Rural livelihood in South Africa

* Colin Murray, University of Manchester: "The political economy of changing livelihoods in Qwaqwa, South Africa".
* Dr. Leslie Bank, visiting fellow at the African Studies Centre (ASC) / Rhodes University, South Africa: "Rural livelihoods in transition in the new South-Africa: case studies from the Eastern Cape".

This seminar will focus on changing rural livelihoods in South Africa in the late 1990s. The two papers presented are based on recent field research in rural communities in the Eastern Cape, the poorest province in South Africa, and the 'rural slums' of the Free State province, located in the centre of the country. Particular attention will be paid to the impact of post-apartheid 'transition' on the prospects for the rural poor and the ways in which individuals and households have set about restructuring their lives in this new context. Topics such as changing migration and settlement patterns, multiple livelihood strategies, and shifting social identities will be addressed against the backdrop of broader changes in the South African polical economy.