Many people in South Africa live in very unsatisfactory so-called ‘backyard dwellings’. But few take part in collective action to improve their lot. Why not?
This puzzle centres on the broader idea known to social scientists as the ‘collective action problem’, that people often struggle to work together to achieve a common goal, leading to suboptimal outcomes. This has long been explored by scholars and is ever-present in our lives: in explanations, for example, of low voter turnout, depletion of natural resources, and foot-dragging in action to tackle climate change.
Yet collective action problems can be overcome under certain conditions – think of successful strike actions or civil rights protests, or the effective management of some local shared resources. And political scientists are naturally keen to understand what these conditions are, seeking answers by analysing group dynamics in different settings.
To explore these questions, we are joined by Dr Adam Harris, Associate Professor in Development Politics here in the UCL Department of Political Science, and also an Associated Researcher with the Centre for Social Change at the University of Johannesburg.
Mentioned in this episode:
UCL’s Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy offers a uniquely stimulating environment for the study of all fields of politics, including international relations, political theory, human rights, public policy-making and administration. The Department is recognised for its world-class research and policy impact, ranking among the top departments in the UK on both the 2021 Research Excellence Framework and the latest Guardian rankings.
The UK Healthcare Crisis
Responding to Civilian Harm in Millitary Conflicts
Do Protests Affect What Politicians Say?
Settling Disputes Between Governments and Investors
Death Threats and Online Content Moderation
Managing Diversity Amongst the EU Member States
The Battle for LGBT+ Rights
How Parliaments Question Prime Ministers
The Future of Power-Sharing in Northern Ireland
Improving Public Services
Russian Discourses of Sovereignty
Historical Research in Political Science
Climate Change Loss and Damage
'Acts of speech' and how people recieve them
The Domestic Politics of IMF Lending
The Politics of Migration
Fiscal Transparency And The Public Purse
Taking Offence
The State of US Politics
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