Session Description
Over the past few decades, developing countries have established distinctive and increasingly sophisticated systems for assessing and governing the social impacts of investment projects. The journey offers valuable lessons for the global impact assessment community. For example, China has gone through four major phases: the introduction of SIA from international investments (1982-2001); the piloting of social assessment frameworks supported by international financial institutions (2002-2011); the institutionalization of social stability risk assessment (SSRA) (2012-2018); and the ongoing legalization of risk assessment as a regulation requirement (2019-present). Throughout these phases, China’s approach has moved beyond the Western model.
This session will thus trace the evolution of social assessment in developing countries, examining how international knowledge has been adapted, localized, and transformed into a comprehensive governance framework. Drawing on extensive empirical research and case studies (hydropower resettlement, infrastructure projects, international financial institutions-funded projects, overseas investments, etc.), presenters will examine enduring tensions: between scientific rigor and democratic participation, between risk prevention and social investment, and between managerial efficiency and community empowerment. Particular attention will be given to the challenges of adapting SIA frameworks to diverse cultural and institutional contexts. We invite contributions from practitioners, researchers, and regulators who have been engaged with SIA in developing countries.
Session Summary
Developing countries have established distinctive systems for assessing and governing the social impacts of investment projects. This session will trace the evolution, examining how international knowledge has been adapted, localized, and transformed into a comprehensive governance framework.
Additional Information
The session chair Prof. Guoqing Shi has been fully involved in the whole process of the SIA development in China since 1980s. He has been appointed as a senior consultant of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, etc., and has attended investment projects in many developing countries. The potential attendees include: Deanna Kemp, John Owen, Frank Vanclay, Angelo Imperial, Aleksandr Nikiforov, Mohammed Zaman, Habiba Zaman, Ted Downing, Carman Downing, Ruilian Zhang, Gang Wang, Xiaonan Chen, Xiaochen Zhang, Xiaoya Mei, etc.
Proposed By
Alternative: T7
Session Chair
Guoqing Shi
Hohai University
China
Session Co-chair
Chen Chen
Ocean University of China
China