Human Economy Program

The Human Economy Group was created as part of an international programme designed to bring back human concerns into economic studies. It is presently located at the University of Pretoria in Pretoria, South Africa, and is bringing together researchers from around the world with research experience in diverse disciplines.

Through our case studies, we examine how people insert themselves into economic life. What people practically do has often been obscured, marginalised or repressed by dominant economic ideologies that privilege the market. We are interested in the ways people engage with economy and respond to institutional forms that perpetuate structures of inequality (creating, challenging, or even trying to ignore them). The human economy is conceived of as being made and remade by people themselves, being based on a holistic conception of human needs and with the interests of humanity as a whole in mind.

Join us for these exciting events and opportunities! 

4 February - 1 March 2013
Lecture series: "Africa in world history"
Presented by Professor Keith Hart

12 February 2013
Seminar: "Solidarity economy in Europe and Latin America"
Presented by Dr Isabelle Hillenkamp and Professor Jean-Louis Laville

20 February 2013
Public lecture: "The human economy: an interdisciplinary approach to the world crisis"
Presented by Professor Keith Hart


Become an Associate of the Human Economy Program