The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI)

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) brings theoretically-informed social science research into the service of dealing with the major issues facing the public sector today. The work of the Institute is premised on the idea that in South Africa the democratic project, like the prospects of development, are largely contingent in the character and the limits of the state.

The Institute focuses on the public sector from an institutional perspective, considering the histories, cultures and power relations in government departments and agencies with a view to determining how these factors affect their performance.

PARI also explores the relationship between government and society to consider how the social arrangement of communities, the character of civil and family arrangements constrain or make possible certain governance strategies.

PARI supports postgraduate social science students working on government and governance through scholarships and bursaries. PARI operates in partnership with the Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

NEWS

A view from Roodepoort: city, identity and governance in post-apartheid South Africa

In partnership with City Press, PARI hosted a public lecture and symposium on social change in South Africa. Entitled, ‘A view from Roodepoort: city, identity and governance in post-apartheid South Africa’, the event engaged a range of scholars and thought leaders in discussion on the Institute’s research on emerging communities in urban South Africa. A dedicated webpage featuring videoclips of the presentations will be uploaded soon.

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