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Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela named the 2024 Templeton Prize Laureatehttp://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10679Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela named the 2024 Templeton Prize LaureateCorporate Communication and Marketing / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie en Bemarking<p>The 2024 Templeton Prize has been awarded to Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, the SARChI Chair for Violent Histories and Historical Trauma and the Founding Director of the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ) for her exemplary contributions to scholarship and advancing knowledge in the field of forgiveness and processes of repair in the aftermath of trauma violence. <br></p><p>The <a href="https://www.templetonprize.org/">Templeton Prize</a> is awarded annually and honours individuals whose work draws from the scholarly disciplines to explore the deepest questions about humanity and the universe, making it “the world's most interesting prize<em>."  </em></p><p>In the press release, the Templeton Prize said about Gobodo-Madikizela: <em>“</em>Her career as a scholar and a public figure is distinguished by her effort to repair ruptures created by past violence and to build a path toward healing and restoration in an ongoing process she calls 'the reparative quest.'" The president of the John Templeton Foundation, Heather Dill, added: “Her achievements mark her as a leading figure in understanding and confronting the deeply rooted psychological scars borne by those who experienced unimaginable loss."</p><p>Gobodo-Madikizela said she felt a deep sense of gratitude to receive the prize. She referred to it as a “rare gift" that offers an opportunity to fund new research projects at AVReQ, especially on questions of violent histories and repair. “I am interested in how violent histories so often play out transgenerationally in new forms, and on deepening our understanding of complex processes of repair. In my work, I have always pursued new avenues of inquiry, seeking ways of contributing to new frontiers of knowledge. I am hoping that as a team of scholars, researchers, and our network of partners affiliated with AVReQ, we will continue to rise to this critical intellectual challenge in these challenging times," Gobodo-Madikizela said. "I am excited that I can use the Templeton Prize to help fund our postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows at a time of reduced funding all-round. </p><p>Gobodo-Madikizela has pledged to donate a total of R8million to Stellenbosch University, which will be allocated as follows: R5m toward an endowment scholarship in the name of her parents, Nobantu and Tukela Gobodo; R1m to the SUNRISE (Stellenbosch University Research and Innovation Strategic Excellence programme) to support future professors; and R2m to AVReQ. She said that her hope is that the donation to AVReQ will attract additional co-funding to help postdoctoral fellows to advance to leadership in the knowledge economy, and to support postgraduate students so that they do not have to take on additional work, and can graduate within the funding period of their scholarships. </p><p>Gobodo-Madikizela explained that at its core her work is guided by humanist values and aims to address in new ways the fundamental questions about the transgenerational impact of historical trauma, and “what are the conditions of psychological and moral imagination for repair that might open the possibility for social solidarity and building new futures."  </p><p> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RZ60blkjWqM?si=ZZtE59kXUVHIZp25" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0"></iframe>  </p><p>Her first book, <a href="https://bookscouter.com/book/9780618446599-a-human-being-died-that-night-a-south-african-woman-confront"> <em>A Human Being Died that Night</em></a>, was recently reprinted as a Mariner Books classic. “This book has played a big part in the trajectory my work has followed," she said. “It has certainly contributed to my winning this prize. In it I grapple with the tension between of the horror and the humanity, and I try to explain what's going on in a way that deepens the complexity." </p><p>Gobodo-Madikizela works with a global interdisciplinary network of scholars, with some of whom she has collaborated as co-author, editor, and co-editor of several books on trauma narratives, transgenerational repercussions of historical trauma, and the conditions for interrupting these traumatic repetitions of history. The Templeton Prize is the second prestigious award that Gobodo-Madikizela has won. In 2020, she was awarded the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship award, which at the time was the most prestigious award of the Oppenheimer Trust. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Prof Wim de Villiers, SU's Rector and Vice-Chancellor, warmly congratulated Prof Gobodo-Madikizela on this exceptional award and expressed his sincere appreciation to her and the Templeton Foundation for the profound gesture of generosity towards SU which he described as deeply affirming and humbling.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“Stellenbosch University has again shown how it can be an enabling environment and how it can contribute to world leaders in many fields," says Prof De Villiers.<br></p><p>Prof Sibu Moyo,<strong> </strong>the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Study said about Gobodo-Madikizela's prize: “I am delighted that Prof Gobodo-Madikizela's contribution has been recognised in this special way. Her plans to donate some of her prize to Stellenbosch University is really humbling and shows her passion for the work she does and dedication to support the next generation of scholars. I hope that her winning the award will inspire the next generation of scholars and set a high bar for excellence in research with the full set of values that she espouses – excellence, compassion, accountability, respect and ethics." </p><p style="text-align:justify;">“I am absolutely delighted to personally, and on behalf of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, offer my heartiest congratulations to Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela," adds Prof Anthony Leysens, Dean of the SU Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. “The Templeton Price is on the level of the Nobel Prize awards, but in the sphere of significant humanist contributions at the intersection of spirituality, religion and science. The list of recipients is impressive. Prof Gobodo-Madikizela's work has inspired and continues to inspire those who, through their research, believe in the power of the humanities to bring about change with the emphasis on mutual understanding, caring, forgiveness and reconciliation. This award recognises her achievements and her contribution to the humanist ideal. As South Africans we should all be proud."<br></p><p>​<br></p>
Donor leaves R50 million to Stellenbosch Universityhttp://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=10730Donor leaves R50 million to Stellenbosch UniversityDevelopment & Alumni Relations<p></p><div>The future looks bright for talented undergraduate and postgraduate students at Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Faculty of Theology and the Department of Music, thanks to a staggering R50 million that was bequeathed to the University in a donor’s last will and testament.<br></div><div><br></div><div>“We always talk about the transformative power of giving and here we have it in action,” says Karen Bruns, Senior Director: Development and Alumni Relations at SU. “The donor opted to remain anonymous and though we would have loved to publicly name and honour a person with such foresight, we will respect their wishes,” says Bruns. “We are however incredibly grateful. This wonderful gift of education will undoubtedly leave a legacy.” <br></div><div><br></div><div>According to Hugo Steyn, Acting Director: Principal Giving at SU, the R50 million is specifically earmarked for bursaries allocated to financially disadvantaged undergraduate and postgraduate students within the Faculty of Theology and the Department of Music. <br></div><div><br></div><div>“The funds will be invested and create a sustainable annual income stream, benefitting countless theology and music students for years to come. The first round of funds will be available soon and we should be able to award bursaries from 2025,” explains Steyn. <br></div><div><br></div><div>“Bursary programmes are crucial for providing access to higher education. These programmes bridge the financial gap for talented students, ensuring their potential is not hindered by economic constraints,” he adds. <br></div><div><br></div><div>Says Prof Reggie Nel, Dean of the Faculty of Theology: “Religious communities continue to play a decisive role on our continent and specifically to pursue the calls for justice, peace and healing. At times it failed this call by merely serving its own interests. This donation will ensure that the rigorous study of these communities and the formation of its leaders takes place in dialogue with all the various sciences and different worldviews, to serve the common good. The donor is to be commended for leaving this legacy for generations to come. It will leave a footprint in our country and on our continent.” <br></div><div><br></div><div>According to Prof Mario Nell, Chair of SU's Department of Music, bursaries for study in music are crucial. "They help to remove financial barriers, promote equal opportunities, and assist in fostering excellence in the musical arts. They can provide support to committed students towards unlocking their full potential, and ultimately enrich the broader community with their talent, contributing to societal cohesion through cultural activity – a vision which we hold as essential at the SU Music Department."<br></div><div><br></div><div>Prof Wim de Villiers, SU’s Rector and Vice-Chancellor, expressed his appreciation for the donor's generosity. “This gift to our institution will allow talented students to pursue their theological and musical goals free from financial worries. This donor’s vision and unwavering commitment to higher education in South Africa is an inspiration.” <br></div><p>​<br></p>
First cohort of Graduate School's Lisa Maskell fellows obtain their PhD degrees ​http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=5555First cohort of Graduate School's Lisa Maskell fellows obtain their PhD degrees ​Lynne Rippenaar-Moses​<span style="text-align:justify;"> The first cohort of Lisa Maskell fellows consisting of five doctoral students graduated with their PhD degrees on Thursday, 22 March. The Lisa Maskell fellowships are awarded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation in Germany.</span><div><div style="text-align:justify;">​<br></div><span style="text-align:justify;"></span><p style="text-align:justify;">The fellowship was initiated in 2014 to coincide with Lisa Maskell's 100<sup>th</sup> birthday. The Gerda Henkel Foundation was founded by Lisa Maskell. To mark her 100 birthday, the Foundation introduced the scholarship programme to support young humanities scholars from Africa and South East Asia. The fellowship is the largest international support programme for doctoral students in the history of the Foundation.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The fellowship programme is coordinated in Africa on behalf of the Gerda Henkel Foundation by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Stellenbosch University and the Graduate School of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Doctoral candidates are granted a triennial PhD scholarship grant at one of these Graduate Schools, with candidates from all Sub-Saharan states eligible to apply. Both universities form part of the Partnership for Africa's Next Generation of Academics (PANGeA), a collaborative network of leading African universities developing research capacity and confidence in bringing African expertise to Africa's challenges. The universities involved in the PANGeA network are the University of Botswana, the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, the University of Ghana, Makerere University, the University of Malawi, the University of Nairobi in Kenya, Stellenbosch University, and the University of Yaoundé I in Cameroon.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“We are very proud of our first fellows who have worked extremely hard to earn their degrees. They did so in less time than many of our European PhD scholars – another clear indication that the graduate school in Stellenbosch is a well-organised and highly effective institute for higher education in Africa. We hope that our sponsorship for Stellenbosch University and for the Graduate School at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, can in the long run make a modest contribution to foster excellent academic achievements for Africans in Africa. And I am convinced that some of these bright young women and men will one day reach leadership positions – be it in academia, government, business or NGOs – and will thus contribute to play an important role for the future development of society in their home countries and beyond," said Dr Michael Hanssler, the Chair of the Executive Board of the Foundation.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Dr Cindy Steenekamp, the Chair of the Graduate School Board, said that the partnership with Gerda Henkel has helped the Graduate School to reach many of its goals over the last five years.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“It has been amazing for us to partner with donors who share in our vision of higher education in Africa. Many projects fail because of the incompatibility between a donor's expectations and the reality of the project they are supporting. The Gerda Henkel Foundation shares our vision and supports our academic project without being prescriptive or dictating operations. They acknowledge the expertise within and considerable success of the Graduate School, respect the partnerships we have developed with the rest of Africa and they support and encourage those endeavours," said Steenekamp.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Doctoral scholarships such as the three-year full-time scholarship provided by the Graduate School are very expensive.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“Donors make a substantial financial investment into an intellectual resource which only starts to pay dividends after three years. To work with a Foundation that has the patience to allow their investment to grow and mature over time so that we may make a meaningful contribution to the arts, humanities and social sciences on the African continent is essential for our continued success," added Steenekamp.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The support the Graduate School has received from the Foundation has also made it possible for the school to gain international exposure and has opened up additional avenues of sponsorships.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“Because we have secured a long term financial commitment from a philanthropic organisation with the calibre of the Gerda Henkel Foundation, other donors are also willing to come on board and partner with us. Without the foundation's continued support, many of these opportunities would not have been possible."</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The students that benefitted from the fellowships include Dr Sibongile Mpofu, who graduated in December 2017, and Drs Hezron Kangalawe, Serah Kasembeli, Neema Laizer and Herbert Ndomba, all of whom were awarded their doctoral degrees at yesterday's graduation ceremony.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The fellowship, said many of the graduates, enabled them to pursue PhD studies which would not have been an option for them because of financial constraints.</p><p>“As a parent, I would not have managed to forego my salary, as I needed to take care of my children. So, the scholarship, while it did not meet all the needs, made a difference to alleviate the financial constraints," said Dr Sibongile Mpofu from the National University of Science and Technology in Zimbabwe.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Adds Kangalawe of the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania: “Financially, this fellowship has helped me in many ways, first by paying the tuition fee which I could not raise as an individual, or through my university, Dar es Salaam. Sometimes I used to save part of my bursary for travel expenses at the end of the year to visit Dar es Salaam. Without this fellowship, at any rate, obtaining my PhD degree could take much longer."</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“Without this fellowship, I would not have got the opportunity to pursue my PhD degree <br>at the Graduate School of Stellenbosch University. This fellowship covered important <br>parts of my doctoral training, like fees and stipends and the remaining aspects of air tickets and research funds I could secure through my employer," said Ndomba also from the University of Dar es Salaam.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Some students also chose to study at Stellenbosch University based on the excellent record of the Graduate School and the efficient supervision of its academic staff.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“Stellenbosch University is a reputable and highly rated institution, and the availability of scholarships contributed to the decision to apply there. In addition, I also researched the expertise available in my field, and discovered that SU was the best choice for me. I got to be mentored by some of the best experts in my field and got exposed to research activities through seminars – this helped me succeed in my studies," said Mpofu.</p><p>But what's certain for all of these fellows, is that the Lisa Maskell fellowship has opened many more doors for them now that they have completed their doctorates.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“The fellowship has significantly changed my life. For three years of my doctoral training I have benefited a lot through various postgraduate training, workshops, seminars and field research and report writing. Therefore, through these training opportunities I have become a young African professional scholar, researcher and academic. Today I am the first PhD holder at Ndongosi village in Ruvuma Region in Southern Tanzania, the village which was formed in the early 1960s just after the independence of Tanzania, and a lecturer of the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania," said Ndomba.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“I wish to ask and encourage our donors to continue supporting this programme because by doing so they are empowering a young African generation not just in fighting against ignorance, poverty and diseases in Africa but they are supporting the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals," he added.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em> <style> p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; } .MsoChpDefault { font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; } div.WordSection1 { } </style> <em><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:calibri, sans-serif;">Photo: The first cohort of Lisa Maskell Fellows who completed their degree via the Graduate School of Arts and Social Sciences received their doctorates on Thursday, 22 March. Here they are with representatives from the Gerda Henkel Foundation, which allocates the Lisa Maskell Fellowships. From left to right are Dr Michael Hanssler (Chair of the Executive Board at the Gerda Henkel Foundation), Dr Serah Kasembeli, Dr Herbert Ndomba, Dr Hezron Kangalawe, Mr Jens Christian Schneider (Project Manager: Lisa Maskell Fellowships) and Dr Neema Laizer.</span></em> (Anton Jordaan, SSFD)</em></p></div>
Departments in Arts Faculty and others collaborate for Women’s Day concerthttp://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=5142Departments in Arts Faculty and others collaborate for Women’s Day concertFiona Grayer<p style="text-align:justify;">​​The Music Department in partnership with Stellenbosch University's (SU) Transformation Office, the Visual Arts Department and the Women's Forum presented a concert in celebration of Women's Day in August in the Endler Hall in Stellenbosch. The SU Jazz Band took centre stage under the direction of Felicia Lesch joined by South African jazz legend Gloria Bosman and jazz singer and poet Mihi-Tuwi Matshingana.<br><br>The evening was specifically dedicated to honouring the memory of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke – the first black South African woman to obtain tertiary education and who graduated in the USA in 1901. Her mantra, “When you rise, lift someone up with you", is a maxim that artists Felicia Lesch, Bosman and Matshingana all embrace.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Lesch is passionate about music as a vehicle for social change and formed the SU Jazz Band as one of the ensembles of the Certificate Programme. The Certificate Programme is the pre-undergraduate programme of the SU Music Department which was created to empower students with skills to embark on a BMus or Diploma programme at tertiary level. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Matshingana completed a BCom degree at SU in 2014, during which time she also studied in the Music Department's Certificate Programme, a programme to which she paid homage on stage. She is currently a third-year Jazz Studies student at Wits University in Johannesburg.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">South African author and journalist Zubeida Jaffer's third book “<em>Beauty of the heart</em>", which is a tribute to Maxeke and also provides fresh information on her life, was available for purchase at the event. Jewellery from an jewellery exhibition by Kutlwano Cele, a student in the Visual Arts Department, was also on sale.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The SRC and many students from other departments and faculties supported the concert.  </p><p style="text-align:justify;">“For some this was their first “Endler experience", which made it a particularly joyful event," said Monica du Toit of the Transformation Office.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Special guests from within the Arts Faculty, the Women's Forum, the Gender Equality Unit, SU Museum, SU Transformation Office and community partners of the Music Department's own Certificate Programme also attended the Woman's Day Celebration Concert. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“The event was a moment of institutional belonging and connection with new people at our institution."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“We look forward to more meaningful collaborations in the future and honour the women (and men) on stage who are using music as a vehicle to liberate, educate, rage and dream," added Du Toit.​​<br></p>
The call for the fourth SU Woordfees Short Story collection has opened. http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=5763The call for the fourth SU Woordfees Short Story collection has opened. Danie Marais/US Woordfees<p>Writers can now submit works for the fourth SU Woordfees Short Story collection, which will be launched at the 2019 SU Woordfees. Du Toitskloof Wines are once again the sponsors of the R30 000 prize money for the winning short story. One of the published stories will be developed as a short film for the Silverskermfees with the support of kykNET.<br></p><p>“Over the last three years the Woordfees Short Story collection has grown to be one of the top literary publications in the industry,"says Saartjie Botha, director of the SU Woordfees. “The number of submissions continues to grow annually as does the quality of the writing and the diversity of themes and storylines. We are eager to see what writers will be entering for the 2019 collection."</p><p>In the past writers who were published in the collection, each received R4 000. This year our sponsor Du Toitskloof Wines has generously increased the amount to R5 000.</p><p> “Since the series was first launched in 2016 some of the best short stories in Afrikaans have been published in this manner," noted publishing editor and convenor of the competition, Suzette Kotzé-Myburgh, who has been involved with the project since its inception. “Last year the competition received a record total of 237 entries vying for the coveted first prize and the prestigious film development prize. For everyone who has ever wanted to write a short story, this is your chance!"</p><p> The 2018 winner, Clari Niemand, was also the recipient of the film prize.  Her short story <em>Non (kompos) mentis</em> is being developed into a short film to be shown at the 2018 Silverskermfees. </p><p>Marius Louw, Executive Director of Du Toitskloof Wines, the sponsors of the annual short story competition calls each collection launch a highlight on the literary calendar. “We are privileged to be part of the creativity that emanates from this competition. Our involvement means that we are part of the discovery of exceptional writing, rub shoulders with the best of the arts and carry the sparkle with us for a long time afterwards. Our sponsorship inspires us to greater resourcefulness in every adventure that we tackle."</p><p>The names of the writers whose stories have been selected for the collection will be announced at the Woordfees programme launch in November 2018. The winning story, as well as the story chosen for adaptation into a short film, will be announced at the launch of the collection during the SU Woordfees which runs from 1-10 March 2019.</p><p><strong>The closing date for entries is 30 September 2018 at 16:00.</strong></p><p><strong>For more information about the competition and entry requirements, please visit </strong><a href="http://www.woordfees.co.za/"><strong>www.woordfees.co.za</strong></a><strong>. E-mails with further questions can be sent to </strong><a href="mailto:danie_marais@sun.ac.za"><strong>danie_marais@sun.ac.za</strong></a><strong> – please note that only written enquiries will be answered.</strong><strong>  </strong></p><p><strong>The SU Woordfees will run from 1-10 March 2019 in Stellenbosch.</strong><strong>  </strong></p><p><strong>The festival programme will be available in November 2018. </strong></p><p><br></p>
Quo Vadis democracy? http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=5145Quo Vadis democracy? Corporate Communication / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie<p>In 1994, South Africans welcomed democracy with open arms. But today this embrace doesn't seem to be as tight as we would like it to be. <br></p><p>“It appears that we aren't quite so sure what to make of our democracy," says Dr Cindy Steenekamp, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Stellenbosch University.</p><p>In a recent study, Steenekamp, for the first time, mapped the characteristics of a democracy community in South Africa by looking at people's commitment to democratic values, and their support for the country's democratic regime and political authorities. Her research question related specifically to the persistence of democracy and how this has been impacted by the political attitudes and behaviour of South Africans since 1994.</p><p>The findings of Steenekamp's study was published in the <em>Taiwan Journal of Democracy</em>.</p><p>She analysed data from the last four waves of the World Values Survey (WVS) conducted in South Africa between 1995 and 2013 to measure the level of political culture in the country, the support for the democratic regime and the political process, as well as the level of institutional trust in political parties, government, and parliament. The WVS is a valuable worldwide network of social scientists studying changing values and their impact on social and political life over time. During each of the four periods, face-to-face interviews were held with representative samples of adult South Africans in urban and rural areas in their preferred language. </p><p>Steenekamp says the analysis of this data revealed that while there is support for democratic rule and the current political system, support for authoritarianism has increased and confidence in government institutions has decreased.</p><p>“On the one hand, support for democratic rule is fairly high, despite a sharp decline between 2006 and 2013, and higher than support for authoritarian rule. Support for the current political system is steadily increasing." </p><p>“At the same time, however, support for authoritarianism has more than doubled since 1995 and is nearing the 50 percent threshold and confidence in governmental institutions is decreasing and, in 2013, dropped below 50 percent for the first time since transition."</p><p>“The fact that the gap between support for democratic rule and authoritarian rule has narrowed from 71.3 percent in 1995 to 25.2 percent in 2013, does not bode well for the persistence of a democratic community in South Africa."</p><p>Steenekamp<strong> </strong>adds that confidence in various governmental institutions, such as political parties, parliament, and the government, decreased by more than 20 percent between 1995 and 2013.</p><p>She also notes that data showed a decline in South Africans' positive attitude toward law-abidingness, despite the fact that they generally condemn unconventional forms of political behaviour such as protest action and the use of force to gain political goods.</p><p>Steenekamp says there could be different reasons for these contradictory results.</p><p>“One could argue that commitment to democracy has not become fully entrenched in our value system as a result of the socio-economic reality that plagues the country. Although the black middle class has grown since 1994, the challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality remain."</p><p>“Despite the provision of basic infrastructure and social welfare, the majority of South</p><p>Africans are yet to substantially improve their living standards."</p><p>“Also the changing nature of party politics, especially within the ANC, and rampant political corruption are likely responsible for South Africans' loss of confidence in the state and political leaders. The increase in unconventional political behaviour (i.e., protest action, in response to poor service delivery) is a direct result of citizen dissatisfaction with the state."</p><p>According to Steenekamp, the levels of discontent and civil disobedience could become the dominant political resource used by the people to mobilize public opinion and influence policy makers. </p><p>“Protest action has a negative effect on the persistence of a democratic community and culture once it becomes violent." </p><p>She adds that we should not forget that, unlike an authoritarian regime, a democratic government like ours needs the support of its citizens to maintain its legitimacy.</p><p>Steenekamp highlights the importance of a political culture that is conducive to democracy and says “democratic institutions alone will not keep our democracy stable and effective."</p><p><strong><em>Reference</em></strong><em>: </em>Steenekamp, C (2013). Democratic Political Community in South Africa Elusive or Not? <em>Taiwan Journal of Democracy</em>. Volume 13, No. 1, July 2017.</p><p><strong>FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES ONLY</strong></p><p>Dr Cindy Steenekamp </p><p>Department of Political Science</p><p>Stellenbosch University</p><p>Tel: 021 808 2115</p><p>E-mail: <a href="mailto:cindylee@sun.ac.za">cindylee@sun.ac.za</a> </p><p><strong>              </strong><strong>OR</strong></p><p>Martin Viljoen<br></p><p>Manager: Media</p><p>Corporate Communication</p><p>Stellenbosch University</p><p>Tel: 021 808 4921</p><p>E-mail: <a href="mailto:viljoenm@sun.ac.za">viljoenm@sun.ac.za</a><br></p><p><br></p>
Subtle and complex processes of knowing and showing explored at conference http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=9551Subtle and complex processes of knowing and showing explored at conference Corporate Communication and Marketing (Sue Segar) | Korporatiewe Kommunikasie en Bemarking <p><br><br></p><p>Prof Gabeba Baderoon, a poet and scholar from Pennsylvania State University in the USA and the keynote speaker at the Slow Intimacy Conference that was recently held at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies, was raised on the Cape Flats.<br></p><p>She recalls how, as a child, she heard her beloved father lamenting not being able to get his roses to bloom in the sandy soil of Athlone where the family was moved during apartheid. Yet, after some 47 years, his Athlone garden is a place of great beauty – all because of his determined, intimate connection with the soil.</p><p>This is just one of the examples of presentations at the conference, which took place from 12 to 14 October in Stellenbosch and was convened by Prof Amanda Gouws, SARChi Chair in Gender Politics at SU. Professor Lou-Marié Kruger from SU's Department of Psychology was the co-convenor.</p><p>The three-day conference saw an exploration of the concept of slow intimacy, which relates to “intimate interactions that are enduring, long-standing, in process, and in development over time".</p><p>The aim was to explore the “subtle, nuanced, complex, multi-layered and intricate" processes of knowing and showing associated with slow intimacy and to discuss questions like: Who gets to know and who gets to show? In what conditions are knowing and showing possible? How is intimacy tied to power? How is intimacy informed or shaped by larger societal processes (political, social, economic)?</p><p>​Kruger, a clinical psychologist, related how, while sitting in the waiting room of a government clinic in the low-income Dwarsrivier Valley outside Stellenbosch, she watched a patient fall to the floor and die in front of her. She contrasted the intimacy of being present for the death of this man, a complete stranger, with the intimacy at the deathbed of her mother, with whom she had a close relationship.</p><p>Three scholars – Vivienne Bozalek, Nike Romano and Tamara Shefer –  described their intimacy with the “more-than-human" when they go wild sea swimming together – and how their thinking and writing is influenced whilst “encrusted with ocean bacteria, shivering with underwater creatures and plants …"</p><p>History professor Sandra Swart talked about her intimate relationship with her horse Aztec, “a gentle mare of melancholy loveliness" and the mare's daughter, Voodoo, who is “short, stubborn and with strong opinions". She narrated how intimacy has grown between her and her horses through “peering into their shit every day to predict their health … running my hands along their legs, opening their gums, reaching between their udders for ticks …"</p><p>Two friends, Marion Stevens and Makhosazana Xaba, described their friendship over a number of years through their shared interests and solidarity.</p><p>In a documentary which depicted the intimacy of gay relationships and the intimacy of violence, filmmakers Prof Siona O'Connell and Prof Vasu Reddy described how a young Indian man, along with his partner, are beaten “to a pulp" in Durban by his own father in front of his community because he has shamed them by being gay.</p><p><strong>Intimacy versus slow intimacy</strong></p><p>Opening the conference, Gouws said her feminist study group, comprising nine women in different disciplines – political science, philosophy, history, psychology, English, theology and fine arts – decided to host a conference on slow intimacy in 2021.</p><p>“The subject of intimacy has been investigated by feminist scholars, including Lauren Berland, for at least a decade," she said. “But we want to distinguish slow intimacy from intimacy.</p><p>“We can think of slow intimacy as the other side of the coin of slow violence – our connection to being human, to be vulnerable, to open ourselves up to the humanity of others, engaging the post human through other species and planetary connections," she added.</p><p>“Therefore, this conference is an engagement with a broader global context of brutality, social exclusion, deepening poverty and precariousness. Right now it is as though the world is waiting to exhale in the face of what could be apocalyptic events. How far is Vladimir Putin willing to go? How will Europe survive the deadly cold of its winter? What will the next climate disaster be and where? Will we all eventually learn to live without electricity?</p><p>“In the face of these possible catastrophes, we turn to intimate spaces and attachments."</p><p>Gouws said slow intimacy takes place “in different sites, on different scales and involves different types of showing".</p><p>The conference was not purely academic but also creative, including engagement with poetry, novels, films and art. Presentations also looked at intimacy relating to food, sex and consumption, among others.</p><p><strong>Mourning in the time of Covid; intimacy fault lines</strong></p><p>In her presentation entitled 'Mourning the More than Human', philosophy professor Louise du Toit discussed the concept of grief as a “pre-reflexive, embodied kind of knowing and showing". She described how Covid has challenged and upended many habits and prior understandings of grieving.</p><p>“During this time, many had to die alone, and many more were left bereft of familiar ways of sending off their loved ones. As we experience the unfolding catastrophes associated with the Anthropocene, these unprecedented dislocations with respect to the death of others, will only intensify. This upheaval extends to other forms of unprecedented grieving in our time. My question then becomes … how to conceive of human grieving for the more-than-human losses we incur, and whether such mourning might constitute a politics of commemoration."</p><p>In her presentation, 'Intimacy and its Limits', Prof Vasti Roodt from SU's Department of Philosophy, discussed the “fault line that runs between the public and the private, the political and the intimate" – and spoke about how intimacy becomes perverted when it is transplanted into the public domain.</p><p>“We are both particular individuals, who love and want to be loved in turn and citizens of a world we share with others who are not our intimates. The satisfaction of the one always comes at some cost to the other. Intimacy can only flourish in private and thus needs protection from the public gaze. The public domain, on the other hand, needs protection from the demands of intimacy which threaten the conditions for living together with others."</p><p>Law professor Jaco Barnard Naudé spoke about the concept of 'extimacy', which exposes us to the 'other' that hides in the core of our intimacy – and “lies in wait in our most intimate thoughts".</p><p>Gouws said the concept of slow intimacy is important to contemplate in this day and age. “Our world is so saturated with violence and despair which have become part of our subconscious. This is a moment to talk about intimacy; not the spectacular issues we talk about daily, but the slow embodied emotions and ways we relate to the world, because it is critical that we don't lose our humanity and the ability to relate to each other."</p><p>The conference also involved discussions between older and younger feminists about how these different generations experience life.</p><p>The conference was multidisciplinary, multi-layered and in some ways intensely personal. The organising team intends to publish a book featuring the high quality papers that were presented.</p><p><br><span class="ms-rteFontSize-1"><em>*</em></span><span class="ms-rteFontSize-1" style="font-family:calibri, sans-serif;"><em>Image by </em><a href="https://pixabay.com/users/stocksnap-894430/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2598158"><em>StockSnap</em></a><em> from </em><a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2598158"><em>Pixabay</em></a><em> </em></span>​<br></p>
USAID awards $4.1 million to African universities for disaster risk managementhttp://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=4632USAID awards $4.1 million to African universities for disaster risk managementLynne Rippenaar-Moses<p style="text-align:justify;">The wild fires that have raged across the Western Cape are a striking reminder of the life-threatening risks we face as our environment changes and urban development pushes further into surrounding areas. They also highlight the urgency for South Africa and other African countries to develop their own skilled and accessible local risk management expertise. Now, thanks to a $4.1 million award from the <span style="text-align:justify;">U</span><span style="text-align:justify;">nited States Agency for</span><span style="text-align:justify;"> International Development (</span>USAID) to Stellenbosch University's Periperi U (Partners Enhancing Resilience for People Exposed to Risks) initiative, Stellenbosch University will be leading one of its largest continent-wide operational collaborations to date and doing just that.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The USAID administers the United States' foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">"The grant will allow Stellenbosch University, in partnership with 11 other African universities, to take forward Periperi U's ambitious disaster risk management agenda to train more than 8 000 students and practitioners in 12 African countries by 2019," says Dr Ailsa Holloway, the Director of the Research Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction (RADAR), the Stellenbosch University centre that coordinates Periperi U. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">According to Holloway, <a href="http://www.riskreductionafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/3B1_SU_Code-of-Conduct.pdf">Periperi U</a><em> </em>is not a new initiative. Rather, it is a globally recognised African university partnership which was purposefully established to "jump-start" strategic disaster risk capacity-building capabilities across the continent and to advance academic action on risk and vulnerability reduction. It was first conceptualised in 2006 as a one-year pilot project, and then due to its sustained success, incrementally expanded over ten years to include 12 universities that now span the continent.  </p><p style="text-align:justify;">By 2016, the initiative's achievements were being increasingly acknowledged, with 23 new disaster risk-related academic programmes and modules introduced in English, French and Portuguese across Africa, registration of more than 2000 students and the active engagement of 170 academic and support staff. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"These new, diverse and highly relevant disaster risk management academic programmes were designed and tailored to  reflect  Africa's complex risk profile," adds Holloway. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">They include a new Masters in Public Health and Disaster Management offered by Makerere University in Uganda and an MSc in the Prevention and Management of Food Insecurity Risks at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal. At Stellenbosch University (SU), a Masters in Philosophy in Disaster Risk Science and Development is already on-offer, with the intent to add a postgraduate diploma in Disaster Risk Studies and Development from 2018.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">"This concerted effort has dramatically improved skilled capabilities in highly disaster-prone countries like Ethiopia and Madagascar. Tracking results for the hundreds of disaster risk management graduates with Masters degree qualifications from these two countries alone indicate that graduates have taken up positions in government, non-governmental organisations and even United Nations' agencies. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"This has both made disaster risk management expertise locally accessible, as well as markedly reduced dependence on technical assistance from international relief agencies. Such shifts in human capability in disaster-prone countries are crucial for African governments to take greater responsibility for local risk management," says Holloway.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Moreover, recognition of the partnership's advancement of higher education efforts in the disaster risk field now extends well beyond Africa. Two years ago Periperi U received International Centre of Excellence status from the <a href="http://www.irdrinternational.org/">Integrated Research on Disaster Risk</a> (IRDR) global programme, with particular emphasis on risk education and learning. This is due to Periperi U's proven successes in integrating disaster risk considerations into different academic disciplines and fields of practice, including urban planning, public health, agriculture, economics, engineering and environmental science. It also reflects the partnership's clear commitment to work closely with policy makers, practitioners and risk-prone communities in shaping its research and teaching priorities. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"Periperi U's status as an international centre of excellence also shows how the partnership operates at different levels," says Holloway. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"For instance, at continental and global scales, Periperi U participates in the African Union and United Nations' processes related to the implementation of the <a href="http://www.unisdr.org/we/coordinate/sendai-framework">Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction</a> to ensure that Africa's universities are actively included in disaster risk management policy-making. Such engagement has been crucial, as until recently, disaster risk management in Africa was very relief-oriented and 'hands-on', largely bypassing the continent's academic institutions. This resulted in a heavy dependence on outside technical support and international humanitarian assistance. Thankfully, the situation is rapidly changing in African countries with active academic, training and research programmes in disaster risk management, and where there is close collaboration between universities and their government counterparts."</p><p style="text-align:justify;">In this next phase, Periperi U<em> </em>plans to optimise this growing momentum at local, continental and international levels. It will do this by implementing 34 disaster risk-related academic programmes and modules across the continent to reach more than 5 000 African students in 12 countries by 2019. These efforts will be further strengthened by Periperi U's goal to work closely with local practitioners and professionals to improve disaster risk management capabilities on the ground. To achieve this goal, Periperi U partners will connect with more than 3 400 practitioners through 130 professional short courses on practical topics as diverse as 'public health in flood-prone areas' or 'humanitarian logistics'. <br><br>The value of Periperi U in strengthening local risk management capacity is clear from RADAR's efforts in the Western Cape. In one example, the RADAR team carried out a community risk assessment in Wallacedene, a township near Kraaifontein in the Western Cape.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">"In 2015, when we did the assessment, the situation was appalling," says Holloway. "However, through socially responsive research and mobilisation, just over a year later, we saw the launch of an informal dwelling fire alarm programme in the same settlement with strong support from government. We have subsequently been tasked to do the follow-up research to see if it makes a difference to have smoke detectors in informal dwellings.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">"This is a material example of how Periperi U partners engage with at-risk communities close to home and how they can make a real difference to local resilience. It also shows how universities can work closely with government departments and conduct meaningful research on interventions that can potentially prevent injuries and deaths, in this instance, in a fire-prone area."</p><p style="text-align:justify;">In terms of the 'bigger picture' continentally and globally, Holloway is positive that Periperi U has been pivotal in shifting Africa's view of its disaster risk management capabilities as well as the perceptions of those outside. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"This is not a once-off project, but a long-term initiative to redirect disaster risk scholarship so it becomes fit for purpose in a rapidly changing Africa. USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance's sustained commitment has been central to Periperi U's success with more than $9 million (R 100 million) entrusted to Stellenbosch University for university-based disaster risk management capacity building in Africa since 2011."</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em>* This press release is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Stellenbosch University and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.<br><br>** Contact Dr Ailsa Holloway from RADAR at 021 808 9281 for more information or Lynne Rippenaar-Moses, Communications and PR Officer at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, at 073 534 5560.<br></em></p>
De Jager one of 13 African scholars awarded AfOx fellowship http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=5773De Jager one of 13 African scholars awarded AfOx fellowship Lynne Rippenaar-Moses<p style="text-align:justify;">Dr Nicola de Jager, a senior lecturer in the Political Science Department, was recently selected as one of 13 African scholars to be awarded the prestigious Africa Oxford Initiative Fellowship (AfOx) from The University of Oxford. De Jager, along with another Stellenbosch University (SU) academic, Dr Tongai Maponga from the Division of Medical Virology, form part of the 13 fellows selected from 12 institutions from seven African countries out of the 450 applications received. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">De Jager is also one of four academics from the social sciences to be selected for the fellowship.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">The fellowship was “set up to foster research and teaching excellence" and to “facilitate sustainable collaborations between academics at The University of Oxford and at African institutions".  All costs related to the fellows research visit to Oxford are covered by the fellowship, which also includes residency at the Oxford Colleges. De Jager will be hosted at Brasenose College.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“It is amazing to be able to take up this fellowship at The University of Oxford. An opportunity for which I am very grateful," says De Jager. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“For the last couple of  years I have focused on gaining exposure to research and academics at different institutions as it is really important to not have a parochial outlook when it comes to research. By participating in fellowships like these, I am able visit other institutions and meet other academics and learn about their research and this is very important in enhancing my own research and international standing." <br></p><p>De Jager, who was nominated for the fellowship by Prof Laurence Whitehead, a leading expert in democracy studies, will spend close to six weeks at Oxford from 5 August to 14 September working on research focused on <em>Protestantism and civic engagement: Implications for democratic development in sub-Saharan Africa</em>.<br></p><p>“The research I have been working on has focused on the influence of religion on politics. We have found that while the importance of religion in Europe is declining, it is becoming increasingly more important in Africa."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“The global distribution of Christians is expected to change by 2050, with the largest proportion of Christians - more than a billion - to reside in sub-Saharan Africa by this time," explains De Jager.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“As of 2017 Africa was home to 41% of all Protestants, with the projection that by 2050, 53% of all Protestants will live in Africa. In contrast, despite being the birthplace of Protestantism, it is expected that fewer than 10% of Protestants will live in Europe by 2050. Historical and empirical studies, especially of Western Europe, have argued that there is a positive relationship between the proportion of Christians – Protestants in particular – and the development of liberal democracy."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">According to De Jager, the research she will conduct at Oxford forms part of a “broader research project on 'Governance, democracy and religion in sub-Saharan Africa, which is being conducted within the Transformation Research Unit: Southern Africa" at SU. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">TRU was officially established at SU at the end of 2014 and is based in the Political Science Department. The Unit focuses on examining South African democracy comparatively in the regional southern African and global contexts from a political, economic and social perspective. De Jager heads the southern Africa sub-division of TRU.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“The research I'll conduct at Oxford University will investigate the relationship between religion and civic associationalism – as a crafting condition for democratic development – in sub-Saharan Africa. The key question guiding the research would be: If civil society is a core tenet of the development of liberal democracy, which religion, if any, is more civically engaged in sub-Saharan Africa? Thus, which religion leads to greater civic associationalism and why? And, thus stemming from this to reflect on the broader question of what the implications could be of the growth of Christianity, and Protestantism in particular for the region's democratic development. While grounded in democratic theory, it will essentially be an empirical study using secondary data analysis of the World Values Survey and Afrobarometer to determine which religions are more civically engaged. Both surveys measure religious affiliation as well as use a number of variables to measure civic engagement."<br></p><p>Photo: Anton Jordaan, SSFD<br></p>
PANGeA launches its Early Career Fellowship Programmehttp://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=5004PANGeA launches its Early Career Fellowship ProgrammeLynne Rippenaar-Moses<p>​​​​​​<br></p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;"><span></span>​The Partnership for Africa's Next Generation of Academics (PANGeA) recently launched its Early Career Fellowship Programme which will offer fellowships to 50 staff members within the PANGeA network over four years. The programme aims to identify future academic leaders in the arts, humanities and social sciences on the continent and provide them with an opportunity to receive specialised training in university management and administration.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br></p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">The announcement was made during a gathering of academics from the network's partner institutions – the University of Botswana, the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, the University of Ghana, Makerere University, the University of Malawi, the University of Nairobi in Kenya, Stellenbosch University (SU) in South Africa and the University of Yaoundé I in Cameroon. The academics were hosted by the Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences while the event was held at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) in Stellenbosch.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br></p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">This is PANGeA's third initiative alongside its training and skills development programme, PANGeA-Ed (read more at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://bit.ly/2sRYy9u" style="color:#663399;text-decoration:none;">http://bit.ly/2sRYy9u</a>), and its well-established doctoral programme. The primary goal of these initiatives is to build doctoral and academic capacity and leadership in the arts, humanities and social sciences at African institutions.</p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">Eight successful applicants were selected from the partner institutions to be part of the first cohort of Early Career Fellows. The Fellowship programme involves an eight week residency in Stellenbosch hosted by the Graduate School in cooperation with STIAS.</p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;"><em>“</em>The main purpose of this programme is to invest in promising talent.  Given the current constraints in the higher education sector in Africa, we believe that this timely initiative will enable us to retain our most valuable human and intellectual capital," said Prof Anthony Leysens, the Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at SU, as he welcomed the applicants during the launch.</p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">The newly elected PANGeA Chair, Prof Enos Njeru, who is also the Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Nairobi in Kenya, highlighted the increasing expectations of academics globally to produce more research outputs, but at the same time shoulder an ever increasing administrative load.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br></p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">“The challenge is that academics rarely have the opportunity to focus on research given their teaching schedules and that the vast majority of academic staff have little or no administrative and managerial training  to take on such responsibilities. The PANGeA Early Career Fellowship programme aims to address this challenge by creating space for these academics to become skilled in university administration and management while also pursuing their research agenda," said Njeru.</p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">According to Prof Johann Groenewald, Coordinator of Strategic Initiatives at STIAS, “early career development initiatives can help shape and form the transition from a graduate to a researcher and research leader".<br></p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">“STIAS is grateful, delighted and proud to see the expansion of the PANGeA network. It represents a strong expression of the desire of the higher education sector to make a substantial imprint on the African continent."<br></p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">In closing, Njeru wished the fellows a successful and enriching stay in Stellenbosch and thanked the PANGeA Board members for their continued support for the network and its initiatives.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br></p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;">“With a history of co-operation and partnership for more than ten years, our success lies in our shared pursuits to draw from our diversity and different strengths to promote mutual benefits. PANGeA is a network by Africans, for Africans to pursue a truly African agenda."</p><p style="font:13px/1.6 "segoe ui",segoe,tahoma,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 10px;text-align:justify;color:#444444;text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;letter-spacing:normal;word-spacing:0px;white-space:normal;"><em>Photo: Representatives from the partner universities that make up the PANGeA network were in attendance at the recent launch of the PANGeA Early Career Fellowship held at STIAS at Stellenbosch University. In the front are Dr Celestino Oriikiriza (Makerere University), Dr Isaiah Kunock Afu (University of Yaoundé I) Dr Florence Tendo Bayiga (Makerere University), Dr Judith Jai Jefwa (University of Nairobi), and Dr Teresa Wanjiru Mbatia (University of Nairobi). At the back are Dr James Orao Onyando (University of Nairobi), Dr John Barugahare (Makerere University), and Dr Elisha Ondieki Makori (University of Nairobi). (Anton Jordaan, SSFD)​</em></p><p><br> </p>