LIST OF PANELS

This panel will look at the private sector actors and their historical contribution to improving political and economic governance, as well as to capacity-building in natural resources management in comparative perspective. It will evaluate those areas where the private sector fails to bring about improvements in political and economic governance, and instead might hamper development. Various papers in the panel will contribute to the debate around private sector engagement in natural resources management in the past, present and future. It will look at, not only mining and mineral resources, but will also include land and water, which received minimal coverage in the preliminary literature review findings.  Finally, the panel will contribute to the understanding of the role of the private sector in conflict and post-conflict settings, particularly in terms of its contribution to natural resources governance and CSR policies.[1] This remains an under-studied field of research, and much could be gained from comparing and evaluating the different roles that the private sector played in natural resources governance.

In and around the extractive industries, much of the focus over the past years has been on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and why mining companies should practice and implement policies targeted to address issues related to corporate social responsibility. However, there is a lack of review and evaluation of the policies and practices that mining companies have adopted over the past years in resource-rich countries particularly in weak governance environments. There is not sufficient literature chronicling the progression of private sector actors and CSR policies and activities conducted in the extractive industries; the benefits and failures of these programs with regard to local communities and governments; problems that have not been addressed or have emerged as a result of CSR policies and programs; and how private sector actors and their CSR policies relate to the governance of natural resource extraction.  In addition, much of the literature focuses simply on the mining sector, with inadequate analysis and understanding of how private sector actors could contribute to the governance of other natural resources – most notably land and water. This panel could add value in terms of filling some of the gaps in the literature pertaining to the above-mentioned areas. Moreover, this panel will look at the private sector actors and their historical contribution to improving political and economic governance, as well as to capacity-building in natural resources management in comparative perspective. It will evaluate those areas where the private sector fails to bring about improvements in political and economic governance, and instead might hamper development. Various papers in the panel will contribute to the debate around private sector engagement in natural resources management in the past, present and future. It will look at, not only mining and mineral resources, but will also include land and water, which received minimal coverage in the preliminary literature review findings.  Finally, the panel will contribute to the understanding of the role of the private sector in conflict and post-conflict settings, particularly in terms of its contribution to natural resources governance and CSR policies.[1] This remains an under-studied field of research, and much could be gained from comparing and evaluating the different roles that the private sector played in natural resources governance.