Emmanuel Ndhlovu is a senior research fellow at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He holds a PhD from the University of South Africa. His research interests include agrarian political economy, food systems, food security, land reform, agriculture and agribusiness, and social policy. His recently authored books include Agriculture, Autonomous Development and Prospects for Industrialisation in Africa and Social Policy in Southern Africa: Prospects and Possibilities. Ndhlovu has edited more than 12 books.Clement Chipenda is a senior research fellow at the University of South Africa's College of Graduate Studies, where he contributes his expertise to the SARChI Chair in Social Policy. He is also a co-investigator in the research project "The Social Policy Dimensions of Land and Agrarian Reform in International Perspective." His research interests include agrarian political economy, agro-food systems, transformative social policy, children’s rights and child protection, social security, as well as youth and gender studies.

"This collection of essays is a critical and important intervention in the social policy debate in Southern Africa. From theoretical foundations to education, health systems, youth and vulnerable populations, climate justice, and gender, the authors offer compelling insights and solutions into the region’s well-being challenges. I warmly commend the volume to the readers."Jimi Adesina, Professor & South African Research Chair in Social Policy, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, South Africa"This is a timely contribution to the burgeoning body of knowledge and literature on social policy in Africa and Southern Africa in particular. It is a groundbreaking book which must be read by all those who are interested in social policy perspectives from the Global South and Africa."Ndangwa Noyoo, Professor and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Southern African Policy and Development Nexus (SAPDN), Cape Town, and Research Fellow, Department of Social Work, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa"Centring indigenous knowledge systems, lived realities and transformative approaches, in the examination of some of the key issues facing contemporary Southern Africa, this volume offers an intellectually grounded and timely intervention to the advancement of inclusive welfare and the rethinking of social policy in the region. Its clear policy relevance makes it valuable for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers committed to inclusive and sustainable development."Zitha Mokomane, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Pretoria, South Africa

• PART 1: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS, DECOLONISATION, AND THE POLITICS OF KNOWLEDGE 1.Beyond Residualism: Reimagining Social Policy for Inclusive Welfare in Southern Africa 2.An African Social Policy Paradigm: Context and Transformation in a Changing World 3.Challenging External Pressures: Donor Influences on National Ownership in Social Policy Design in Southern Africa PART 2: SOCIAL PROTECTION, BASIC INCOME, AND THE SOLIDARITY ECONOMY 4.Asserting African Agency in Social Policy Financing: A Critical Examination of Global Financial Systems and Innovative Financing Mechanisms 5.Social Protection and Welfare in Post-Pandemic South Africa: Basic Income Support and Policy Learning for Sustainable Development 6.Relational Welfare and Indigenous Governance: Southern African Pathways to Inclusive and Sustainable Social Protection 7.Artificial Intelligence and Social Policy in Southern Africa: Navigating Digital Transformation for Inclusive Development 8.Afrocentric Contributions to South Africa’s Social and Solidarity Economy Policy Design PART 3: DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITIONS, YOUTH, AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS 9.Demographic Dividend or Disaster? Unleashing Potential through Youth-Centric Social Policies in the Context of Migration, Cultural Heritage, and Globalisation 10.Ageing and Social Policy: Guaranteeing Old Age Socioeconomic Wellbeing in South Africa and Zimbabwe 11.Bridging the Divide: Disability Inclusion in Rural Zimbabwe and South Africa PART 4: GENDER, VIOLENCE, AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION 12.A Post-COVID Perspective on Reducing Gender-Based Violence in South Africa and Zimbabwe through Transformative Social Policies 13.Intergenerational Land Inheritance Conundrums and the Re-assertion of Patriarchy in Smallholder Tobacco Farms: A Gendered Social Policy Perspective PART 5: HEALTH SYSTEMS, EDUCATION, AND DIGITAL GOVERNANCE 14.Healthcare Interventions to COVID-19 in Zimbabwe: Critical Reflections on Imperatives for a Transformative Social Contract Agenda in a Post-Pandemic Context 15.Primary Healthcare as Foundation for Capability Development and Social Cohesion 16.Ubuntu and Geographical Narcissism in Rural Zimbabwean Healthcare Policymaking 17.The COVID-19 Pandemic and the School Leaders’ Experiences in Independent Schools in Gauteng, South Africa 18.Analysis of African Social Policy Responses to the Growing Challenge of School Bullying Interventions PART 6: CLIMATE JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE, AND GOVERNANCE INNOVATIONS 19.Enhancing Climate Change Resilience through Social Protection in Southern Africa: A Scoping Review 20.Gender-Transformative Climate Adaptation and Social Policy Integration in Southern Africa: Structural Pathways to Resilience 21.Climate Finance as a Vehicle for Social Policy and Resilience-Building in Southern Africa's Vulnerable Communities: Lessons from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique 22.Integrating Smallholder-Farming and Artisanal-Mining for Child-Protection: Climate Adaptation Perspectives from Southern Africa 23.Empowering Africa through Civil Society: The Transformative Impact of Civil Society Organisations on African Social Policies and Governance CONCLUSION 24.Conclusion: Social Policy Futures in Southern Africa: Toward an Inclusive and Sovereign Welfare Architecture

Emmanuel Ndhlovu is a senior research fellow at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He holds a PhD from the University of South Africa. His research interests include agrarian political economy, food systems, food security, land reform, agriculture and agribusiness, and social policy. His recently authored books include Agriculture, Autonomous Development and Prospects for Industrialisation in Africa and Social Policy in Southern Africa: Prospects and Possibilities. Ndhlovu has edited more than 12 books.Clement Chipenda is a senior research fellow at the University of South Africa's College of Graduate Studies, where he contributes his expertise to the SARChI Chair in Social Policy. He is also a co-investigator in the research project "The Social Policy Dimensions of Land and Agrarian Reform in International Perspective." His research interests include agrarian political economy, agro-food systems, transformative social policy, children’s rights and child protection, social security, as well as youth and gender studies.

"This collection of essays is a critical and important intervention in the social policy debate in Southern Africa. From theoretical foundations to education, health systems, youth and vulnerable populations, climate justice, and gender, the authors offer compelling insights and solutions into the region’s well-being challenges. I warmly commend the volume to the readers."Jimi Adesina, Professor & South African Research Chair in Social Policy, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, South Africa"This is a timely contribution to the burgeoning body of knowledge and literature on social policy in Africa and Southern Africa in particular. It is a groundbreaking book which must be read by all those who are interested in social policy perspectives from the Global South and Africa."Ndangwa Noyoo, Professor and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Southern African Policy and Development Nexus (SAPDN), Cape Town, and Research Fellow, Department of Social Work, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa"Centring indigenous knowledge systems, lived realities and transformative approaches, in the examination of some of the key issues facing contemporary Southern Africa, this volume offers an intellectually grounded and timely intervention to the advancement of inclusive welfare and the rethinking of social policy in the region. Its clear policy relevance makes it valuable for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers committed to inclusive and sustainable development."Zitha Mokomane, Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Pretoria, South Africa

• PART 1: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS, DECOLONISATION, AND THE POLITICS OF KNOWLEDGE 1.Beyond Residualism: Reimagining Social Policy for Inclusive Welfare in Southern Africa 2.An African Social Policy Paradigm: Context and Transformation in a Changing World 3.Challenging External Pressures: Donor Influences on National Ownership in Social Policy Design in Southern Africa PART 2: SOCIAL PROTECTION, BASIC INCOME, AND THE SOLIDARITY ECONOMY 4.Asserting African Agency in Social Policy Financing: A Critical Examination of Global Financial Systems and Innovative Financing Mechanisms 5.Social Protection and Welfare in Post-Pandemic South Africa: Basic Income Support and Policy Learning for Sustainable Development 6.Relational Welfare and Indigenous Governance: Southern African Pathways to Inclusive and Sustainable Social Protection 7.Artificial Intelligence and Social Policy in Southern Africa: Navigating Digital Transformation for Inclusive Development 8.Afrocentric Contributions to South Africa’s Social and Solidarity Economy Policy Design PART 3: DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITIONS, YOUTH, AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS 9.Demographic Dividend or Disaster? Unleashing Potential through Youth-Centric Social Policies in the Context of Migration, Cultural Heritage, and Globalisation 10.Ageing and Social Policy: Guaranteeing Old Age Socioeconomic Wellbeing in South Africa and Zimbabwe 11.Bridging the Divide: Disability Inclusion in Rural Zimbabwe and South Africa PART 4: GENDER, VIOLENCE, AND SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION 12.A Post-COVID Perspective on Reducing Gender-Based Violence in South Africa and Zimbabwe through Transformative Social Policies 13.Intergenerational Land Inheritance Conundrums and the Re-assertion of Patriarchy in Smallholder Tobacco Farms: A Gendered Social Policy Perspective PART 5: HEALTH SYSTEMS, EDUCATION, AND DIGITAL GOVERNANCE 14.Healthcare Interventions to COVID-19 in Zimbabwe: Critical Reflections on Imperatives for a Transformative Social Contract Agenda in a Post-Pandemic Context 15.Primary Healthcare as Foundation for Capability Development and Social Cohesion 16.Ubuntu and Geographical Narcissism in Rural Zimbabwean Healthcare Policymaking 17.The COVID-19 Pandemic and the School Leaders’ Experiences in Independent Schools in Gauteng, South Africa 18.Analysis of African Social Policy Responses to the Growing Challenge of School Bullying Interventions PART 6: CLIMATE JUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE, AND GOVERNANCE INNOVATIONS 19.Enhancing Climate Change Resilience through Social Protection in Southern Africa: A Scoping Review 20.Gender-Transformative Climate Adaptation and Social Policy Integration in Southern Africa: Structural Pathways to Resilience 21.Climate Finance as a Vehicle for Social Policy and Resilience-Building in Southern Africa's Vulnerable Communities: Lessons from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique 22.Integrating Smallholder-Farming and Artisanal-Mining for Child-Protection: Climate Adaptation Perspectives from Southern Africa 23.Empowering Africa through Civil Society: The Transformative Impact of Civil Society Organisations on African Social Policies and Governance CONCLUSION 24.Conclusion: Social Policy Futures in Southern Africa: Toward an Inclusive and Sovereign Welfare Architecture