Invitation to the Inaugural Colloquium of the International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD) Africa Branch

The newly launched Africa branch of the International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD) will be hosting its inaugural colloquium from 14 – 15 March 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The colloquium will be hosted as an intimate in-person gathering of eminent social development experts from across the African continent. We are delighted to welcome Prof Leila Patel and Prof Abye Tasse, renowned academics in the field of Social Work and Social Policy and Development in Africa, as our keynote speakers at the colloquium.

We invite you, as one of these identified experts, to submit an abstract for a paper to be presented at the colloquium. The colloquium will be held under the theme:

When Crises Collide: Social Development Responses to Intersecting Crises in Africa

Driving Social Development in Africa

The Colloquium aspires to bring together eminent social development scholars, activists, practitioners or policymakers in Africa to:

• Showcase what new and cutting-edge insights and solutions you are researching, implementing, and evaluating;
• Engage with other leading social development thinkers and practitioners on the continent;
• Network with other social development stakeholders; and
• Build the ICSD Africa Branch.
• Submit a Paper Abstract

Poverty and inequality are longstanding challenges in Africa. More recently, Africa has been severely affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic, and climate change and natural disasters have also had a calamitous impact on African lives and the economy. These challenges mean that the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals is at risk. Yet significant innovation in development efforts is also needed to address these interconnecting crises. The purpose of the colloquium will be to present research that unpacks these challenges whilst highlighting innovative responses to them.

You are therefore invited to submit an abstract for a paper that addresses any of the following  subthemes:

• Social development effects of, and responses to climate change.
• Understanding and addressing conflict and violence through a social development lens.
• Social development responses to promoting gender equality.
• Responding to crises through a social development approach.

• Abstracts can be submitted for both research papers and practice or policy reflections.
• Abstracts should be detailed, indicating a problem statement, the research, policy or practice response, methods used and key findings or reflections.
• Abstracts should be detailed but limited to not more than 300 words.

>> Click here to submit an abstract <<

Key Dates and Deadlines

31 January 2023 – Deadline for Submission of Abstracts

10 February 2023 – Notification of Acceptance of Abstracts

01 March 2023 – Final Date for Registration

14 – 15 March 2023 – ICSD Africa Colloquium

Please note that the conference is free to attend. This invitation is NOT transferable.

>> Click here to register to attend <<