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Minutes of the RC 10 Board Meeting held at the Hilton Hotel in Durban at 6pm on 18 June 2019 .

1. Present Dasarath Chetty (Chair) Gyoergy Szell Heinz Suenker Volkmar Kreissig Katrinell Davis Sheetal Bhoola

2. Opening and Welcome The chair opened the meeting and welcomed all present. He noted the apologies of RC 10 Board members Donatella Poliandri and Michela Freddano who were unable to attend the Durban conference as a result of commitments in Italy.

3. ICPP 2 Durban Heinz Suenker acknowledged the excellent work done by the chair and the LOC. He noted that the Reception with the Mayor present on 17 June 2019 was a great event that brought together a number of institutions thereby presenting RC 10 with possibilities for collaboration going forward. Gyoergy Szell supported the positive sentiments reflected by Heinz Suenker noting the outstanding quality of the Conference programme and also the innovative way in which the Public Participation Training Programme at DUT has taken ideas outside of the academic environment ensuring practical relevance. The Conference programme was praised for the manner in which contributions from both academics and practitioners were integrated providing diverse angles. Katrinell Davis expressed surprise that over 300 participants attended the Conference. She found it enjoyable with people engaging with the themes and the intersectionalities including that of theory and practice.

General recommendations for improving conferences and strengthening RC 10 included the following:  Shorter presentations (15 minutes) so that there was more time for discussion.  Engaging Economic and Industrial Democracy as a journal we could publish in.  Select the best students to join RC 10. It was agreed that Chetty, Szell and Suenker would publish a peer reviewed book with Peter Lang which included a selection of the best papers delivered at the Durban Conference. Reworked papers need to be submitted to Chetty by no later than 30 September 2019. The publication date would be January 2020.

4. Porto Alegre ISA Forum of Sociology Discussion ensued on how to optimise participation in the RC 10 programme at Porto Alegre. It was agreed that: 4.1 Gyoergy would mobilise his Brazilian PhD students

4.2 The next RC 10 Newsletter should again carry details of the programme and an invitation to participate

4.3 An RC 10 invitation to Porto Alegre should be sent to the Research Offices at all South African Universities, the HSRC and the NRF

4.4 Isabel da Costa, Fatima Assuncao, Session organisers and board members be encouraged to assist in marketing the RC 10 programme with a view to growing the RC 10 membership base

4.5 Institute the rule that only RC 10 members may present at RC 10 conferences notably in Porto Alegre (2020) and Melbourne (2022)

4.6 Connect with the American Sociological Association and advertise the programme with relevant RC’s in the ASA (Katrinell Davis will send details to Dasarath and Michela)

4.7 Connect with the European Sociological Association through Eleni Nina-Pazarzi and possibly host a Desk at the ESA conference in August 2019.

5. Strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening RC 10 Given that RC 10 had approximately 75 members which was low in relation to its former glory of over 300 members during the 80’s and 90’s it was agreed that:

5.1 A discussion forum should be started on-line and through the Newsletter. Similar to the ISA President’s blog short pieces on pertinent issues could be solicited

5.2 Vera Vratusa be approached to assist with on – line mobilisation

5.3 Heinz to determine how to get RC 10 involved in a Wuppertal Conference planned for 3- 5 June 2020 to commemorate the 200th birthday of Friedrich Engels

5.4 The Durban Conference close–out report recommendations should also be used.

6. Finances Volkmar reported that there was an amount of 750 euro in the RC 10 bank account he had opened and that 7 euro per month was being spent on bank fees. It was agreed that fundraising was a priority to encourage participation in RC 10 activities.

7. General Gyoergy Szell agreed to write obituaries for Cor Lammers and Veljko Rus for publication in the Newsletter.

Dasarath closed the meeting expressing gratitude to all those who attended. DC/26-06-19