Rasigan Maharajh
Rasigan Maharajh (born 8 November 1969), is an activist scholar contributing to the critique of the political economy of knowledges, science, technology, and innovation. He served as National Coordinator of the Science and Technology Policy Transition Project for South Africa's Government of National Unity until his appointment as Head of Policy for the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in 1997. He is the founding Chief Director of the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation of the Tshwane University of Technology since 2004. Rasigan Maharajh holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Research Policy Institute of  the Lund School of Economics and Management at Lund University in Sweden. Rasigan is also an alumnus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa and the Harvard Business School of the United States of America. From 2014, he has also served as the Node Head of the Department of Science and Innovation and National Research Foundation of South Africa Centre of Excellence in Scientometrics and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and was also Professor Extraordinary of the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology of Stellenbosch University for two terms between 2015 and 2021. Work. Rasigan Maharajh  was born at McCords Hospital on the 8th of November 1969. He grew up variously in the townships of Asheville, Chatsworth, Springtown, and Reservoir Hills in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal. Rasigan became politically active during the Anti-South African Indian Council Campaign of the 1980s and remains committed to combatting racism, patriarchy, and class exploitation. In the national liberation struggle against the apartheid regime, Rasigan held elected positions in the student, and youth affiliates of the United Democratic Front (UDF) whilst also serving in the underground machinery of the African National Congress (ANC). In 1985, Rasigan was part of  a collective Student Action Committee that mobilised at the Reservoir Hills Secondary School for the establishment of democratic representative structures for pupils. He was subsequently elected to the executive committee in the portfolio of Publicity-Officer and also served as the editor of "Student Unity". He was involved in the work of the National Education Crisis Committee, and the Natal Students Congress during the apartheid regime's restrictions on Congress of South African Students (COSAS). Rasigan matriculated from Reservoir Hills Secondary School in 1987. In 1987, he was appointed the co-editor of the Student Diary by the Orientation Committee  of the Student Representative Council of the University of Natal-Durban. In 1988, Rasigan served as vice-president of Youth in Progress, a community-based organisation located in Reservoir Hills that was aligned to the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO). Rasigan also began work as an Assistant Desktop Publisher and Organiser for the Labour and Community Resource Project (LACOM) of the South African Committee for Higher Education Trust (SACHED). In 1989, Rasigan was elected to the Secretariat and Central Executive Committee of the Black Students Society (BSS) of the University of Natal-Durban as Publicity-Secretary. Rasigan also worked as  a Local Coordinator for the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and UDF Defiance Campaigns and Consumer Boycotts. He was a founding member of Black Students Society Labour Committee which mobilised alliances between workers and students. In 1990, Rasigan was elected to the Branch Executive Committee of the South African National Students Congress (SANSCO) as Media Officer whilst also a member of the Regional Political Education Collective. Rasigan also acted as a Media Coordinator for the Mass Democratic Movement's ‘Campaign against the War in Natal’ in 1990. Rasigan was elected to the inaugural Branch Executive Committee of the  ANC in 1990. Between 1990 and 1991, Rasigan was employed by Department of Politics of the University of Natal as Research Intern under the supervision of Ian Munro Phillips. Their work entailed the compilation, verification, and correlation of armed attacks against the apartheid regime by the military structures of the national liberation movements. Rasigan also worked as a journalist for "Africa Information Afrique" where he contributed to the Youth and Student Political Desk during this period. In 1991, Rasigan was elected to the Executive Committee and Secretariat of the first non-racial Students Representative Council of the University of Natal  as its Secretary-General. Rasigan also worked in Information and Publicity Section at the 48th National Conference of the ANC in Durban. Rasigan completed his Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Economic History and Sociology from the University of Natal in 1992. Between 1992 and 1993, Rasigan was employed as a Research Assistant in the Macro-Education Policy Unit which was being established at the University of Durban-Westville by Enver Motala. In 1993, and in preparation for the transition to the post-apartheid state, Rasigan underwent intensive training on Education Policy Analysis and Planning by Harvard Institute for International  Development of the Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University. From 1993 until 1994, Rasigan worked in various deployments on Adult Basic Education and Training with Operation Upgrade of Southern Africa, an affiliate of the National Literacy Cooperative. In early 1994, Rasigan worked as Senior Researcher of the Education Policy Unit (EPU) based at the University of Natal-Durban conducting preliminary studies on the National Qualifications Frameworks for John Pampallis and Blade Nzimande. He was also involved in workplace-based skills development for the Southern Natal Region of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa. In 1994, he submitted  a dissertation entitled ‘Conceptualising the Transition in South Africa: 1990 – 1994’ under the supervised of Bill Freund and earned a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Economic History degree from the University of Natal. Rasigan was employed by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada to coordinate the National Science and Technology Policy Transition Project of the Mass Democratic Movement. In this deployment, Rasigan was seconded to the emergent Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology of South Africa's Government of National Unity and worked with Rob Adam and Rodger Jardine. After enabling the adoption of the first post -apartheid White Paper on Science and Technology and coordinating various new policy research initiatives, Rasigan was employed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 1997. Rasigan was selected into the Senior Executive Programme for Southern Africa of Harvard Business School in 1998 which resulted in his alumni status with Harvard University in 1999. Also in 1999, Rasigan assisted with the establishment of the CSIR's Manufacturing and Materials Technology Division. From then until 2001, he served as a Divisional Technology Investment Manager whilst also functioning as the Head of the Manufacturing Policy Centre. In these roles, Rasigan  contributed to the roll-out of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Strategy and was also a member of the technical team contributing to Micro-Economic Reform (Vision 2014) strategy development. From 2002 until 2004, he was redeployed as the Corporate Head of Policy at the CSIR. In April 2004, Rasigan was employed by the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) as their Chief Director responsible for the establishment of a scholarly competence in the political economy of local development and innovation. In September 2004, the Institute for Economic Research in Innovation (IERI) was inaugurated at TUT  under the patronage of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Rasigan was elected to the Board of the South Africa Node of the Federation of United Nations Universities’ Millennium Project in 2008 and has been the Chair of the Southern African Node of Millennium Project since 2016. In 2011, Rasigan successfully defended his thesis entitled ‘Innovating beyond Racial Capitalism: A Contribution towards the Analysis of the Political Economy of Post-Apartheid South Africa’ against his opponent Luc Soete in a public defense chaired by Christer Gunnarsson. His research was supervised by Claes Brundenius, Mats Benner and Mikael Klintman; and he  was awarded his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the Forskningspolitiska Institutet, School of Economics and Management, of Lund University in Sweden. Rasigan was appointed as a Ministerial Representative to the Council of Rhodes University in 2012 and has served three terms since then. He was also elected by the Faculty of Economics and Finance to the Senate of Tshwane University of Technology since 2012. In 2014, IERI together with its partner, the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST) of Stellenbosch University was accorded the status as one of the country's National Centre's of Excellence by  the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the National Research Foundation (NRF). During 2014, Rasigan was Visiting Research Scholar of the George Perkins Marsh Institute of Clark University in the USA, Visiting Professor at "Rede de Pesquisa em Sistemas e Arranjos Produtivos e Inovativos Locais" in the "Instituto de Economia" of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and was also selected as an Associate Research Fellow of the Tellus Institute in Boston (USA). Rasigan Maharajh was appointed Professor Extraordinary of Stellenbosch University in 2015 and served two terms until 2021. In 2021, Rasigan was elected as  a Member of the Academy of Sciences of South Africa. Selected Publications. Maharajh, R. 1990. “Participatory Democracy and Revolutionary Effectiveness,” Discussion Document, African National Congress, Durban. Maharajh, R. 1991. “Organising the Reservoir Hills Branch of the ANC,” Discussion Document, African National Congress, Durban. Maharajh, R. 1991. “Students and the University: Some Notes for Transformation,” in MEPU Occasional Papers, 1(1): 24-25; UDW Press, Durban. Maharajh, R. 1992. “Adult Basic Education and Training in KwaZulu-Natal: A Sector Report to the Alliance,” Discussion Document, ANC/SACP/COSATU Alliance, Durban. Motala, MES; and Maharajh, R. 1992. Adult Basic Education and the RDP : A Source Document, Centre for Education Policy Development, Johannesburg. Maharajh, R. 1993. “Briefing Document on the DBSA's Economic and Social Memorandum”, for Congress of South African Trade Unions, Confidential, Durban. Maharajh, R. 1993. “Briefing Document on the World Bank's Decentralisation in Education”, for African National Congress Education Department, Confidential, Durban. Motala, MES; and Maharajh, R. 1993. “Restructuring Adult Basic Education and Training in KwaZulu-Natal” in Proposals for the Restructuring of Education and Training in KwaZulu-Natal, Joint MEPU/EPU Publication, SIDA, Durban. Langa, B; and Maharajh, R. 1994. “Human Resource Development in KwaZulu-Natal” in Implementing the  RDP in KwaZulu-Natal, ANC/SACP/COSATU Alliance; Durban. Maharajh, R. 1995. “The National Qualifications Framework for Beginners,” in Education Monitor, 6(3), Education Policy Unit, University of Natal, Durban. Maharajh, R. 1995. “The Implications of Education Policy,” in Towards Democracy, 4(2): Institute for Multi-Party Democracy, Durban. Maharajh, R. 1996. “Human Resources Development” in the White Paper on Science and Technology, Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, Government Printer, Tshwane Kahn, M; Blankley, W; Cele, G; Reddy, V; Pogue, TE; du Toit, M; and Maharajh, R. 2003. Flight of the Flamingos: A Study of the Mobility of Human Resources  in Science and Technology, Human Sciences Research Council, Tshwane. Aliber, M; and Maharajh, R. 2005. “Synthesis,” in Development Report 2005, Development Bank of Southern Africa; Midrand. Fakir, S; Pressend, M; and Maharajh, R. 2005. “Report of the National Roundtable on Multilateral Environmental Agreement Innovation and Sustainable Development”, Department of Science and Technology, Tshwane. Aliber, M; Kirsten, M; Nhlapo-Hlope, J; Nkoane, O; and Maharajh, R. 2006. “Overcoming Underdevelopment in South Africa's Second Economy” in Development Southern Africa 23(1): 45-61. Baskaran, A; Muchie, M; and Maharajh, R. 2006. Innovation Systems for ICT: The Case of South Africa, Chapter 6  in Baskaran and Muchie (editors) Bridging the Digital Divide: Innovation Systems for ICT in Brazil, China, India, Thailand and Southern Africa, Adonis and Abbey, London. Pogue, TE; and Maharajh, R. 2007. "Technological Change for Local Economic Growth and Development," Chapter 4 in Roberts, Simon [editor] Sustainable Manufacturing? The Case of South Africa and Ekurhuleni, Juta Academic Press, Cape Town. Maharajh, R. 2008. “Global Economic Policy Reform,” Chapter 9, in Pressend, Michelle and Michelle Ruiters [editors] Dilemmas of Poverty and Development: A Proposed Policy Framework for the Southern African Development Community, Institute for Global Dialogue, Midrand. Pogue, TE; and Maharajh, R.  2008. South African Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2008, Cooperation Framework on Innovation Systems between Finland and South Africa, Helsinki, and Tshwane. Göransson, B; Schmoch, U; and Maharajh, R. 2009. “New Challenges for Universities beyond Education and Training”, Science and Public Policy, 36 (2): 83–85. Göransson, B; Schmoch, U; and Maharajh, R. 2009. “New Activities of Universities in Transfer and Extension: Multiple Requirements and manifold Solutions”, Science and Public Policy, 36 (2): 157–164. Ndabeni, LL; and Maharajh, R. 2009. “Rethinking the Linkages between Teaching and Extension in South Africa”, Science and Public Policy, 36 (2): 127–132. Kraemer-Mbula, E; and  Maharajh, R. 2010. “Innovation Strategies in Developing Countries,” Chapter 7, in Kraemer-Mbula, Erika and Watu Wamae [editors] Innovation and the Development Agenda, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris. Scerri, M; and Maharajh, R. 2011. “Economic Growth and Human Development Challenges for Science, Technology and Innovation in Africa,” Chapter 2 in African Union [editor] African Innovation Outlook 2010, African Union, Addis Ababa. Sall, A; Karuri‐Sebina, G; and Maharajh, R. 2012. “Systemic Technological Innovation in Africa in 2030 CE” Chapter 6 in Lundsgaarde, Erik [editor] Africa Toward 2030: Challenges for Development Policy, Rethinking International Development Series: Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire . Govender, R; Thulare, A; Veriava, Y; and Maharajh, R. 2014. “Wellness and Well-being Research in South Africa,” in RIS [editor] Health, Nature and Quality of Life: Towards BRICS Wellness Index, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, New Delhi. Soares, MCC; Scerri, M; and Maharajh, R. [editors]. 2014. Inequality and Development Challenges, Routledge, New Delhi and Abingdon. Maharajh, R. 2015. “Digital Liberty, the Knowledge Commons and some Challenges for the Governance of Information and Communication Technologies and the Internet for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS),” in Georgy Toloraya [Editor] Proceedings of the 7th BRICS Academic Forum , National Committee on BRICS Research, Moscow. Maharajh, R. 2015. “Being Well in the Early 21st Century: Contemporary Dynamics in the Political Economy of Health,” Chapter 1 in Jose Eduardo Cassiolato, and Maria Clara C Soares [editors] Health Innovation Systems, Equity and Development, E-Papers, Rio de Janeiro. Maharajh, R. 2015. “The Metabolic Rift, Anachronistic Institutions and the Anthropocene,” in Helene Finidori [editor] Systemic Change, SPANDA Journal: International Journal of the Spanda Foundation, 6 (1): 1-10. Maharajh, R. 2016. “Racial Capitalism, Apartheid and the Negotiated Post-Apartheid Constitutional Democracy,” Chapter 7 in Mario Scerri [editor] The Emergence of Systems of  Innovation in South(ern) Africa: Long Histories and Contemporary Debates, Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, New African Publishers, Johannesburg. Maharajh, R. 2016. “Regulating the New Commons and Related Global Public Goods: A Vision from the Perspective of the BRICS,” Position Paper for the 8th BRICS Academic Forum, Goa. Scerri, M; and Maharajh, R. 2016. “The Policy Environment and Policy Options for the South African System of Innovation,” Chapter 13 in Mario Scerri [editor] The Emergence of Systems of Innovation in South(ern) Africa: Long Histories and Contemporary Debates, Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, New African Publishers, Johannesburg. Maharajh, R. 2017. “Sustainable Development  (Goals) for Us All,” Paper delivered to the Second Session of the Ninth Academic Forum of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa on Areas for Deepening BRICS Cooperation and Related Innovation held in Fuzhou, Peoples Republic of China, 10 June. Maharajh, R. 2017. “Towards the Next-Generation Science and Technology White Paper for South Africa: Innovation for Transformative Change and Inclusive Development: Situational Analysis,” Discussion Document of the National Advisory Council on Innovation, Tshwane, Ministry of Science and Technology; 16 February. Motala, MES; Vally, S; and Maharajh, R. 2018. “Education, the State, and Class Inequality: The Case for Free  Higher Education in South Africa,” in Pillay et al [editors] New South African Review 6: The Crisis of Inequality, Wits University Press, Johannesburg. Maharajh, R. 2019. “Africa and the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Service Delivery Review 12 (3): 25-27. Maharajh, R. 2021. “Advancing Sustainable Futures for All: 21st Century Public Engagement and Mission-orientated Research”, Global Research Council, London. Maharajh, R. 2021. “Long-run Global Perspectives on Evolution, Revolution, and Innovation in south Africa’s Development,” Chapter 4 in Trevor Ngwane and Malehoko Tshoaedi [editors] The Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Sociological Critique, Jacana, Johannesburg, . Kraemer-Mbula, E. and R. Maharajh . 2021. “Knowledge, Technology and Innovation,” Chapter 22 in Arkebe Oqubay, Fiona Tregenna, and Imraan Valodia [editors] The Oxford Handbook of the South African Economy, Oxford University Press, . Maharajh, R. 2021. “A Vaccine Against Intellectual Hubris,” Errant Journal 1(2): 77-81.