Public Talk: Global Partnerships, Global Finance and Uneven Inclusion

In this public talk, Prof. Dr. Juvaria Jafri (Wangari Maathai Visting Professor, GPN) will discuss from the perspective of political economy some of the ways in which poor countries encounter financialisation that has a distinctly hierarchical and asymmetrical nature. The focus will be on inclusive finance as this reflects, and can also exacerbate, uneven access to finance. Using examples of banking and digital welfare in South Africa, she will explore how this system relies on collaborations and partnerships between the financial sector, development organizations, and philanthropic initiatives. These collaborations drive shadow banking networks and practices and financial technologies that reproduce inequalities.