Objectives

SASPRI’s objectives

SASPRI was established to promote, encourage and undertake research and experimental work, including computing and the production of computer software, teaching and training in the areas of sociology, social policy, welfare policy including all aspects of community development and community work, education, social administration, poverty, deprivation, disadvantage, labour market policy, economics including taxation and family income policy, law, information technology or any other area of social science or the humanities in any part of the world but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing with particular reference to South and Southern Africa.. We are further committed to working collaboratively with local, regional and national governments in supporting evidence based policy making.

The importance of the Social Policy paradigm in the global South

The Social Policy paradigm and associated research methods training is suited to post-conflict democratic developing countries where social policy is delivered or directed by formal government structures. Building a Social Policy tradition is particularly necessary for countries which have identified the elimination of poverty, social exclusion and inequality as their main priorities. Citizenship – in particular the exercise of social rights which include rights to health, social services, education, housing and basic services such as water and sanitation – is also a major concern of Social Policy. Social Policy offers a coherent multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the multi-faceted nature of Southern African social problems and the building of democratic cultures through the exercise of citizenship entitlements. The existence of democratic governments across the region which promote transparent access to quantitative data on poverty and inequality also means that an opportunity now exists to study the development, implementation and outcomes of government policies on the welfare of citizens from a Social Policy perspective.