Shanelle van der Berg, a doctoral candidate in the Socio-Economic Rights and Administrative Justice Research Project, has been awarded a scholarship by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust to conduct research at the University of Oxford for a period of three months commencing in October 2012.
The Oppenheimer Memorial Trust awards a limited number of grants each year for postgraduate study at higher education institutions overseas, particularly where the field of specialisation cannot be undertaken locally.
Ms Van der Berg’s research focuses on the justiciability of State resource allocation decisions in socio-economic rights adjudication to illustrate that, since budgetary allocations reflect government priorities, strong judicial review of resource allocation decisions is warranted to ensure accountability and effective, efficient and transparent resource allocation.
Ms Van der Berg will utilise the unparalleled academic resources available at the University of Oxford to complete the comparative aspect of her doctoral research and to further engage with the development of a theoretical paradigm in which the adjudication of State resource allocation decisions can occur. In addition, Ms Van der Berg will have the opportunity to attend seminars as well as a weekly doctoral research group hosted by Prof Sandra Fredman, Rhodes Professor of the Laws of the British Commonwealth and the USA at the University of Oxford.
The research conducted at the University of Oxford will for an integral part of Ms Van der Berg’s doctoral dissertation, which aims to contribute to legal research regarding the critical roles that law can play in achieving meaningful transformation of society, aiding the eradication of poverty and enhancing participation, transparency and accountability.