beer and Hennie Swanepoel introduce and debate the relevant issues, concepts and approaches, and their evolution, interpretation and application in the field of development. Based on an extensive literature study, the book argues that some more recently evolved approaches can be traced to a "community development" origin, with possible pitfalls of marginalisation and disempowerment in the hands of powerful people. De Beer and Swanepoel also discuss issues such as the origin and history of community development from an international and South African perspective; community development principles, policy, ethics, institutions and training; community development project management and evaluation; the integrated development programme (IDP); all aspects of participatory planning, local economic development, and sustainability; the important role played by government and NGOs. Lecturers will benefit from the questions for reflection and discussion, a reading list per theme and a glossary for second-language users, all of which are included in each chapter.

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) are everywhere and the perception of their engagement in myriad activities ranges between extremely positive and extremely negative. Based on original comprehensive research, this groundbreaking book examines the impact of Chinese and European MNEs in the African context. Sharing knowledge and insights from the authors' empirical research, Multinationals, Local Capacity Building and Development uses Ghana as a case study to analyse trends in MNEs and assess the advantages and disadvantages of their involvement. The book examines the role of MNEs in Ghana's industrial sector, their management practices and the effects of skill transfer from foreign managers to local workers. The authors explore the impact MNEs are having on the development of local capabilities, the contribution of MNEs to sustainable development goals, and the benefits and drawbacks of foreign direct investment in Ghana. Previously unexamined roles of work and social networks, and the differences between European and Chinese MNEs, are exposed, all subjects previously unaddressed in the field. The insights presented in this book will be of significant interest to policy makers, both public and private sector development practitioners, and students of development, as well as any readers concerned with addressing better engagement with key economic actors on the African continent.

This series of books brings together results of an extensive research programme on aspects of the national systems of innovation (NSI) in the five BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It provides a comprehensive and comparative examination of the challenges and opportunities faced by these dynamic and emerging economies. In discussing the impact of innovation with respect to economic, geopolitical, socio-cultural, institutional, and technological systems, it reveals the possibilities of new development paradigms for equitable and sustainable growth. Original and detailed data, together with expert analyses on wide-ranging issues, make this book an invaluable resource for researchers and scholars in economics, development studies and political science, in addition to policymakers and development practitioners interested in the BRICS countries.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Setting out a new, path-breaking research agenda for global rural development, this timely book offers an innovative and embedded rural social science capable of both understanding and enacting progress towards diverse and sustainable pathways. It relocates rural development at the heart of global trends associated with widespread but uneven urbanisation, climate change and severe resource depletion, rising population growth, density and inequality, and global political, economic and health crises. Chapters collapse traditional binary notions of development as north-south, rural-urban, global-local and traditional modern, embracing a revised conceptualisation of uneven development as a process dependent upon multiple theoretical and conceptual frameworks. It offers potential routes for substantive, interlinked research agendas, including new ruralities, governance, land rights, agro-ecology, financialisation, power relations, family farming, and the role of markets. Scholars of geography, planning, rural sociology and rural-urban studies looking for a broader understanding of the topic will find this book essential. It will also be beneficial for those engaged in rural development policy and practice.

This insightful book offers practical advice to fieldworkers in social research, enabling robust and judicious applications of research methods and techniques in data collection. It also outlines data collection challenges that are commonly faced when working in the field. Authors address key strategies to tackle the major challenges to fieldwork, including advice on using indigenous or innovative skills and making intelligent use of the advantages already available within standard research methodologies. International contributors provide a hands-on account of research methodologies as applied in the field, with particular focus on research ethics and community culture and interactions. The book offers a number of useful case studies, featuring examples of the application of research techniques in different cultural and socio-economic contexts. Utilizing an innovative and dynamic 'storytelling' method, this book will be a useful research tool for fieldworkers engaging in social science research in community settings, as well as students in the field learning the core techniques of fieldwork.

This insightful book examines the impact of two competing visions of Asian-Pacific economic growth paths and development governance. It discusses law, development and finance in the context of the Indo-Pacific Strategy versus the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), whilst also comparing parallel development financing systems. Jin Sheng reflects on and connects a series of issues of global significance, such as the economic Cold War, global debt, industrialisation and development in the developing world, and the changing international economic order. In so doing the author posits that the BRI's ultimate objective is to export China's development model, which is characterised by a focus on exports, experimentalism, and oversupply of currency. The book also critically examines China's ambition to dominate the international economic order and set up its own favoured international rules. Alternative Development Finance and Parallel Development Strategies in the Asia-Pacific will be an important read for researchers and policy makers in the fields of law, development and finance in the Asia-Pacific region.

Exploring the ways that contemporary urban life takes the Holocene for granted, this multidisciplinary book warns that anthropogenic environmental impacts are on course to challenge the viability of most human settlements. It highlights how, despite increased warnings, most cities appear to be in denial of the potential impending catastrophes and remain ill-prepared to handle major disruptions. Chapters offer a critical appraisal of the end of an urban epoch: the Holocene city. Moving from more general aspects of urban vulnerability in the face of the Anthropocene, the book then looks at more specific issues and cases illustrating alternative adaptation pathways. It further analyses existing approaches, movements and networks for urban preparedness for the climate crisis, offering visualisations of the ways these can be improved, conceiving alternative futures and reinventing the city. A timely resource for this emerging topic, the book will be beneficial to urban studies, environmental science and development studies scholars. Practitioners in urban planning, design, management and evaluation will also find the critical case studies in the book particularly helpful.

This authoritative Handbook provides a thorough exploration of development policy from both scholarly and practical perspectives and offers insights into the policy process dynamics and a range of specific policy issues, including corruption and network governance. Chapters deliver critical analyses of complex issues within the economic, social, technological and environmental development sectors, such as climate change and environmental protection. This important Handbook synthesises diverse perspectives on policies and their implications for development, and features regional and country-specific case studies highlighting the field's expansive nature. The editors bring together leading contributors who deliver insightful research into topics such as human rights, policy networks and development policy praxis. With an accessible and comprehensive approach, this Handbook will appeal to practitioners exploring development policy issues and be welcomed by scholars and researchers looking to gain an insight into the world of development.

Bill Pritchard provides an important update on how current trade methodologies are implemented as China becomes one of the world's largest fresh fruit importers from countries such as Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The book also looks at their distinctive trade aspects and what can be learnt from alternative practices carried out in other countries through the use of global production networks. An in-depth analysis provides the reader with a welcome insight into existing processes from production through to export, often through informal routes, with a marketing structure providing more power to the distributors and brokers and mixed effects on the farmers. Using empirical evidence from four countries, this book explores what could, and should, be implemented in this under-researched topic to aid rural development. This will be an invaluable resource for researchers of human geography, international trade and Asian studies, particularly those with a focus on Southeast Asia and China.

This accessible textbook provides a comprehensive guide to the building blocks of sustainable social enterprise, exploring how core elements contribute to either the success or failure of the social venture. It analyzes the key skills needed to synthesize effective business practices with effective social innovation and points out both what works and what does not. Taking a practical approach, it demonstrates how big ideas can be transformed into entities that produce lasting change. Key Features: Discussion questions and activities to aid student learning and debate A multi-part case study that helps students see social enterprise in practice Recommended resources sections that encourage students to explore the topic further Readable, real-life anecdotes, examples, and analogies that illustrate how social entrepreneurship initiatives operate Learning objectives and chapter summaries to guide students through key topics including product development, idea generation, social change theory, marketing, and operating structures Making the case that social entrepreneurship may be the most effective way to bring about positive changes in society, this textbook will be an essential resource for introductory courses and electives in social entrepreneurship.

Exploring and updating the controversial debates about the relationship between democracy and development, this Research Handbook provides clarification on the complex and nuanced interlinkages between political regime type and socio-economic development. Distinguished scholars examine a broad range of issues from multidisciplinary perspectives across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Analysing the relationship between political regime types, including varieties of democracies and autocracies, and broader development indicators, chapters cover economic growth, poverty and human development, inequality, corruption, conflict, human rights, and environmental sustainability. The Research Handbook examines longstanding and unresolved debates in the field over the past 60 years, as well as investigating contemporary issues of rising global inequalities, the resurgence of authoritarian populism, and the crisis of liberal democracy. Thorough and invigorating, this will be an essential read for social science scholars and students, particularly those studying sociology, politics, economics and global development studies. Policy makers and government officials dealing with foreign affairs and international development will appreciate the detailed case studies the Research Handbook offers.

Exploring how urban professionals plan, manage and govern cities in emerging economies, this insightful book studies the actions and instruments they employ. It highlights how the paradigms of interventions and approaches to urban management are shifting, indicating that urban governance is becoming increasingly important in dealing with wicked issues, like climate change and social and economic inequalities in cities. Urban Planning, Management and Governance in Emerging Economies offers rich international examples looking at housing, public space, water, climate change, the environment and economic development. Chapters showcase the changing role of urban professionals, with a particular focus on the dynamic social, cultural and economic transformations of cities in emerging economies. Exploring contemporary approaches to urban governance, contributors draw attention to the prevalence of smart cities, new forms of partnerships and just transitions in a changing urban landscape. Researchers and students of urban development, planning, management and governance will appreciate the multiple theoretical angles and the key case studies used throughout the book. The examples and theories will be helpful for urban leaders, strategists and advocates working in emerging economies.

This timely Handbook demonstrates that global linkages, flows and circulations merit a more central place in theorization about development. Calling for a mobilities turn, it challenges the sedentarist assumptions which still underlie much policy making and planning for the future. Expert contributors analyze development from a mobilities perspective, exploring how globalization connects distant people and places, so that what happens in one place has direct bearing on another. Chapters provide an overview of the global trends related to the flows of people and capital over the past decade, and offer insights into the consequences of developmental practices and policies that unfold on the ground. Drawing on specific case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America, this Handbook considers how, in many localities, livelihood opportunities are ever more shaped by positionality, and the ways in which people are attached to and participate in translocal and transnational networks. Providing a bottom-up analysis of the implications of globalization for translocal development, this Handbook will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of development studies, human geography, and sustainability and environmental science. Its use of global case studies will also be useful for practitioners and policy makers who desire a better understanding of the developmental impact of policies and investments.

This exciting and innovative Handbook provides readers with a comprehensive and globally relevant overview of the instruments, actors and design features of social protection systems, as well as their application and impacts in practice. It is the first book that centres around system building globally, a theme that has gained political importance yet has received relatively little attention in academia. Combining academic discussion with cases from the Global South and North, this Handbook offers practical recommendations on how greater harmonization across social protection policies, programmes and delivery mechanisms can be achieved. It also highlights the importance of linkages to other policy fields and issues such as taxation, humanitarian aid and livelihood approaches. Overall, the chapters argue that a systems approach is needed to respond to the individual needs of different groups in society and to face future challenges from demographic change, globalization, automation, climate change and pandemics. Targeting a broad audience, the Handbook on Social Protection Systems bridges the divide in academic debate around social protection in the Global South and North. It will be an invaluable resource for academics, students and practitioners.