The Department of International Development is raising money to support the Thandika Mkandawire Visiting Lecture.

Professor Mkandawire came to LSE after distinguished periods as Executive Secretary of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) and Director of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).

He made seminal contributions in the fields Political-Economy, Political Sociology, Social Policy and Development Studies. His numerous publications have shifted debates on democracy and the developmental state in Africa, economic restructuring, patrimonialism, and social policy. At the LSE, Thandika was at the forefront of the Schools African Initiative, ran the Africa Talks lecture series, and his course in African Development inspired many cohorts of students.

We wish to continue his legacy by creating the Thandika Mkandawire Visiting Lecture. The fund will support an innovative African scholar to visit LSE for a short period, where they will be able to present work, engage in discussions, and collect research materials. They will give an LSE public lecture, engage in seminars with graduate students and staff, and have the opportunity to further their research interests.

Thank you for helping us to continue the legacy of Professor Mkandawire and supporting the work of the Department of International Development. If you would like to stay in touch with the department and hear more about the lecture series, you can sign up to our newsletter here.