UKZN Participates in 5th ISA Forum of Sociology: ‘Knowing Justice in the Anthropocene’

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University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) academics, Dr Desiree Manicom and Dr Nokuthula Ngubane recently attended the Fifth International Sociological Association (ISA) Forum of Sociology, titled ‘Knowing Justice in the Anthropocene’, held from 6-11 July 2025 at Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco.

The forum facilitated interdisciplinary dialogue across the ISA’s 67 Research Committees, Working Groups and Thematic Groups, focusing on issues of ontological and epistemic justice, environmental justice, legal justice, transitional justice, land justice, racial justice and social welfare justice.

The forum targeted academics (from early-career to senior scholars), policymakers and NGOs researching current ontological, epistemic, environmental and social challenges. It was attended by 4 842 delegates from over 100 countries across all continents.

At the forum, Ngubane, a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Social Sciences, and Manicom, a senior lecturer in Policy and Development Studies, presented a study titled, ‘Social Protection of Vulnerable Children in South Africa: The Case of the Implementation of the Foster Child Grant Programme’.

The research was undertaken as part of Ngubane’s doctoral study motivated by the high rates of orphaned and vulnerable children living in KwaZulu-Natal.

According to the 2023 South African General Household Survey, KwaZulu-Natal has the second highest number of orphaned children in the country, at 14.6% (Department of Statistics South Africa, 2023). Furthermore, the South African Social Security Agency reported that KwaZulu-Natal had 38 332 Foster Child Grant recipients as of April 2025 (SASSA, 2025).

These issues have impacted the distribution of and access to the grant. Nonetheless, the Foster Child Grant remains an essential source of income for foster families, enabling them to meet children’s nutritional, medical and educational needs, and significantly improving their overall well-being.

However, the study found that foster parents in uMgungundlovu District face significant administrative and systemic hurdles in accessing the Foster Child Grant (FCG). These include unclear application procedures, extensive waiting periods, difficulties in obtaining required documentation, and issues during grant collection and renewal.

Recommendations from the study include: enhancing FCG information dissemination, streamlining administrative processes, bolstering administrative capacity, and strengthening intergovernmental and state agency collaboration and co-ordination.

“The forum provided an opportunity to network with international scholars and researchers in the area of welfare policy. The sessions served as platforms to engage with comparative frameworks and to explore future collaborative research and publications,” said Ngubane.

She added, “Engaging with scholars from across the globe was intellectually enriching, particularly through in-depth discussions on social welfare policies in diverse contexts.”

According to Ngubane and Manicom, these dialogues were especially insightful for shaping future comparative studies on child welfare systems. The forum also offered the opportunity to learn about Moroccan culture.

The next ISA gathering will be the XXI World Congress of Sociology which will take place in Gwangju, South Korea, from 4-10 July 2027.

Words: Sinoyolo Mahlasela

Photograph: Supplied