According to a the Water Research Commission, there is a growing recognition among South African water researchers of the need to deal with social problems in the water sector through robust social science theories and methodologies, to bring these skills into multidisciplinary water research teams and to define a strategic social research agenda. In a recent announcement calling for collaboration with social researchers, the WRC outlined that the WRC Strategic Plan 2013- 2017 has as one of its main objectives a move towards a bigger role for social science.

“To further this process, a WRC consultancy project has been launched to encourage the participation of social researchers in the work of the WRC. The project has produced a discussion paper on the need for and potential contributions of the social sciences to water sector research in South Africa. A first scan of the existing capacity for and interest in social research into water in South Africa is currently under way.”

A workshop, planned for the end of June 2013, will bring social researchers as well as researchers interested in interdisciplinary work together.

Social and interdisciplinary researchers in the water sector are invited to contact project leader Dr Victor Munnikat victor@victormunnik.co.za for more background, to find out how to participate, or to get a copy of the discussion paper.