A key problem that the Politics and Urban Research Group (PUG) addresses is the vulnerability of marginalised communities, which stems from governance systems that often fail them. By focusing on the intersection between formal and informal governance, we aim to shed light on why governance is not functioning as it should, with an emphasis on the poor interaction between these systems.
Our work is timely, given the emerging relevance of hybrid governance, which seeks to understand these dynamics both empirically and conceptually. PUG’s approach is grounded in a human rights lens, emphasising the importance of connecting these governance debates to broader issues of social justice.
As an interdisciplinary space, PUG integrates diverse methodologies and collaborates beyond academia, promoting epistemic justice and challenging power imbalances in knowledge production. Many of the concepts central to governance are defined in the Global North, but PUG’s research bridges these with local, South African contexts, ensuring that governance debates are relevant to the lived realities of vulnerable communities.
Our work is grounded in pushing boundaries through innovative theorisation, methodology, and diverse collaborations that bridge voices between vulnerable groups and power holders. In doing so, we contribute to rethinking how universities can be sites of transformative knowledge production and help them shift toward greater social responsiveness and relevance, in line with UWC’s strategic goals.
PUG seeks to produce impactful research that leads to material change, across various levels. We interrogate systems of governance, university structures, funding models, and publishing practices, all with the aim of fostering attitude, value, and worldview shifts that prioritise equity and activism.
Our work is timely, given the emerging relevance of hybrid governance, which seeks to understand these dynamics both empirically and conceptually. PUG’s approach is grounded in a human rights lens, emphasising the importance of connecting these governance debates to broader issues of social justice.
As an interdisciplinary space, PUG integrates diverse methodologies and collaborates beyond academia, promoting epistemic justice and challenging power imbalances in knowledge production. Many of the concepts central to governance are defined in the Global North, but PUG’s research bridges these with local, South African contexts, ensuring that governance debates are relevant to the lived realities of vulnerable communities.
Our work is grounded in pushing boundaries through innovative theorisation, methodology, and diverse collaborations that bridge voices between vulnerable groups and power holders. In doing so, we contribute to rethinking how universities can be sites of transformative knowledge production and help them shift toward greater social responsiveness and relevance, in line with UWC’s strategic goals.
PUG seeks to produce impactful research that leads to material change, across various levels. We interrogate systems of governance, university structures, funding models, and publishing practices, all with the aim of fostering attitude, value, and worldview shifts that prioritise equity and activism.
