Melanie Samson

Melanie Samson is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Johannesburg. Her research on the political ecology and political economy of reclaimers’ (waste pickers’) labor arises out of, and contributes to, her political work with reclaimer organizations. Samson facilitated the multi-party participatory development of both the Waste Picker Integration Guideline for South Africa and the South Africa Waste Picker Registration System. She also led the Reclaim, Revalue, Reframe project that developed materials to support implementation of the Guideline. Samson is currently completing the manuscript for Beyond Disposability: Revitalizing Labor, Value and Struggle on a Soweto Garbage Dump.