Mandela’s promise to correct past land theft has thus far gone unfulfilled. When apartheid ended in 1994, 87% of South Africa’s land was owned by whites although they constituted less than 10% of the population. 2014 marks South Africa’s 20th year of democracy, but the post-apartheid state has transferred less than 10% of the land from whites back to blacks.

Unsurprisingly, blacks are angry. If nothing decisive is done, there may be political instability, which causes economic instability.

This talk is based on her new book We Want What’s Ours: Learning from South Africa’s Land Restitution Program (Oxford University Press, 2014) in which Professor Bernadette Atuahene uses interviews with 150 South Africans to understand how the nation can build on its successes and learn from its failures in addressing past land theft.

Bernadette Atuahene is a professor of law at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law and Faculty Fellow at the American Bar Foundation. She has a JD from Yale and a MPA from Harvard. Prof. Atuahene has done extensive research, writing, public speaking, and consulting on land issues.

This event is free and open to the public, but seating may be limited. Lunch will be provided.