The International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD) mourns the passing of Professor James Midgley, one of the most influential and distinguished scholars in the history of social development. His death is a significant loss for the global social development community, but his intellectual legacy will continue to shape scholarship, policy and practice for years to come.
His contribution to the field was extraordinary in both scope and impact. Over an academic career spanning more than five decades, he helped define and advance the concept of social development as an integrated approach to social welfare, economic progress, and human wellbeing. His scholarship challenged conventional thinking and offered new ways of understanding how social policy can contribute to equitable and inclusive growth and development.
A seminal scholar
A prolific and widely respected scholar, Professor Midgley authored and edited over 40 books, and produced more than one hundred peer-reviewed journal articles and contributed over one hundred and fifty book chapters. His seminal works including Professional Imperialism, Social Development: The Developmental Perspective in Social Welfare, Colonialism and Welfare, Social Policy for Development, Social Welfare for a Global Era and Inequality, Social Protection and Social Justice are some of the foundational texts for students, academics, and practitioners around the world. On his retirement as Dean of the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkley, a special issue of the Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare was dedicated to his scholarly contribution to social investments, asset building and social development.
His latest book, Social Protection and Development: Growth, Welfare and Equity was published in May 2026, just before his passing. The book is dedicated to his colleague and friend, Leila Patel, the current President of the ICSD. In this book, Midgley challenges neoliberal assumptions about social protection, demonstrating how well-designed social protection programmes can drive economic growth, enhance wellbeing, promote social stability and advance social justice, particularly in the Global South. His latest book is a synthesis of the core ideas that underpin his theory of welfare developmentalism, and of the role of social protection policies in achieving these outcomes. This book is set to become a valuable resource for academics, researchers, students and policymakers. The book has received strong praise from leading scholars. Rebecca Surender of the University of Oxford commends its fresh analysis of the links between social protection, growth, and equity, while Silvia Borzutzky of Carnegie Mellon University highlights its successful integration of development and social protection in a cohesive and historically grounded way.
His writings were translated into multiple languages and remain among the most widely cited and influential contributions to social development scholarship.
His early career
James Midgley was born in South Africa and commenced his academic career at the University of Cape Town. He then went on to study at the London School of Economics where he was later appointed by Richard Titmus, one of the most influential post war welfare and social policy scholars, to lead a post graduate academic programme on the study of social development in the developing world. This experience opened productive areas of academic enquiry culminating in a diverse body of work.
His global influence
Throughout his career, he held distinguished academic appointments at leading institutions, including the University of Cape Town, the London School of Economics, Louisiana State University, and the University of California, Berkeley. His achievements were recognised through numerous national and international awards and fellowships. He held three Honorary Doctorates: one from this alma mater, the University of Cape Town, one from the University of Johannesburg and one from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
Beyond these achievements he was admired for his intellectual curiosity, generosity, mentorship, and commitment to advancing knowledge for social justice. He was Honorary Professor at Nihon Fukushi University in Japan, the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, Sun Yat-sen University in China and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
His relationship with the ICSD
Professor Midgley’s relationship with the International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD) spanned more than four decades. He was a steadfast supporter of the organisation and played a significant role in shaping its intellectual direction and global reach. He served on the Board of Managers of the ICSD’s journal, Social Development Issues, and was its longest standing book editor along with Michelle Livermore. He helped strengthen the Consortium’s scholarly contribution and to fostering critical dialogue on the pressing social challenges facing communities and societies around the world.
The significance of the Second World Summit for Social Development
Most recently, Professor Midgley continued to share his insights with the ICSD community, reflecting on the legacy of the 1995 World Summit on Social Development in the build up to the Second World Summit on Social Development held in Doha in November 2025. In his final interview with the ICSD President Leila Patel, he spoke about the ongoing importance of addressing poverty, inequality, and social justice and he commented on the role of international organisations in global social development. His commitment to the values and vision of social development never wavered.
Hope for the future
In the interview above, he said: “The pendulum doesn’t swing by itself, we have got to roll up our sleeves and make it swing. So, we need a very strong commitment, and I think again of the Shanti Khinduka lecture [delivered at ICSD 22nd biennial symposium in 2021 hosted by the Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg]; I was so inspired when I came across people who are doing just that”. He went on to say that not only are they working “through organisations but in their daily lives, in their practice, people engaged in research and teaching at the university, all working towards positive progressive goals, and doing their best in that way. These are the things we need to do. You know you often think, what can I do? I am just one individual – but there are many little grains of sand on the seashore and they all form a whole. So, thinking about one’s own actions within the context of what we can do collectively. I have hope for the future.”
While we mourn his passing, we also celebrate a life dedicated to scholarship, learning, public leadership and engagement, and the pursuit of a more just and inclusive world. James Midgley’s work transformed the field of social development and its raison d’être and inspired countless scholars, practitioners, and students across continents. His work was influential in shaping government policies too such as South Africa’s White Paper for Social Welfare of 1997. His ideas will endure. His writings will continue to guide future scholars and global developments in social development.
The ICSD extends its deepest condolences to Professor Midgley’s wife Khadija Midgley and their family, friends, colleagues, former students, and all who were touched by his life and work.
We invite colleagues, friends, students and members of the global social development community to share a tribute, memory or message of condolence in celebration of Professor James Midgley’s extraordinary life and legacy. You can submit your tribute here.
May his memory continue to inspire us.
Read Tributes from the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare here, Center for Social Development, Washington University here, the University of California Berkley Social Welfare Department here and the International Association of Schools of Social Work here. Social Work Journals here.
Issued by: ICSD Board