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Accepted Paper:
Behavioral responses to the pandemic and redistributive preferences: the politics of social protection in South Africa
Annalena Oppel
(London School of Economics and Political Science)
Paper short abstract:
This paper will look at how individuals' pandemic experiences shape their justifications of inequality and redistributive preferences in South Africa. This matters especially now as governments rethink welfare provisions in light of the social and economic challenges brought forth by the pandemic.
Paper long abstract:
The pandemic and corresponding government responses reignited dialogues around making social protection more comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable. Yet, less is known about the political environment within which potential expansions of social protection are taking place. This paper will focus on citizens' experiences, namely their sense of stability and agency during times of economic adaptation brought forth by the pandemic. It will assess how these experiences influence inequality justifications and redistributive preferences. It focuses on South Africa, where certain pandemic relief measures have caused political contestation; particularly regarding the application of affirmative action principles in allocating pandemic relief. Given the country's continued structural inequalities, certain cleavages regarding building a consensus around 'who deserves what' are expected and have been previously discussed drawing on e.g. the social attitudes survey. For instance, policies addressing racial disadvantage received less public support than policies addressing disadvantages linked to gender or disability. This study, which surveys South African citizens (N=350) of a standing research panel representative across age and gender, brings a timely perspective to such debates. Using a mediation modeling approach, it seeks to explain how the pandemic influences redistributive preferences but also whether the perceived source of inequality (merit or non-merit based), mediates such. It thereby sheds light on potential public support for social protection expansions. This is relevant beyond the events of the pandemic as it can further apply to similar events that affect everyone, yet everyone differently with varying severity, e.g. climate change or political unrest.
Click the star to add/remove an item to/from your individual schedule.
You need to be logged in to avail of this functionality, and to see the links to virtual rooms. Log in
Accepted Paper:
Annalena Oppel (London School of Economics and Political Science)
Paper short abstract:
Paper long abstract:
The pandemic and corresponding government responses reignited dialogues around making social protection more comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable. Yet, less is known about the political environment within which potential expansions of social protection are taking place. This paper will focus on citizens' experiences, namely their sense of stability and agency during times of economic adaptation brought forth by the pandemic. It will assess how these experiences influence inequality justifications and redistributive preferences. It focuses on South Africa, where certain pandemic relief measures have caused political contestation; particularly regarding the application of affirmative action principles in allocating pandemic relief. Given the country's continued structural inequalities, certain cleavages regarding building a consensus around 'who deserves what' are expected and have been previously discussed drawing on e.g. the social attitudes survey. For instance, policies addressing racial disadvantage received less public support than policies addressing disadvantages linked to gender or disability. This study, which surveys South African citizens (N=350) of a standing research panel representative across age and gender, brings a timely perspective to such debates. Using a mediation modeling approach, it seeks to explain how the pandemic influences redistributive preferences but also whether the perceived source of inequality (merit or non-merit based), mediates such. It thereby sheds light on potential public support for social protection expansions. This is relevant beyond the events of the pandemic as it can further apply to similar events that affect everyone, yet everyone differently with varying severity, e.g. climate change or political unrest.
States, Citizens and Social Protection in Africa
Session 1 Thursday 7 July, 2022, -