Overview of the REFA Festival 2021

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the world is in a period of crisis, but in many parts of the world the upheaval preceded the pandemic itself, which has been a mirror reflecting the failures of our political and socio-economic systems. More than a year into the COVID-19 health and economic crises, the 2021 REFA Festival will look at how economists have grappled with the many economic challenges that have arisen since the onset of COVID-19.

These challenges include: the different economic impacts felt in different countries, the paths to economic recovery, questions on how to finance healthcare interventions and more. The Festival will grapple with both the short-term and long-term economic and social consequences of the pandemic.

The 2021 Virtual REFA Festival is themed: “Economics and the COVID-19 Crisis”. It is organised as lectures in four concurrent streams. The opening plenary webinar is on Tuesday 31 August 2021, with the themed lectures, to be held on Wednesday 1 September and Thursday 2 September 2021.

The four major themes (i.e. the streams) are:

• How did economics (mis)understand the crisis?

• Economics' blindspot of social reproduction;

• Economics after the crisis: emerging trends in economic thinking

• The impact of the Covid-19 crisis on African economies

The sessions will happen online through Zoom, in the late afternoons, with the first sessions happening from 4pm - 5:15pm SAST, and the second sessions of the day starting at 5:30pm, and running to 7pm SAST.

We have arranged for a few thought provoking films to be screened on the 31 August and 1 September for participants to watch. These details are shared on the Films Tab.

Previous REFA Festivals