A threshold has been crossed, with a pessimistic outlook becoming more dominant than an optimistic one.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Human Sciences Research Council
The HSRC was established in 1968 as South Africa’s statutory research agency and has grown to become the largest dedicated research institute in the social sciences and humanities on the African continent, doing cutting-edge public research in areas that are crucial to development.
Our mandate is to inform the effective formulation and monitoring of government policy; to evaluate policy implementation; to stimulate public debate through the effective dissemination of research-based data and fact-based research results; to foster research collaboration; and to help build research capacity and infrastructure for the human sciences.
The Council conducts large-scale, policy-relevant, social-scientific research for public sector users, non-governmental organisations and international development agencies. Research activities and structures are closely aligned with South Africa’s national development priorities.
The HSRC’s integrated research programmes provide single points of entry – complete with a critical mass of researchers – for interdisciplinary and problem-orientated research in the following areas:
- Africa Institute of South Africa
- Democracy, Governance and Service Delivery
- Economic Performance and Development
- Education and Skills Development
- Human and Social Development
- Population Health, Health Systems and Innovation
- Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB.
A cross-cutting entity, Research Use and Impact Assessment, seeks to extend and enhance the use and impact of scientific research from the HSRC and other sources of research; and to manage the HSRC’s relationships, reputation and brand.
Links
Displaying 1 - 20 of 63 articles
Consensus is the first step towards solving problems - but it’s been hard to reach.
Individual beliefs about the past and its relevance to the present strongly influenced awareness of the Marikana tragedy.
There is no evidence that international migrants are a major cause of unemployment in South Africa. Misinformation drives this misconception.
Perceptions that South African police treat people disrespectfully, lack impartiality or transparency, and are prone to brutality
undermine public confidence in them.
Researchers estimate that COVID-19 disruptions in 2020 set back the education system by five years.
A more devolved approach to national economic policy could build on the strengths of every region.
Income plays a large role in shaping the structural barriers people face in accessing vaccination.
Most adults were prepared to sacrifice their rights to ensure the safety and health of all during the pandemic, averaging 74%.
Much of the commentary on the July riots, which cost over 300 lives and billions of rands in damage to the economy, has neglected the long history of violent protests in the country.
While the loss of contact learning time can be quantified, it’s more difficult to quantify the effect of school closures on learning outcomes.
CC BY-NC-ND8.54 MB (download)
More needs to be done to support South Africa's township communities.
Despite millions of free homes built since 1994, spatial inequality in South Africa remains high. A study evaluating a programme to boost rentals in well-located areas found mixed results, however.
Analyse des effets d’un ambitieux programme de logement social mis en place en Afrique du Sud en 2006.
The low levels of familiarity with key historical events indicate that there are serious shortcomings in the development of national collective memory in South Africa.
The lead role of public health researchers continues to be important. But there is growing acknowledgement that social scientists have to be present from the very beginning.
Data underlies the kinds of applications that are proposed for use in the country’s education system.
Radio and television were found to be potentially highly influential in promoting positive public attitudes towards immigrants.
By opening data, monitoring and reporting on air quality can be complemented by data from various sources to create more localised and relevant decision-support solutions.
South African businesses have typically invested in innovation activities that help them prepare for technological and organisational change.
Authors
-
Senior Researcher in the Inclusive Economic Development Programme, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Research Director: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES) research division, and Coordinator of the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), Human Sciences Research Council
-
Chief Executive Officer of the Human Sciences Research Council, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Executive Head of the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Chief Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Distinguished Research Fellow, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Chief Research Manager, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Senior Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Research Director, Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Divisional Executive, Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research division, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Research Specialist: Digital Strategies and Engagement, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Head of Inclusive Economic Development, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Senior Research Specialist., Human Sciences Research Council
-
Distinguished Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Research Director, Development Capable and Ethical State, Human Sciences Research Council
