Staff

Education Policy Studies Staff

Head of Department

Prof Nuraan Davids

BA (Hons), HDE, MPhil (UCT), PhD (SU)

021 808 2877
nur@sun.ac.za
Curriculum Vitae

FOCUS AREAS:
Philosophy of (higher) education; democratic citizenship education; Islamic philosophy of education; educational leadership & management

BIO NOTE:
Nuraan Davids is Professor of Philosophy of Education, and Chairperson of the Department of Education Policy Studies. She is an NRF rated researcher, whose research interests include democratic citizenship education; Islamic philosophy of education; philosophy of (higher) education, and educational leadership & management. She was a fellow of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University (2020 -2021). She is a Co-Editor of the Routledge series, World Issues in the Philosophy and Theory of Higher Education; Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Education in Muslim Societies; Associate Editor of the South African Journal of Higher Education, and an Editorial Board Member of Ethics and Education. She is the recipient of a number of research and teaching awards, which includes the NRF Research Excellence Award for Female Emerging Researcher (2015); the Stellenbosch University Distinguished Teacher Award (2017); the CHE/HELTASA National Excellence in Teaching and Learning Commendation (2017); Stellenbosch University Research Excellence Award (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020; 2021); Stellenbosch University Media Thought Leader Award (2018, 2019); and Stellenbosch University Chancellor's Award: Research (2020). Recent books include Out of place: An autoethnography of postcolonial citizenship (African Minds, 2022); Democratic education as inclusion (Rowman & Littlefield – Lexington Series, 2022, with Y. Waghid); Academic Activism in higher education: A living philosophy for social justice (Springer, 2021, with Y. Waghid); Teaching, friendship & humanity (Springer, 2020, with Y. Waghid); Teachers Matter: Educational Philosophy and Authentic Learning (Rowman & Littlefield – Lexington Series, 2020, with Y. Waghid).

Prof Aslam Fataar

BA (UWC), HDE (UWC), BAHons (UWC), MEd (UWC), MPhil (UWC), PhD (UWC)

021 808 2281
afataar@sun.ac.za
Curriculum Vitae

FOCUS AREAS:
Sociology of Education

BIO NOTE:
Aslam Fataar is a professor in the Department of Education Policy Studies at Stellenbosch University and currently a Research & Development Professor attached to the university's Transformation Office. He is a member of Stellenbosch University's Council and of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf). His latest books are:

Hlatswayo, M, Blackie, M, Adendorf, H, Maluleke, P. Fataar, A. (eds) 20212 (forthcoming) Decoloniality and Curriculum Knowledge Building. Routledge, London.
Fataar, A and Costandius, E. (eds) 2021. Evoking Transformation: Visual Redress at Stellenbosch University. African Sun Media Press, Stellenbosch University.
Burger, A, and Fataar, A. 2020. Educational leadership and the production of learning spaces. African Sun Media Press, Stellenbosch.
Fataar, A. 2019. Searching for Islamic Ethical Agency in Post-Apartheid Cape Town: An Anthology. Africa Sun Media Press, Stellenbosch.
Fataar, A. 2018. The educational practices and pathways of students across power-marginalised regions (editor). Africa Sun Media Press, Stellenbosch.
Fataar, A. 2015. Engaging student subjectivities across the postapartheid city. Africa Sun Media Press, Stellenbosch.
Fataar, A. 2012 (ed). Debating Thesis Supervision. African Sun Media Press, Stellenbosch.
Fataar, A. 2011. Educational policy development in South Africa's democratic transition: 1994-1997. African Sun Media Press, Stellenbosch.

Dr Jennifer Feldman

BEdHons (SU), PhD (SU)

FOCUS AREAS:
Sociology of Education

BIO NOTE:
Dr Jennifer Feldman, a lecturer in Education Policy Studies, lectures the PGCE History and Sociology of Education, the Honours Development, Organisation and Education Policy and the Advanced Diploma of School Leadership and Management Professional Portfolio and Workplace Project module. Previously a teacher, and school principal, she was involved in public and private schooling. Moving into higher education studies, Jennifer has produced several article publications and a 2022 co-authored book titled Scholarship Students in Elite South African Schools: The Gift of a Scholarship published by Springer.

Her current research, which is situated in the sociology of education, focuses on aspects of social justice in teaching and learning, teacher development, education policy, public-private partnerships and technology in education. Her National Research Foundation research project titled: Changing sociologies of education in the context of technological innovation and disruption, considers, how technology is both innovating and disrupting education, particularly given the recent pandemic conditions.

Dr Jerome Joorst

HDE (Bellville College of Education), BEd Hons(UWC), MEd (UWC), PhD (SU)

FOCUS AREAS:
Sociology of Education, Rural Youth Agency Educational Governance, Management & Leadership, Education Law

BIO NOTE:
Dr Joorst is a lecturer in the Department of Education Policy Studies in the Education Faculty of Stellenbosch University. He has 18 years of teaching experience in rural high and primary schools as well as field experience as a Whole School Evaluator in the Western Cape Education Department. His current teaching modules include PGCE Educational Governance, Management and Leadership as well as B. Ed Hons Introduction to Research Methods. Dr Joorst also supervises M. Ed and co-supervise PhD students in the area of Sociology of Education and Rural Education. His research interest is on rural teachers and learners' positionality in the education system. Dr Joorst is also work on international student collaboration projects. His recent publications include:

2021: Why should an ethics of care matter in education? Transformation in Higher Education.

Dr Elzahn Rinquest

BEd (SU), BEdHons (SU), MEd (SU), PhD (SU)

021 808 2263
erinquest@sun.ac.za
Curriculum Vitae

FOCUS AREAS:

Sociology of Education, Education Management & Leadership, Inclusive and Special Education

BIO NOTE:
Dr Elzahn Rinquest obtained her BEd (2007), BEdHons (2013), MEd (2016) and PhD (2021) degrees from Stellenbosch University. As a lecturer in the Department of Education Policy Studies, she teaches Sociology of Education and Education Policy and Management.

Her doctorate research study was conducted under the supervision of Professor Aslam Fataar and explored the pedagogical place-making practices of teachers at a special needs school in Cape Town. Dr Rinquest received an NRF Thuthuka research grant (2022 – 2024) to conduct further research in the Sociology of Inclusive Education. The research project aims to understand the subjectivities and practices of school principals who are 'leading inclusion' at selected public schools in the Western Cape province.

Twelve years of experience as a teacher and later manager at various public mainstream and special needs schools informs her current research interests and community service efforts. These entail exploring sociological aspects related to inclusive education, diversity, social justice, and teacher well-being.

Dr Precious Simba

B.Com (National University of Science and Technology),

MA with distinction (University of Sussex),

PhD (Stellenbosch University).

psimba@sun.ac.za

Focus areas: Ubuntu, feminist theory, African philosophy of education, queer theory, social justice, inclusive education, citizenship education, teacher training.

Precious is a university teacher and researcher dedicated to exploring the transformative power of education. As a teacher in the Department of Education Policy Studies she convenes the Philosophy of education module. With a foundation in gender based and after-school programming, Dr Simba's journey began with founding a girls' education initiative in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Her doctoral research, a feminist critique of ubuntu as a philosophy of education, laid the groundwork for her ongoing exploration of education policy, feminist theory, intersectionality, and democratic citizenship education. She is a Mandela scholar (2013/14), a Sol Plaatjie scholar (2018/2020) and an Andrew W. Mellon Ubuntu Dialogues fellow (2020).

Precious is interested in supervising masters and PhD students in the following areas: