The Mauritian multicultural model

How does the Mauritian experience compare with the dominant theories and models of multiculturalism elsewhere? To what extent are existing political structures and institutions relevant to present day Mauritius?

Religious pluralism

How has religiosity evolved since independence and what role has government played in influencing this state of affairs? Is religion a source of unity or the cause of social tension in the society?

The politics of language

What has been the politics and policy on language promotion in Mauritius? To what extent does this foster a sense of national identity? How can language policy strengthen national identity and the sense of belonging to the Mauritian nation?

Globalization and identities

Given the growing influence of the global media and internet age, what are the dominant paradigms of identity construction in present day society? Are language, religion, race and ancestral culture still the main criteria or lenses through which citizens view themselves and others? Or are these identities giving way to newer ones as a result of the influence of new consumption practices and globalization?

Political structures and democracy

How relevant are existing political structures to modern day Mauritius? How can political institutions become more democratic and better represent the interests of the Mauritian population?

Corruption and good governance

Corruption and disillusionment with politics are issues of growing concern to voters and intellectuals alike. What are the implications for the country? To what extent is good governance a reality in Mauritius?

Gender and democracy

While the constitution and laws guarantee women’s rights, yet, in practice, gender equity is still to be attained in many postcolonial contexts. To what extent are gender equality and gender equity a reality in present day Mauritius?

Media and democracy

What has been the role played by the media in the preservation of and enhancement of the quality of the Mauritian democracy? To what extent is the press free in Mauritius? What can the media do to strengthen the Mauritian democracy and what is necessary to enhance the contribution of the media?

Poverty, social exclusion and inequality

What are the types and causes of poverty? Des poverty and social inequality carry an ethnic dimension. What has been the impact of poverty alleviation strategies adopted so far?

Identity and land ownership

The ethnic and class dimensions of landownership has been shifting, initially largely concentrated among the Franco-Mauritian community. Mauritians from other communities have become land and homeowners, such that the island has unusually high home and land ownership rates for a developing country. What factors have contributed to this state of affairs?

Social protection and the welfare state

The welfare state has played a major role towards fostering social cohesion, peace and stability in the country. However, the relevance of the current model to present day Mauritian society has been increasingly questioned. What would be the most economically and socially sound policy and model for 21st century Mauritian society?

The ageing population

Mauritius finds itself with a population growth that is below net replacement rate. Population growth trend mirroring that of industrialised countries. How sustainable is it? What are the growth and development implications? What are the implications of this on the welfare state?

The Mauritian economy

The Mauritian economy presently appears to be at the crossroads of its development. The country is faced with numerous challenges among which the need to establish new growth promoting sectors to deal with high unemployment rates, the problem of ageing population - 21st century. What are the implications for growth and development? What will be the contribution of smart cities in the new development trajectory?

Livelihoods and climate change

Climate change has manifested itself in various ways with rising sea levels, flash floods, more prolonged droughts amongst others. How are livelihoods being affected by climate change? What are the coping strategies? Is there a gendered dimension to climate change?

Sustainable development, urbanisation and the environment

Formerly an agrarian society, Mauritius is now a middle-income country and at a cross-roads in terms of finding ways to manage the development of its infrastructure while ensuring environmental sustainability. What is the way forward and how are stakeholders seeking to address emerging developmental issues such as the increasing demand for housing, recreation, mass transport, electricity and water?

Higher education and development

The higher education sector has expanded significantly in Mauritius. What are the new challenges to the Mauritian higher education sector in the global era? How can universities better contribute to development and social harmony in the country?

The outer islands

The Republic of Mauritius is a relatively young state, leading to questions on the management of its territory and people. How far has the devolution of power to Rodrigues met its objective? What is the status of the inhabitants of outer islands? The question of sovereignty arises regarding the Chagos Archipelagos and Tromelin. What are the strategies adopted by Mauritius to reassert its sovereignty over those islands? What is the way forward?

The Indian Ocean Region

How has the cooperation between countries in the IOR evolved over the years? What are the avenues of cooperation between Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) in the Indian Ocean? What are the obstacles to cooperation between Mauritius and other states in the Indian Ocean? How does Mauritius deal with competition between emerging powers in the Indian Ocean? What strategic role can the Mauritian port play in the Indian Ocean?

Mauritius and its ties to Africa

Mauritius aspires to be the gateway to the African continent and service the economic rise of the African continent. How does Mauritius define its strategy in Africa? Is it a win-win situation? What are the obstacles to Mauritian cooperation with African countries? What could be proposed as remedies to counteract those obstacles?

Mauritius and the Asian Drivers

What are the impacts of the ‘Asian Drivers’ on Mauritius’s political economy? How do the global, regional and national linkages influence the future of sustainable development in Mauritius?

Diaspora and development

Contribution of the diaspora towards development. Ancestral diasporas, the Mauritian diaspora.