Global Perspectives on Local Economic Development and Innovation (Paperback)

Globally, socioeconomic challenges are escalating and creating profound consequences for both developed and developing nations. Key among these challenges are poverty, unemployment, and inequality, all of which limit people's access to the resources and opportunities necessary to improve their lives. Rising income inequality further deepens these problems, widening gaps within and between societies. Unemployment also remains a persistent global issue with far¿reaching effects on individuals, communities, and national economies. In response to these intersecting challenges, many governments increasingly prioritize Local Economic Development (LED) as a strategic framework for fostering economic growth and reducing poverty, unemployment, and inequality. Global Perspectives on Local Economic Development and Innovation conceptualizes LED in both local and global contexts as a potential strategy to address socioeconomic challenges. It interrogates LED strategies, approaches, and models to determine the policy frameworks underpinning LED globally. Covering topics such as civil society, neoliberalism, and youth unemployment, this book is an excellent resource for researchers, academicians, graduate and postgraduate students, LED practitioners, policymakers, economists, and more.

Ndwakhulu Tshishonga (PhD) is an Africanist academic and a research fellow within the School of Built Environment & Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He specialises in political economy, Community Development, Afrocentric-decolonized development and developmental state, traditional leadership, local economic development, Land and Land Reform, Cooperatives, local governance and citizenship and democracy, service delivery protests and social movements, sociology of youth and entrepreneurship, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and African Politics and governance, public administration and Intergovernmental Relations. Over the past two decades, more than 70 scholarly papers and book chapters have been contributed to local and international journals, and books have been edited. Dr Tshishonga has examined MAs and PhDs in various universties and Institutions of Higher Leraning. His academic citizenship includes presenting at national and international conferences and engaging government departments in policy issues relating to governance, democracy, and professionalizing community development in South Africa. Since 2024, Ndwakhulu has been nominated as a Council of Higher Education (CHE) member responsible for the Bachelor of Community Development Standards in South Africa. In addition, he is a member of the UK-based Development Studies Association (M44098). He is also a Lead for Global Citizenship and Children's Rights Network (GLOCCRIN) and a Political Analyst on African and international Political Affairs.

Takalani Hulisani (PhD) is a Lecturer at the University of Venda’s Department of Public and Development Administration. Among his areas of specialisation in research and teaching are development management, public administration, community development, international development cooperation, public policy, and local governance. Hulisani has over ten years of experience working in the socio-economic development field in the public, corporate, and non-governmental sectors. He has had several articles published in both local and international journals.

Eve D Mafema is a British-educated academic and qualified journalist. Her educational background is in Sociology, Anthropology and Gender all obtained at Goldsmith College, University of London and Nottingham University. She has experience in teaching at tertiary level at several universities in England and Africa. Her specialisation is on gender, youth and development. She has written more than 20 peer papers and book chapters on gender, youth and local government. She is currently a Senior Researcher and editor for and peer reviewer for several journal publications and publishers.

Mdletshe Lucky holds an MA degree in Cultural and Heritage Studies, currently pursuing PhD at the University of KwaZulu-Natal under the School of Social Sciences. Recently, he has been identified by the 2023 Golden Key International Honor Society as one of the top 15% performers in the College of Humanities. An emerging scholar with research interests based on: sustainable development, human geography, environmental management, coastal zone management, culture and heritage tourism management, entrepreneurship, student movements, and community development. He is also a member of the South African Council for Educators.