Religion constitutes an inextricable part of African society. As such, political and socio-econom... more Religion constitutes an inextricable part of African society. As such, political and socio-economic activities are often flavoured with religious expressions and rituals. Whilst Africans are steeped in religiosity – this is expressed in many ways – poverty and corruption are rife on the continent. The question thus arises as to whether African religiosity gives impetus to poverty and corruption on the continent or whether religion has a crucial role to play in the liberation of African societies from poverty and corruption. By using the concept of religion in relation to African Traditional Religion, Christianity and Islam, this article investigates the role of religion in the crisis of poverty and corruption in African society and argues that whilst religion has been instrumentalised in some instances to perpetuate poverty and corruption on the continent, it remains a crucial component of ‘Africanness’ and could contribute to moral, socio-political and economic transformation.
This article seeks to make an initial contribution towards a reappraisal of how the Christian rel... more This article seeks to make an initial contribution towards a reappraisal of how the Christian religious leadership in Nigeria is beginning to chart a new course in social transformation that has the potential to engender sustainable transformational development in the country. This aim is met by first providing the necessary contextual orientation of how the two broad areas of political governance and economic development present themselves as prevailing major social challenges in present-day post-military Nigeria. This is followed by a discussion of the role of leadership as a primary causal and redeeming factor in meeting the challenge of sustainable transformational development both in Nigeria and African society at large. The authors proceed then towards the main focus of the article, namely to move – on the basis of a literature and empirical exploration – towards a reappraisal of how the Christian religious leadership in present-day Nigeria is beginning to exert itself as an emerging movement for sustainable transformational development through particular institutional arrangements and modes of social engagement. This reappraisal leads the authors to end with a synthesising reflection on what they consider to be not only the most outstanding contribution to date by the Christian religious leadership in present-day Nigeria in advancing a sustainable transformational development agenda, but also the crucial challenges that this leadership still faces in meeting such an agenda.
... and development studies in the late 1990s6 and the Unit for Religion and Development ... of a... more ... and development studies in the late 1990s6 and the Unit for Religion and Development ... of a research center specializing in the nexus between development and the social work of the ... of team research projects funded by the country's National Research Foundation (NRF)10 and ...
The aim of the article is to present a perspective on the manner and extent to which churches may... more The aim of the article is to present a perspective on the manner and extent to which churches may be considered as an important stock of social capital for promoting social development outcomes in selected communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Taking the recently presented policy outline on social capital formation in this province as the contextual framework for analysis and reflection, the results of recently executed demographic and socio-empirical research are utilised in particular to advance a perspective on churches. It is argued in conclusion that churches and other faith-based organisations in the researched communities have an important strategic significance for a social capital formation agenda, despite their apparent lack of progressive social praxis. Their comparative advantage over other institutions, the considerable levels of trust invested in them and the manner in which they inspire activities of voluntary outreach, caring and social service are highlighted as special features of the churches.
... Unit for Religion and Development Research ... 1Paper prepared for presentation at the 31st I... more ... Unit for Religion and Development Research ... 1Paper prepared for presentation at the 31st International Conference of the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) in ... or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and therefore the NRF does ...
If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emeral... more If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information.
Worldwide opposition to different aspects of globalisation indicates the emergence of a global so... more Worldwide opposition to different aspects of globalisation indicates the emergence of a global social movement that typically targets the international bodies that regulate global trade and global finance, as well as the regulations themselves. The significance of the movement calls for a synthetic analysis that moves beyond the currently used fragmentary descriptions. A more profound conceptual framework will enable researchers to better understand the full dynamic of the movement within its global context In this article we explore the possibilities of applying David Korten's ideal-typical notion of fourth generation development to the anti-globalisation movement. We ask whether anti-globalisation organisation exhibits so-called Fourth Generation characteristics and activities. Our goal is to determine the extent to which the movement as a whole, and the individual organisations which constitute it, conform to the fourth generation development conceptual framework. We conclude with seven provisional conclusions that ultimately point to the need for advancing actual alternatives as basis for an alternative social order.
The aim of the article is to present a perspective on the manner and extent to which churches may... more The aim of the article is to present a perspective on the manner and extent to which churches may be considered as an important stock of social capital for promoting social development outcomes in selected communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Taking the recently presented policy outline on social capital formation in this province as the contextual framework for analysis and reflection, the results of recently executed demographic and socio-empirical research are utilised in particular to advance a perspective on churches. It is argued in conclusion that churches and other faith-based organisations in the researched communities have an important strategic significance for a social capital formation agenda, despite their apparent lack of progressive social praxis. Their comparative advantage over other institutions, the considerable levels of trust invested in them and the manner in which they inspire activities of voluntary outreach, caring and social service are highlighted as special features of the churches.
... 320 Ignatius Swart and Hannelie Yates ... essentially a response to the experiences of war an... more ... 320 Ignatius Swart and Hannelie Yates ... essentially a response to the experiences of war and its influence on children.27 This elementary document, consisting of five points, focused on the rights of children to be protected, taken care of and be educated.28 Rina Schultz states ...
Religion constitutes an inextricable part of African society. As such, political and socio-econom... more Religion constitutes an inextricable part of African society. As such, political and socio-economic activities are often flavoured with religious expressions and rituals. Whilst Africans are steeped in religiosity – this is expressed in many ways – poverty and corruption are rife on the continent. The question thus arises as to whether African religiosity gives impetus to poverty and corruption on the continent or whether religion has a crucial role to play in the liberation of African societies from poverty and corruption. By using the concept of religion in relation to African Traditional Religion, Christianity and Islam, this article investigates the role of religion in the crisis of poverty and corruption in African society and argues that whilst religion has been instrumentalised in some instances to perpetuate poverty and corruption on the continent, it remains a crucial component of ‘Africanness’ and could contribute to moral, socio-political and economic transformation.
This article seeks to make an initial contribution towards a reappraisal of how the Christian rel... more This article seeks to make an initial contribution towards a reappraisal of how the Christian religious leadership in Nigeria is beginning to chart a new course in social transformation that has the potential to engender sustainable transformational development in the country. This aim is met by first providing the necessary contextual orientation of how the two broad areas of political governance and economic development present themselves as prevailing major social challenges in present-day post-military Nigeria. This is followed by a discussion of the role of leadership as a primary causal and redeeming factor in meeting the challenge of sustainable transformational development both in Nigeria and African society at large. The authors proceed then towards the main focus of the article, namely to move – on the basis of a literature and empirical exploration – towards a reappraisal of how the Christian religious leadership in present-day Nigeria is beginning to exert itself as an emerging movement for sustainable transformational development through particular institutional arrangements and modes of social engagement. This reappraisal leads the authors to end with a synthesising reflection on what they consider to be not only the most outstanding contribution to date by the Christian religious leadership in present-day Nigeria in advancing a sustainable transformational development agenda, but also the crucial challenges that this leadership still faces in meeting such an agenda.
... and development studies in the late 1990s6 and the Unit for Religion and Development ... of a... more ... and development studies in the late 1990s6 and the Unit for Religion and Development ... of a research center specializing in the nexus between development and the social work of the ... of team research projects funded by the country's National Research Foundation (NRF)10 and ...
The aim of the article is to present a perspective on the manner and extent to which churches may... more The aim of the article is to present a perspective on the manner and extent to which churches may be considered as an important stock of social capital for promoting social development outcomes in selected communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Taking the recently presented policy outline on social capital formation in this province as the contextual framework for analysis and reflection, the results of recently executed demographic and socio-empirical research are utilised in particular to advance a perspective on churches. It is argued in conclusion that churches and other faith-based organisations in the researched communities have an important strategic significance for a social capital formation agenda, despite their apparent lack of progressive social praxis. Their comparative advantage over other institutions, the considerable levels of trust invested in them and the manner in which they inspire activities of voluntary outreach, caring and social service are highlighted as special features of the churches.
... Unit for Religion and Development Research ... 1Paper prepared for presentation at the 31st I... more ... Unit for Religion and Development Research ... 1Paper prepared for presentation at the 31st International Conference of the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) in ... or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and therefore the NRF does ...
If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emeral... more If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information.
Worldwide opposition to different aspects of globalisation indicates the emergence of a global so... more Worldwide opposition to different aspects of globalisation indicates the emergence of a global social movement that typically targets the international bodies that regulate global trade and global finance, as well as the regulations themselves. The significance of the movement calls for a synthetic analysis that moves beyond the currently used fragmentary descriptions. A more profound conceptual framework will enable researchers to better understand the full dynamic of the movement within its global context In this article we explore the possibilities of applying David Korten's ideal-typical notion of fourth generation development to the anti-globalisation movement. We ask whether anti-globalisation organisation exhibits so-called Fourth Generation characteristics and activities. Our goal is to determine the extent to which the movement as a whole, and the individual organisations which constitute it, conform to the fourth generation development conceptual framework. We conclude with seven provisional conclusions that ultimately point to the need for advancing actual alternatives as basis for an alternative social order.
The aim of the article is to present a perspective on the manner and extent to which churches may... more The aim of the article is to present a perspective on the manner and extent to which churches may be considered as an important stock of social capital for promoting social development outcomes in selected communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Taking the recently presented policy outline on social capital formation in this province as the contextual framework for analysis and reflection, the results of recently executed demographic and socio-empirical research are utilised in particular to advance a perspective on churches. It is argued in conclusion that churches and other faith-based organisations in the researched communities have an important strategic significance for a social capital formation agenda, despite their apparent lack of progressive social praxis. Their comparative advantage over other institutions, the considerable levels of trust invested in them and the manner in which they inspire activities of voluntary outreach, caring and social service are highlighted as special features of the churches.
... 320 Ignatius Swart and Hannelie Yates ... essentially a response to the experiences of war an... more ... 320 Ignatius Swart and Hannelie Yates ... essentially a response to the experiences of war and its influence on children.27 This elementary document, consisting of five points, focused on the rights of children to be protected, taken care of and be educated.28 Rina Schultz states ...
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