| Never too old: 2nd doctorate for Prof Leslie Swartz | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=7930 | | Never too old: 2nd doctorate for Prof Leslie Swartz | Corporate Communication & Marketing / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie & Bemarking [Alec Basson] | <p>Obtaining a doctoral degree is a remarkable achievement. But to be awarded a second one is quite something special. This is exactly what Prof Leslie Swartz, a distinguished Professor of Psychology at Stellenbosch University (SU), accomplished when he received another PhD, this time in English Studies, on Monday 14 December 2020 during SU's December graduation week, exactly thirty years after obtaining his first PhD. <br></p><p>At the same ceremony, one of Swartz's students, Maura Lappeman, also obtained a doctorate. A second doctoral student, Hildah Oburu, who missed her graduation in April due to COVID-19, was also present to accept her certificate. They are among the more than 40 doctoral candidates that he has supervised over the years.<br></p><p>Swartz has already scooped numerous prestigious awards for his outstanding contributions to the fields of mental health and disability studies. He says that his second PhD shows that nobody is too old or too well qualified to learn more and to grow academically, and that through life, everybody can benefit from the help and care from others (in this case, his supervisors).<img src="/english/PublishingImages/Lists/dualnews/My%20Items%20View/how-i-lost-my-mother_05b%20(002).jpg" alt="how-i-lost-my-mother_05b (002).jpg" class="ms-rtePosition-2" style="margin:5px;width:246px;height:369px;" /><br></p><p>Much of Swartz's work in mental health and disability studies focusses on issues of care. His doctorate comprises a memoir, <em>How I Lost My Mother</em>, which discusses care issues in an accessible and entertaining way, and a reflective essay on the memoir and process of writing. “Care is central to how society is organised and especially relevant to an ageing society and one affected by a pandemic," says Swartz. “Despite this, care is often made invisible or not spoken about, hence the need for a book like this," he adds.<br></p><p>The memoir is a story of an emotionally complex relationship between mother and son, and of the struggles we all face in negotiating our way between closeness and distance, tenderness, anger and retribution. The book uses humour and story-telling to discuss issues which may otherwise not be palatable to a wide range of readers.<br></p><p>“Many privileged people throughout the world live their lives, and go through the process of dying, supported by vulnerable and poorly-paid people (usually women of colour), and the book discusses the politics of this reality," says Swartz. “There is no other text I know of which deals as directly with the intertwining of emotional intimacy and exploitation of care workers in the context of debility and dying."<br></p><p>According to his supervisors from SU's English Department, Prof Shaun Viljoen and Prof Louise Green, the memoir emphasises how personal narratives can help us communicate complex social concerns. <br></p><p>Swartz says he hopes that by engaging in an emotional journey through personal and social history, readers will make up their own minds about how they feel about the issues he raises.<br></p><p><em>How I Lost My Mother</em> is his second memoir, after <em>Able-Bodied: Scenes from a Curious Life</em> (2010) that chronicles his relationship with his disabled father, and introduces readers to key concepts in disability studies. <em>How I Lost My Mother</em> is due to be published by Wits University Press in March 2021.<br></p><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=5555 | | First 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>
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</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> |
| SU’s Extended Degree Programme opens many doors for graduates | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=7023 | | SU’s Extended Degree Programme opens many doors for graduates | Corporate Communication/Korporatiewe Kommunikasie | <p><br></p><p></p><p>No less than 42 graduates whose academic potential had been unlocked thanks to the Extended Degree Programme (EDP) in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU), received their qualifications at the University's December 2019 graduation ceremonies this week.</p><p>Of the 42 EDP graduates, 19 of the students received distinctions during their studies at SU. One of those students, Tammy Jefthas, received 18 distinctions and will be doing a MA (Geography and Environmental Studies) next year. </p><p>“The EDP is a wonderful opportunity to not only gain a degree but offers much more. It sees the potential in students and sometimes even before a student sees it in themselves. My field of study presented to me the opportunity to grapple with current pressing geographical issues and I see myself using my knowledge gained to make a difference in society," says Jefthas.</p><p>SU launched the EDP in 2008 to help deal with systemic obstacles to equity and student success and to assist students with additional academic support. </p><p>According to Alex Zeeman, who managed to obtain no less than 16 distinctions during her studies, the EDP programme was a lifesaver after she received poor matric results. “I thought my life was over, but the lesson that university has taught me is that you're stronger than you think you are."</p><p>For Vuyolwethu Qinela, who obtained nine distinctions during her studies, the programme not only helped her excel academically, but also gave her the opportunity to do an exchange abroad. </p><p>“I was an average student in high school, so I never thought that I could achieve anything greater than just passing. The Extended Degree Programme, I believe, gave me a better advantage over mainstream students in that I was given foundational modules that covered all topics that are covered in most social science modules, while also improving my critical thinking skills," says Qinela. </p><p>Tamaryn Taylor Fourie from Eerste River says one of the highlights of being a student at SU for her is the fact that many doors were opened and that she had many opportunities. “Some amazing highlights would be when I had the opportunity in 2017 to travel to Johannesburg to represent the University at the Cradle of Humankind as part of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation. I was able to engage with other like-minded individuals and expand my network. In 2018, I was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society," says Fourie.</p><p>In addition to this, Fourie had the opportunity to travel to Germany as an international student at the Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen, which is one of SU's partner institutions.</p><p>Through the EDP, Fourie was also able to impact many lives by being a mentor and senior mentor for first-year EDP students, class representative on the PSO committee and a member of other campus-wide societies and organisations.</p><p>EDP and mainstream students obtain the same degrees after completion of their undergraduate studies. The only difference is that EDP students do their first year over two years. Over and above their mainstream subjects, EDP students take modules that prepare them better for their graduate studies, such as <em>Texts in the Humanities</em>, <em>Information Skills</em> and <em>Introduction to the Humanities</em>. </p><p>The EDP programme is open to students who are interested in studying towards a Bachelor's degree with an average of 60–64,9% in their National Senior Certificate (NSC). Extensive extra-curricular support is also integrated into the academic offering to enhance student success.<br></p><p>Prospective students, who want to read more about the EDP, can consult the EDP website at <a href="/english/faculty/arts/edp/home">http://www.sun.ac.za/english/faculty/arts/edp/home</a> <br><br></p><p>In the photo from left, Vuyolwethu Qinela, Tamaryn Taylor Fourie and Alex Zeeman. <br></p><p>Photo by Stefan Els. <br></p><p><br></p> |
| Third PhD awarded to eternal scholar and hyper-multilinguist | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=9112 | | Third PhD awarded to eternal scholar and hyper-multilinguist | Corporate Communication and Marketing/Korporatiewe Kommunikasie en Bemarking - Sandra Mulder | <p>Stellenbosch University's (SU) Dr Alexander (Alex) Andrason has achieved the exceptional once more: This hyper-multilingual lecturer who speaks ten languages and a global nomad who has already resided in eight European and African countries has recently added a third PhD degree to his academic repertoire.<br></p><p>In March this year, Andrason got tears in his eyes when the University of Iceland awarded him a PhD in General Linguistics - experiencing the same gratitude as when he received a PhD in Semitic Languages from the Complutense University in Madrid (2010) and one in African Languages from SU (2016).</p><p>"The three PhDs are a natural progression and testament to my unconventional scholarly and life profile," said Andrason. He is currently a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences' Department of Ancient Studies, teaching Afro-Asiatic languages, linguistics (Hebrew, Aramaic, Egyptian), and other modules dedicated to multilingualism and academic writing.</p><p>Prior to joining SU in 2012, his activities included teaching general and cognitive-linguistic courses at various universities in Asia (Turkey), Africa (Morocco, Gambia, and Tanzania), and Europe (Iceland, Spain, Poland, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia).<br></p><p>Elaborating on passing his PhD in Iceland on 4 March, he describes it as one of the most beautiful days of his life. "I argued for my views, appreciated critique and criticism, smiled continuously and even laughed at times. In the end, the university put up the Icelandic flag for me, and I had tears in my eyes," recalled Andrason.</p><p><strong>PhD remains a challenge</strong></p><p>Earning a PhD remains a challenge and is not easily achieved, he emphasised. "Some people think writing a doctoral thesis comes easy to me. Nothing could be further from the truth. Completing a PhD is always a challenging experience that requires a lot of work, time, and self-discipline and is inevitably marked by moments of positive and negative thoughts and feelings."<br></p><p>He described himself as an eternal scholar and multidisciplinary academic and a teacher who “refuses to stop being a student and welcomes the wisdom of others by pursuing studies at various new universities." </p><p>For this reason, he will never have studied enough. “I will continue studying till the day I die. Currently, I plan to enrol in a PhD in anthrozoology and later in another one in education," said Andrason, explaining that to embark on a new PhD study is exciting because it means entering a relatively new study field'.<br></p><p><strong>Lecturer and researcher</strong></p><p>According to Andrason, his PhD studies have run concurrently with his teaching and other research duties, especially to enhance his teaching and research.</p><p>"Every year, I publish between ten and 15 articles; teach between five and seven courses/modules over 150-180 lecture hours; direct between five and eight international research projects; supervise postgraduate students, and lead at least one community involvement activity. To find time to design and complete another original research program leading to a PhD and write some 400 pages of a monograph is really challenging."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">In the end, his mission is to offer the best training to students. "As teachers, I wish for students to develop and cultivate the qualities that human beings should have, such as respect for one's own and others' freedom(s), the recognition of universal equality of people and their inalienable agency, a celebration of creativity and, perhaps most importantly, the cultivation of care and compassion," says he.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“Therefore, in my classes, I focus on self-government, the use of reason instead of doctrine, non-formality, equality of participation, and freedom of choice. I invite students to co-design the curriculum, participate in knowledge production, and contribute to cooperative learning and teaching. I allow students to pursue their curiosities and interests and replace teacher-student coercive hierarchy with persuasion. I am always open to being challenged. I do not lecture. Instead, I facilitate the learning process, encourage, and provoke," said Andrason.</p><p><strong>Language repertoire</strong></p><p>One of the motivations for him to learn a new language, especially the language of his students, is to allow them to be inclusive in the communication and learning process in class. </p><p>Currently, his language repertoire draws on 40 languages, ten of which he can speak with native or native-like proficiency. “I use most of them regularly because of my international research and teaching activities, like joint research projects, fieldwork, classes taught as a guest lecturer, and teaching classes," said Andrason.<br></p><p>When he travels to a new country, he will learn at least the basics of the people of that country's language. For this reason, he knows to a large extent isiXhosa and Afrikaans. "I also try to learn languages that my SU students (undergraduate or postgraduate) speak. I have also acquired some basic knowledge of Oshiwambo, Sotho, Maasai, Swahili, Lari, Korean, Japanese, and Romanian. Crucially, to me, the languages spoken by students are not empty tokens or superficial anecdotes."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Andrason is currently also learning Oromo (a language from Ethiopia) and Sango (a language from the Central African Republic). Adding to his passion for learning new languages, his favourite pastime is<strong> </strong>working towards doctoral degrees, authoring articles, conducting collaborative research, and reading grammar books. </p><p>When he is not working, he spends time with his family and does “exceptional" work in the kitchen. "I cook a full meal for my family every day, and they absolutely love my cooking!"<br></p><p><strong>Photo:</strong> Sandra Mulder<br></p><p><br></p> |
| SU improves its position on QS subject rankings | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=9814 | | SU improves its position on QS subject rankings | Corporate Communication & Marketing / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie & Bemarking [Alec Basson] | <p>Stellenbosch University (SU) can count itself among the leading higher education institutions globally in the broad subject areas of Life Science and Medicine, Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Management, Engineering & Technology, and Natural Sciences. This is according to the <a href="https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings/2023"><span class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0"><strong>2023 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subjec</strong></span><span class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0"><strong>t</strong></span></a><span class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0"> </span>released on Wednesday (22 March 2023). </p><p>For the 2023 edition, 1 597 institutions were ranked across 54 subjects in the abovementioned five broad subject areas. More than 16,4 million unique papers published between 2016-2020, producing close to 117,8 million citations in 2016–2021, were analysed.<br></p><p>SU improved its standing in four of these subject areas. It achieved a top 250 spot in Life Science and Medicine and is now ranked in the top 350 in Arts and Humanities, top 450 in Engineering & Technology, top 400 in Social Sciences and Management, and top 500 in Natural Sciences.</p><p><strong>Leading in SA</strong></p><p>As far as specific subject categories are concerned, SU improved its global position in Environmental Sciences and Medicine having moved into the top 250. It is the leading university in South Africa in Agriculture & Forestry (74th in the world) and Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies, and Development Studies (both in the top 100), Chemical Engineering (top 300) and Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering (top 350). For a second year in a row, SU is ranked number one in South Africa in Agriculture & Forestry and Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies, and second in Education (top 350), Pharmacy & Pharmacology (top 300), Business & Management Studies (top 500), Psychology (top 330), Biological Sciences (top
350), and Electrical and Electronic Engineering (top 450). SU also moved into second position in English
Language & Literature (top 250) after having finished third in 2022. In Accounting & Finance, SU is among the top 330 institutions globally.<br></p><p>“In line with our vision to be Africa's leading research-intensive university, we also want to discern ourselves in higher education globally, so we are pleased that our reputation in Agriculture & Forestry and Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies has been ranked number one. As the only university in South Africa that offers viticulture and oenology due to our unique wine region, we are especially proud that Agriculture received such recognition," says Prof Hester Klopper, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Strategy, Global and Corporate Affairs.</p><p><strong>Indicators</strong></p><p>The QS subject tables use academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper, H-index and International Research Network (IRN) as indicators to rank universities. The first two of these are based on global surveys of academics and employers that are used to assess an institution's international reputation in each subject. Research citations per paper measures the average number of citations obtained per publication, and is an estimate of the impact and quality of the scientific work done by universities. The H-index assesses the stability of impact and quality of the work published by an institution's academics. The IRN is a measure of a university's efficiency in establishing stable research collaborations in each of the five broad subject areas.</p><p>Over the last few years, SU has been consistently ranked among the best tertiary institutions globally on the <a href="/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=9049"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">QS World University Rankings by Subject</strong></a>, the <a href="/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=8646"><strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings</strong></a>, and the<a href="/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=9329"> <strong class="ms-rteThemeForeColor-5-0">ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects</strong></a>. These rankings all use different methodologies and indicators to determine universities' position on their ranking.<br></p><p><br></p> |
| Swartz receives ASSAf medal for science in service of society | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=6812 | | Swartz receives ASSAf medal for science in service of society | Lynne Rippenaar-Moses | <p><br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Over the last decade disability studies as an academic discipline in Africa, particularly South Africa, has developed extensively, in no small part due to the commitment of Prof Leslie Swartz, a distinguished Professor of Psychology at Stellenbosch University (SU) with an interest in mental health and disability studies.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">On Wednesday night Swartz, who is considered one of the most prolific and influential scholars in the field, was recognised by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) for his dedication to developing disability studies when he received the prestigious Science-for-Society Gold Medal for 2019. According to ASSAf, the medal was awarded to Swartz for “excellence in the application of outstanding scientific thinking in the service of society". </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Swartz is the only academic in South Africa to receive a medal this year. The medal was bestowed on Swartz by Prof Jonathan Jansen, the President of ASSAf at the ASSAf Awards Ceremony held at The Capital Hotel-Menlyn Maine in Pretoria on Wednesday night. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">For Swartz it was always inevitable that disability studies, an interdisciplinary field concerned with how and why disability inequality happens and is maintained in the world, would be one of his research focus areas. The first clue came in the form of his 2010 memoir, <em>Able-Bodied: Scenes from a curious life</em>, which chronicles his relationship with his disabled father, yet explores disability from an academic perspective too. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Swartz has not only concentrated on the development of disability studies, but has published over 250 articles in a range of international journals such as the <em>Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society,</em><em> </em>and <em>PLoS One.</em><em> </em>He has also served as the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the <em>African Journal of Disability</em><em> </em>up to 2018 and is the Associate Editor for the international journals, <em>Transcultural Psychiatry</em><em> </em>and <em>International Journal of Disability, Development and Education</em>. Under his leadership, the <em>African Journal of Disability</em><em> </em>became a PubMed and SCOPUS indexed journal which is now a key player in the disability studies field internationally. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">He is a Core member of the African Network for Evidence-to-Action in Disability (AfriNEAD), which is headed by Prof Gubela Mji, Head of the Centre for Rehabilitation Studies in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. AfriNEAD links disability scholars across the Africa, and also works with those from more economically developed countries like Norway, the United Kingdom and Canada. He is a Global Advisor to the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University. He is also an International Advisory Board member of the Movement for Global Mental Health, “a virtual network of individuals and organisations that aim to improve services for people living with mental health problems and psychosocial disabilities in low and middle income countries across the world". </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Swartz has also won many awards, amongst them the Stellenbosch University Chancellor's Award, and the Stals Prize for contributions to psychology from the SA Academy for Science and Arts. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Over the years, he has supervised more than 40 doctoral candidates, many of them disabled, black, or women candidates. Recently Swartz's ongoing project to mainstream disability issues into civil society in South Africa, which saw him receive funding from the NRF for a series of public engagements around disability and citizenship in South Africa, culminated in the book, the <em>Palgrave Handbook of Disability and Citizenship in the Global South</em>, which he co-edited. Other books he has co-edited include <em>Disability and social change: A South African agenda</em>(2006), <em>Searching for dignity: Conversations on human dignity, theology and disability</em><em> </em>(2013), and <em>Transformation through occupation</em><em> </em>(2004), which is widely credited with helping develop a social justice and public health approach to occupational therapy in South Africa and globally.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“Prof Swartz has played a leading role in developing the field of disability studies in South Africa, but has been dedicated in his drive to develop research capacity in people previously excluded from the academy and to making principles of scientific engagement accessible to the broader community. For this reason, he is sought after as an academic mentor and contributes regularly to the training of more junior researchers at a range of South African universities. His work is also regularly prescribed in academic courses in South Africa in psychology and other disciplines." said Dr Therina Theron, Senior Director: Research and Innovation at SU.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">She applauded him for the central role he has played in diversifying the academy and as an activist “who takes scientific community engagement and linkages seriously". This has led to Swartz working with the Cape Town Holocaust Centre in 2018 and 2019. He presented a two-seminar series on disability and human rights as part of the travelling exhibition, <em>Deadly Medicine</em>: <em>Creating the Master Race</em>,produced by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and presented by the South African Holocaust and Genocide Foundation in South Africa. The exhibition focused on the abuse and murder of disabled people during the Holocaust and the links between these practices, eugenics in South Africa, and contemporary concerns. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Swartz has also given back to communities in need by offering free consultation services to those individuals who require therapy and is currently supervising the first ever prevalence study of mental health issues amongst Deaf children conducted on the African continent. <br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Speaking at the ceremony, Swartz said: “I am very grateful for this award, and I am deeply honoured. I would not have been granted this award without the help and support of my family, my students and colleagues, and without the many many people who have had the patience and generosity to allow me into their lives as part of my research and scholarly work."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“Stellenbosch University is a very supportive environment for me, and I am especially grateful for years of patient help from the Division of Research Development, the University library, and many others."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">Swartz added that he was acutely aware of how privileged he has been to have worked with and alongside disabled South Africans and Africans from further afield to inform and expand his research in disability studies.<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“They had good reason to mistrust me as a white, non-disabled South African male researcher, yet have given me the benefit of many legitimate doubts, and have allowed me to work with them. If this award is about anything, it is about the opportunities we all have to make a more inclusive world for everyone."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;">“I would like to encourage all researchers, regardless of discipline, to think about how their work can include people with bodies and minds which are not the norm, but which are every bit as valuable as other bodies and minds. We cannot do diversity or decolonise our universities without making all our work accessible to all – and this includes people with disabilities of all kinds. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Added Swartz: “Diversity, which includes disability participation at all levels, and accommodation of difference, will make our world, as the disability studies scholar Rosemarie Garland-Thomson puts it, more habitable for us all."<br></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em>Photo: Prof Leslie Swartz (middle) received the p</em><em>restigious Science-for-Society Gold Medal for 2019 from ASSAf at an awards ceremony held in Pretoria last night. Here he is with Prof Jonathan Jansen (right), President of ASSAf, and Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies at SU. (Supplied by ASSAf)</em></p> |
| SU alumnus wows audiences | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=3419 | | SU alumnus wows audiences | Wayne Muller | <p>An alumnus of Stellenbosch University (SU), the actor Marlo Minnaar, will perform in the acclaimed one-man show, <em>Santa Gamka</em>, in the Baxter Theater in Rondebosch, Cape Town, from Monday, 1 February.</p><p>The piece is based on Eben Venter's novel by the same name, and Minnaar reworked it into a theatre play himself. He is also the producer.</p><p><em>Santa Gamka</em> received the Kanna Awards for Best Debut Work, the Herrie Prize for Best Ground-breaking Work and for Best Director (Jaco Bouwer) at the 2015 Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK). </p><p>Marlo Minnaar was also nominated for Best Actor for his performance as Lucky Marais. The production also received three KykNET Fiësta nominations – for Best Solo Performance, Best Newly-created Afrikaans Production, and Best Director. (Winners will be announced in February.)</p><p>In recent years Minnaar was seen in productions such as <em>Blood Brothers</em>, <em>Balbesit</em> and <em>Die Kortstondige Raklewe van Anastasia W.</em> </p><p><em>Santa Gamka</em> tells the story of a young coloured man from the Karoo, who navigates his way through life in a rather unusual way. Driven by his fear not to fall back into poverty, he becomes a rent boy.</p><p>Lucky tells the audience about his seven greatest adventures – better known as his seven customers: a woman who lost her son in a car accident, the mistress of the local hotel owner and olive farmer, his high school English teacher, the municipal manager, the farmer and his father's employer who continues to oppress Lucky's parents, his aunt, as well as a young German man.</p><p>However, his white lies start catching up with him and he finds himself in a furnace of hell. Suddenly the Karoo has become too hot for him. His time is up. He only has seven minutes left to live and he is now faced with the dilemma of having to review his short life.</p><ul><li><em>Santa Gamka</em> is performed in Afrikaans in the Baxter Theatre's Golden Arrow Studio from 1 to 19 February at 20:15 daily.</li></ul> |
| Vicariate of Rome and Italian Government invite Van Niekerk to speak at international jubilee | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=3973 | | Vicariate of Rome and Italian Government invite Van Niekerk to speak at international jubilee | Lynne Rippenaar-Moses | <p style="text-align:justify;">Prof Anton van Niekerk, a Distinguished Professor in Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Applied Ethics in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, has been invited to participate in a debate on research centres in Rome, Italy, by the Vicariate of Rome and the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR). </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Van Niekerk will participate in the debate <em>Research, Development and Common Good: the Role of Research Centres</em> along with other distinguished professors and experts from countries like the United Kingdom, Poland and Canada. The debate forms part of a greater forum called The Jubilee of Universities and of Research Centres and of Institutions of the Artistic Higher Education which is taking place in September this year. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"I was quite surprised when I received the invitation," says Van Niekerk as he talks about the upcoming debate. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Over the years Van Niekerk's research has mainly concentrated on the areas of bioethics, the philosophy of religion and the philosophy of the social sciences. As a researcher rated by the National Research Foundation as someone with considerable international recognition, he has done extensive research in the areas of the moral problematic related to HIV/Aids in Africa, ethical issues related to new genetic technologies, moral theories, the history and social functions of bioethics in South Africa, research ethics, models of rationality, hermeneutics, contemporary models of religious faith and the pragmatist notion of religion. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">Van Niekerk is also one of the pioneers in the establishment of bioethics as an academic discipline in South Africa and was one of the founding members of the Ethics Institute of South Africa (EthicsSA), first serving on its board from 2000 and then taking over as Chairman in 2003. From 2007 to 2012, he was Director of the International Association of Bioethics and served as a member of the Ethics Committee of the South African Medical Research Council from 2001 to 2013. Since 2009, he is the Chairperson of the Research Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University's Senate. In 2013 he was appointed as a member of the National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC) by the South African Minister of Health. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">He has written, edited and co-authored 19 books and more than 150 peer reviewed articles and book chapters. His most recent books include E<em>thics and Aids in Africa: the challenge to our thinking</em> (2006), <em>Geloof sonder sekerhede</em> (2005, with a second, thoroughly revised edition in 2014) and <em>Rasionaliteit en relativisme</em> (1994). Van Niekerk is also a former editor of the <em>South African Journal of Philosophy and has </em>been a distinguished guest professor at the universities of East Carolina (USA), Utrecht and Radboud (Netherlands), and Linköping (Sweden), Louvain (Belgium), Cape Town and the Witwatersrand. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">The theme for this year's forum will be <em>Knowledge and Mercy: The Third Mission of the University. </em>Van Niekerk's own talk, he says, will therefore focus on the broad theme of technological innovation and moral responsibility.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">"I have done extensive research about the ethics of biotechnology and human improvement. There is also enormous interest in this field, in particular because of the amazing potential, of biotechnology – from new medicines that have been developed and that can zoom in on the most minute detail of our biological composition to how to lengthen the normal lifespan of human beings," explains Van Niekerk. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"Of course there are also fears that extending human life can lead to the development of a new race of "post-humans". There are also widespread fears that the apparent striving for human perfection via these new technologies will foster renewed intolerance as well as discrimination against disabled persons. I can understand that fear," says van Niekerk, "however, I also believe that we can develop a better world in the process, in particular with relation to the biomedical terrain. The efforts to correct human disability do not imply a rejection of or discrimination against disable people".</p><p style="text-align:justify;">He cites vaccination as an example of how advances in science have enhanced the human race via technological innovation. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"One of the most obvious ways we have improved the world we live in is via the improvement of vaccination methods," says Van Niekerk. "Years ago when we first started doing stem cell research, many people were worried that it would lead to the artificial breeding of embryos for stem cell research. New developments since then have shown that our ability to manipulate cells and even reprogram bodily cells will make the need for embryos to produce stem cells unnecessary. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">While research has developed, so has the research ethics committees governing those processes. All new medical and scientific research are subjected to committee reviews and their requirements are quite strict, says Van Niekerk. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"These committees allow us to think about how we promote what is good about advances in the biomedical field, how advances in medical and biological sciences can benefit people and, at the same time, ensure that scientists meet the required ethical standards when conducting their research. Because of these committees and research about bioethics, there is also a stronger focus on the ethical training of medical personnel - something that did not happen 20 to 30 years ago." </p><p style="text-align:justify;">As part of his talk, Van Niekerk will also focus on what responsible scientific research entails and specifically how one applies such responsibility within research units in universities. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"This will be a very interesting experience," says Van Niekerk. "I have to admit that I have always been interested in Catholicism even though I am not Catholic myself. This conference is not only a great opportunity to build up new contacts and extend my network, but I will also be able to meet the Pope. This is not the kind of thing that happens to one every day, so I am quite excited and very honoured to be awarded this opportunity." </p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em>Photo: </em><em> </em><em>Prof Anton van Niekerk, a Distinguished Professor in Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Applied Ethics in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, has been invited to participate in a debate on research centres in Rome, Italy, by the Vicariate of Rome and the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) in September this year.</em><span style="line-height:1.6;"></span><span style="line-height:1.6;"> </span></p> |
| Nelson Mandela colloquium on 30 March | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=3732 | | Nelson Mandela colloquium on 30 March | Lynne Rippenaar-Moses | <p>The Nelson Mandela Museum, in cooperation with the Stellenbosch University Museum, cordially invites you to the Nelson Mandela Colloquium.</p><p><strong>Keynote speakers:</strong></p><p>Prof Xolela Mangcu, professor of sociology, University of Cape Town</p><p>Prof Amanda Gouws, distinguished professor of political science, Stellenbosch University (SU)</p><p>Mr Bradly Frolick, SU Student Representative Council, Transformation portfolio</p><p>DATE: 30 March 2016<br><br>TIME: 18:00</p><p>VENUE: Stellenbosch University Museum (Sasol Art Museum), Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch</p><p>RSVP: Mrs Nwabisa Moshenyane at nmoshenyane@sun.ac.za or on 021 808 3691.</p><p><em>Refreshments and wine will be served after the discussions. </em></p> |
| TRU to expand its research on democracy in Africa with study of new data sets | http://www.sun.ac.za/english/Lists/news/DispForm.aspx?ID=3963 | | TRU to expand its research on democracy in Africa with study of new data sets | Lynne Rippenaar-Moses | <p style="text-align:justify;"><strong></strong><span style="line-height:1.6;">The Transformation Research Unit (TRU), a unit focused on research projects dealing with transformations from autocracy to democracy and the reverse, conditions for the persistence of democracy, and the quality of the democratic process, will soon be expanding its research on democracy in Africa by utilising new data sets at its disposal to do so.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;">TRU was officially established at Stellenbosch University at the end of 2014 and is based at the Centre for International and Comparative Politics in the Political Science Department. The Unit focuses on examining democracy comparatively across cultures from an economic, political and social perspective. Within the regional context South Africa is being examined comparatively with Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The wider global viewpoint is provided by the comparative study of the culturally vastly diverse cases of South Korea, Chile, Poland, Turkey, Germany and Sweden. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"We have decided that the project we are currently working on and which is centred on South Africa within the global political and economic environment should be used as a stepping stone to a study we want to implement in the future" said Prof Ursula van Beek, the Head of TRU, following a recent four-day workshop where researchers from Africa and the rest of the world shared some of their preliminary findings on democracy in the sub-Saharan region. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"Our future research will be centred more on the Southern African region and will draw on new data sets. So far we have relied primarily on the World Values Survey and on our self-generated data on elites and economic factors. We intend to expand the individual data sources by the inclusion of the Afrobarometr data while the proposed utilisation of the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) datasets will allow us to examine the connection between individuals and their political institutions."</p><p style="text-align:justify;">According to Van Beek, the V-Dem dataset comprises data on political institutions going back to 1900. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"That is over a hundred years of data! This data can for instance show us how countries move into democracy, how some might regress into autocracy and then move back into democracy again. Essentially, the V-Dem data allows us to see how democracies are born and how they die. V-Dem data is considered globally to have taken the comparative assessment of democratic institutions to a new level because of its theoretical openness, its conceptual clarity, and its thorough measurement. The V-Dem project has been developed jointly by the Kellogg Institute at the Notre Dame University, USA, and the Department of Political Science at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The V-Dem Director at the latter institution, Prof Staffan Lindberg, is keen to see the establishment of an institutional home for V-Dem data utilisation in Africa, and more specifically, at Stellenbosch University. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">In combination with the Afrobarometer that has surveyed 37 countries in Africa since the 1990s, the two additional datasets will assure that in its research TRU will draw on arguably the most comprehensive data collection on democracy in South Africa, if not on the African continent. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">The project TRU is currently focusing on is called <em>Global democracy: Political institutions and cultural contexts. It </em>investigates the key factors likely to obstruct a successful long-term democratic consolidation in countries like South Africa, Poland, Chile, South Korea and Turkey. This project, says Van Beek, is important because it highlights how South Africa is faring on its road to a democratic consolidated society in comparison with other younger democracies in the region and in the world. </p><p style="text-align:justify;">"In South Africa we are facing various problems, especially the problem of government failing to deliver services to the people and citizens that are unhappy with the status quo. A good way to understand the shortcomings of South African democracy is to study the political culture of the elite and the citizens of this country. Such analyses tell us how both the South African leaders and the people perceive democracy. Their respective attitudes, values and beliefs with regards to democracy can reveal whether they do or do not support the system, and therefore, whether it will or will not succeed," says van Beek.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em>Photo: Researchers and academics from Africa and the rest of the world recently met during a four-day workshop to share some of their preliminary findings on democracy in the sub-Saharan region. In the back row from the left are Dr Krige Siebrits (SU), Prof David</em><em> </em><em>Sebudubudu (University of Botswana), Mr Jerry Mathega (HSRC), Mr George Ott (SU), Prof Vello Pettai (University of Tortu, Estonia), Prof Yilmaz Esmer (University of Bahcesehir, Turkey), Prof Christer Jönsson (Lund University, Sweden), Prof Dirk Berg-Schlosser (Marburg University, Germany), Prof Henning Melber (Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala, Sweden), Prof Pierre du Toit (SU), Prof Hennie Kotze (SU). </em><em>In the front row from the left are </em><em>Prof Hans-Dieter</em><em> </em><em>Klingemann (WZB, Berlin), Ms Annemie Parkin (SU), Dr Nicola de Jager (SU), Prof Ursula van Beek (SU), Ms Nsisima Ncube (SU), Prof Ursula Hoffmann-Lange (Bamberg University, Germany), Dr Catherine Musuva (AU), Ms Heike Morkel (SU), Ms Helen Kroes (SU), Prof Lloyd Sachikonye (University of Zimbabwe), Ms Reinet Loubser (SU), Dr Marisa von Fintel (SU). (Anton Jordaan, SSFD)</em><em> </em> </p> |
