The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has five broad research areas, which reflect our five thematic pillars: democratic governance, developmental regionalism, sustainable development, social inclusion, and public policy implementation on the African continent.

Featured publications

Books and book chapters

Gebrihet, H., & Pillay, P. 2023. Corruption and Identity Politics in the Ethiopian Political Transition: An Early Comparative Analysis. The Nexus between Poverty and Corruption: Quo Vadis?, 350.

Ismail, F. 2021. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and developmental regionalism: A handbook. Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies. 134pp. ISBN: 978-92-9162-053-1

Ismail, F. 2020. WTO reform and the crisis of multilateralism: A developing country perspective. South Centre, Geneva, Switzerland. 142pp. ISBN: 978-92-9162-053-1

Hirsch, A. 2005. Season of hope: Economic reform under Mandela and Mbeki. University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, IDRC. 305pp. ISBN 1-55260-215-5

Levy, B. 2014. Working with the grain: Integrating governance and growth in development strategies. New York: Oxford University Press. 253pp. ISBN 9780199363810.

Bhorat, H.I., Hirsch, A., Kanbur, R. and Ncube, M. (eds) 2014. The Oxford Companion to the economics of South Africa. 410pp. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199689248.

Fritz, V., Levy, B. and Ort, R. (eds) 2014. Problem-driven political economy analysis. 262pp. Washington: The World Bank. ISBN 9781464801211

Lopes C. (2021) Could this be the African century?. In: Wang H., Michie A. (eds) Consensus or conflict? China and globalization. Springer, Singapore.

Hirsch, A. 2013. Aspirations to an elusive developmental state: the obstacles to deep reform. In B. Ngcaweni (ed), The future we chose: Emerging perspectives on the centenary of the ANC, pp. 297-310. Pretoria, South Africa: Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA). ISBN 9780798304368

Levy, B. 2014. Commanding heights: the governance of state-owned enterprises in contemporary South Africa. In H. Bhorat, A. Hirsch, R. Kanbur and M. Ncube (eds), The Oxford companion to the economics of South Africa , pp. 202-208. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199689248

Journal articles

Working papers

Naidoo, V. Measuring the effects of politicisation on bureaucratic behaviour in Africa. 2022

Haricharan, S.J. Is the leadership performance of public service executive managers related to their emotional intelligence? 2022

Iwuamadi, C., Gallina, S., Nassuna, R., Fellinger, T. How youth involvement in the AfCFTA process could lead to a successful implementation of the continental agreement. 2022

Raftopoulos, B., Kanyenze, G., Nederlof Sithole, M. Navigating Turbulence in Zimbabwe 2021

Levy, B., Hirsch, A., Naidoo, V., Nxele, M. South Africa: When Strong Institutions and Massive Inequalities Collide 2021

Govender, R., Kimemia, D., Hornsby, N., Van Niekerk, A. Differentiation of paediatric burn injury by household energy source in south Africa 2020

Govender, R., Hornsby, N., Kimemia, D., Van Niekerk, A. The role of concomitant alcohol and drug use in increased risk for burn mortality outcomes 2020

Swart, L., Day, S., Govender, R., Seedat, M. Participation in (non) violent protests and associated psychosocial factors: sociodemographic status, civic engagement and perceptions of government's performance 2020

Camerer, M. Challenges in integrity management: The case of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) 2020

Fakir, S. The Politics of Universalism versus Particularism – reason versus feelings in a changing world 2019.

Levy, B. Fostering Change when Governance is Complex: Some Lessons from Practice. 2019.

Levy, B. and Shumane, L. School governance in a fragmented political and bureaucratic environment. 2017.

Kota, Z; Hendricks, M; Matambo, E and Naidoo, V. The governance of Basic Education in the Eastern Cape 2017.

Hirsch, A and Levy, B. Elaborate Scaffolding, Weak Foundations: Business-Government Relations and Economic Reform in Democratic South Africa. 2017.

Levy, B., Cameron, R., Hoadley, U., Naidoo, V. The politics and governance of basic education: A tale of two South African provinces 2016

Cameron, R., Naidoo, V. When a ‘ruling alliance’ and public sector governance meet: Managing for performance in South African basic education 2016

Hoadley, U., Levy, B., Shumane, L., Wilburn, S. Leadership, stakeholders and learner performance in four Western Cape schools 2016

Cameron, R., Levy, B. The potential and limits of performance management: Improving basic education in the Western Cape 2016

Philip, Kate. The transformative potential of public employment programmes. 2013

Other

Case studies

Leading in public life: Emerging African Leaders Programme - the first 100+:2015 -2018

Why the lights went out: Reform in the SA energy sector

Turning the tide: The Johannesburg Development Agency and its role in revitalising the inner city

Financing the future: Budget reform in SA: 1994-2004

Conference papers and reports

“Child sexual abuse reporting intentions and behaviours of primary school teachers in South Africa: an application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour”, International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect (ISPCAN) Congress Quebec City, Canada

“Development and evaluation of the TRQ-SA survey instrument to measure teachers' child sexual abuse reporting intentions”, International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect (ISPCAN) Congress Quebec City, Canada

Emerging African Leaders Programme 2017: A report of the Building Bridges Programme

Research Roundtable: Governance, Society and Development in Africa August 2016: A report of the Building Bridges Programme

The Graduate School of Development Policy and Practice- 2011-2016: GSDPP's 5 year report

Leading in Public Life - Young African Leaders Programme 2016: A report of the Building Bridges Programme

African Economic Integration 2014-2016: A report of the Building Bridges Programme

Leading in Public Life - Young African Leaders Programme 2015: A report of the Building Bridges Programme

Master's dissertation research series

Chikohomero, R. Education in Service of Patronage? An Analysis of the Collision between Learning-Oriented Reforms and a Cohesive and Coherent Education Bureaucracy System in Zimbabwe. 2019

Keka, A. Changes in the Quality of Extension Services in the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Between 2006 and 2013: An Exploration of Joe Gqabi District. 2019

Mabalane, K. An Institutional Analysis of Municipal Entities: The Case of City Power. 2019

Mbuzi, L. Pursuing Development through International Standard Based Global Multi-Stakeholder initiatives: An Account of The Extractive Industry Transparency in Zambia. 2019

Nkwatsibwe, C. Winning and Sustaining Space for Civil Society in Semi Authoritarian Settings: What Works and What Doesn’t Work – The Case of Uganda. 2019

Morewane, R. The Interface Between the Traditional Leadership and the District Health Management Offices in the Delivery of Health Services in Mopani, Vhembe and Sekhukhune Districts in Limpopo Province. 2018.

Pretorius, P. The Implications of Comprehensive and Incremental Approaches to Public Sector Reform for the Creation of a Development State in South Africa: Case Study of the Oceans Economy Operation Phakisa. 2018.

Uppink, L. Rescuing Urban Regeneration from Urban Patronage: Towards Inclusive Development in the Voortrekker Road Corridor. 2018.

Mageza, Q. An Exploration of Actions to Explore Public Entrepreneurship in the Implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme in the Eastern Cape 2017.

Makombe, P. Governance Reforms and National Benefits: Problems and Prospects in Marange Diamond Mining in Zimbabwe. 2017.

Nsupila, M. Orchestrating backward linkages from the extractive sector to other productive value adding sectors: a case studyof the mining and the manufacturing industries in Zambia 2017.

Research roundtable publications

Research Roundtable: Governance, Society and Development in Africa August 2016: A report of the Building Bridges Programme