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Stellenbosch Forum Lecture: Prof Johan Fourie
Start: 28/06/2018, 13:00
End: 28/06/2018, 14:00
Contact:Felicia Mc Donald - 0218082581
Location: Stellenbosch University Library (JS Gericke Library): Auditorium

You are hereby cordially invited to the first Stellenbosch Forum lecture of the year. The Stellenbosch Forum lecture series was started in 1990 and provides regular opportunities to staff and students at SU, as well as interested people from the public, to learn more about the relevant, world-class research that is being done at SU. Researchers are requested to present their academic research topics in such a way that they are understandable for non-experts in the field, and these lectures therefore provide the ideal opportunity for critical debate and interesting discussions across disciplinary boundaries.

At this event, Professor Johan Fourie, associate professor of Economics at Stellenbosch University, with an affiliation to the Department of History, will present a lecture with the title:

The data revolution in South African history

Date:                    Thursday, 28 June 2018

Time:                       13:00 – 14:00

Venue:                  Stellenbosch University Library

                              (JS Gericke Library) Auditorium

More about the lecture

Our understanding of South Africa's complex history is benefiting from the 'data revolution', the use of newly-transcribed, microlevel historical sources. When used for purposes orthogonal to their initial reason for collection, they also help to 'decolonize' the often biased views implicit in qualitative material. And it is not just economic history that is being rewritten: the quantitative past can tell us a lot about social, demographic, political, migration and gender histories. This talk will provide an overview of some of the most exciting new research projects in this field, including a new Mellon-funded project – The Biography of an Uncharted People, in the Department of History – and offer some ideas (and challenges) on the way forward.

We look forward to welcoming you at this event, which is not to be missed!