Editor’s note
Across South Africa and the wider continent, societies face mounting economic, social and environmental pressures. This edition of the HSRC Review explores how these challenges shape daily life, and what can be done to build a more inclusive future.
Drawing on data from the South African Social Attitudes Survey, several articles examine public perceptions of institutions, highlighting declining confidence in local governance and the growing normalisation of corruption. Another contribution demonstrates how economic hardship during COVID-19 influenced political trust.
The edition also showcases efforts to strengthen research impact through collaboration and capacity-building, including an AI skills initiative linking scholars across the Global South. Further features explore innovation in agriculture and the creative industries, the impact o climate change on water and livelihoods, and emerging priorities in youth wellbeing. Together, these insights point to the need for more inclusive, responsive and participatory approaches to research and development.
The HSRC Review team
Featured articles from the Review
The HSRC is committed to the dissemination of research-based information. One of the vehicles for this activity is its quarterly magazine, the HSRC Review, which contains accessible articles of recent research outputs, expert opinion and success stories of collaborative projects.
The HSRC Review assists the organisation in adhering to its mandate to serve the public purpose. It informs the making and monitoring of effective policy, helps to evaluate its implementation, and sparks public debate by disseminating research results.
The magazine is produced as an electronic version and distributed to about 2 000 subscribers. Readers include parliamentarians; directors and heads of government departments; funders and donors; development organisations; NGOs; the diplomatic community; national and international research institutions; and universities and schools.