Discovering Potential Through Art Therapy
Students enjoy creating objects as part of an art therapy workshop. The College of Humanities Student Support Services (CoH SSS) recently teamed up with the Disability Unit to conduct a workshop on “Reaching Your Potential” for students with disabilities.
The CoH SSS strives to meet students’ developmental needs through the use of creative and innovative methods. In this workshop, designed by SSS psychologist Ms Joanne Goss, students participated in different forms of art therapy and storytelling. Art therapy is a psychotherapeutic tool used to express and explore thoughts and feelings in a safe environment. It enhances self-reflection, personal growth and emotional wellbeing.
CoH SSS Manager Ms Angeline Stephens said, ‘We are striving to work more closely with students with disabilities in particular and we are exploring new and creative ways of working with students.’
The students were asked to use coloured play-dough to make objects which represented themselves. The objects had to include various characteristics which reflected their strengths, areas of potential improvement. They also had to mould something indicative of someone in their life they most admire.
The students enjoyed creating objects which ranged from various types of animals to items such as books and globes of the world.
For more information, contact Ms Joanne Goss or Ms Angeline Stephens at the College of Humanities Student Support Services on 031 260 2668.
- Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .“BOLD Global” Introduces Japan
BOLD Student Executive, (from left) Ms Serisha Naipaal; Mr Thulani Mtshali; Mr Nishijima Shota (Embassy of Japan); Ms Precious Muthevhuli; Mr Nduduzo Langa; Ms Nontando Mbatha; Maletsoko Masha.The adage, “Think global; act local”, received a boost recently when the Business Organisational & Leadership Development (BOLD) initiative launched its first “BOLD Global” Seminar with a presentation by Arts and Culture Section Head at the Japanese Embassy, Mr Nishijima Shota.
Japan, also known as the “Land of the Rising Sun”, is only one-third the land mass of South Africa and has few natural resources. Despite this it is globally renowned for its hi-tech engineering industry and its highly-productive economy. As such, it provides new perspectives on what can be achieved in South Africa with foresight and determination.
The Seminar, held on 18 October at the UNITE/School of Engineering building, was part of BOLD Global’s aim to develop globally informed leaders by presenting students with information on life beyond the borders of South Africa to foster cultural awareness and international understanding.
Since the Japanese government is increasing trade and investment on the African continent, there are clear efforts to create greater awareness of Japan. The embassy also hosted a Japanese film festival at Gateway’s Cinema Nouveau, and is keen to explore the possibility of hosting Japanese classes in the near future.
- Rudi Kimmie
author : .author email : .Ukukhangisa ngemisebenzi emikhakheni yakwaHumanities
Abafundi abebehambele usuku lokukhangisa ngemisebenzi okwenziwe iKolishini lakwaHumanities. Ngenhloso yokukhangisa ngamathuba emisebenzi emukhakheni wakwaHumanities, iKolishi lakwaHumanities e-UKZN libambe usuku lokukhangisa ezikhungweni zaseHoward naseMgungundlovu.
Abafundi bathole ithuba lokuxhumana nezinkampani ezahlukene ebezizokhangisa ngalolusuku. iziKole ezingaphansi kwaleliKolishi nazo bezinikwezwe ithuba lokukhangisa.
‘Lokukhangisa ngokuhlanganyela nezikole kusize ukuvala isikhala phakathi kwezemfundo kanye nemisebenzi, njengoba abafundi bakwazile ukuqhathanisa izifundo kanye nemisebenzi,’ kusho uNksz Angeline Stephens oyiStudent Support Services Manager eKolishini.
Lomcimbi uhambe kahle kakhulu nabafundi bebephume ngobuningi babo.
Click here for English version
- Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Maths Tutoring Project Hosts Year-End Tournament
The Grade 12 learners who took part in the Golden Knight Tournament along with members of CDA (UKZNP).Learners writing their matric maths exam this year were given a chance to test their readiness at the Annual Golden Knight Tournament held recently on the Pietermaritzburg campus.
The 12 October Tournament was hosted by the Maths Tutoring Project (MTP), an associate of the Community Development Association (CDA) and followed the same format as the final matric maths exam.
The aim of the event is to prepare matriculants for their upcoming exams and, in the process, expose learners to the university environment so as to induce a desire within them to study further.
The CDA is a student-run voluntary organisation that seeks to socially uplift learners from underprivileged communities. It does this through its five associates at the UKZN PMB Branch. The MTP also runs under the same vision, by providing weekend tutorial sessions for learners as well as other activities, including the annual tournament.
The Maths Tutoring Project is sponsored by the School of Maths at UKZN with the aim of promoting mathematics in disadvantaged schools in Pietermaritzburg. The participating schools were Mtholangqondo Secondary School, Emzamweni High School, Langalakhe High School and Mconjwana High School. The winner of the tournament was Mconjwana High School, followed by Emzamweni High School in second position and Langalakhe High School in third position.
Learners received certificates of participation, medals and trophies awarded on the day of the tournament. A special certificate of sponsorship was awarded to the UKZN School of Maths for a donation it had made to the associates at the beginning of the year, which went a long way in assisting the project to achieve its goals.
- Lindiwe Jali
author : .author email : .Moses Kotane Institute Awards Bursaries to 81 Science Students
Bursary recipients together with MKI representatives and UKZN staff members. The Moses Kotane Institute (MKI) continued its long-running support for and involvement with the University when it recently awarded 81 bursaries to students from the UKZN Centre for Science Access (CSA).
The bursaries were presented to students at events held at the Pietermaritzburg and Durban campuses. In attendance were representatives from MKI including its CEO, Dr BW Ngcobo, as well representatives from UKZN including Dean of Teaching and Learning in the College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science Professor Bala Pillay, and Ms Bridget McBean, Executive Director of the UKZN Foundation.
MKI is an entity of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, which aims to foreground the liberation of youth through a focus on the study areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
Dr Neil Koorbanally of UKZN’s School of Chemistry and Physics provided a brief history of the CSA which was formed in the late 1990s. CSA is the University's key mechanism for redressing inequities among students in the natural and applied sciences. It is a direct response by the University to government calls for reform in these “scarce skills” fields.
Mr Z Zondi, Executive of Education and Training at MKI, encouraged students to use the opportunity presented to them through the funding. ‘Remember you hold the dreams of UKZN, MKI and the country in the palm of your hands. Believe in yourselves as much as we at MKI have believed in you,’ he said.
Mr D Memela, Programme Manager of Academic Services at MKI, noted that education functions as the greatest equaliser of circumstances and that the students should use education to become globally competitive.
As a part of the bursary the students are obliged to seek opportunities to apply what they have learnt in contribution to their communities in line with MKI’s values of responsibility, accountability and sustainability.
Ngcobo said students are at the forefront of the struggle for economic emancipation, ‘Your job is to prove that you are able to achieve the soaring heights we expect. Moses Kotane fought in the liberation struggle and through being aligned with our organisation, you too are involved in a liberation struggle of sorts – for yourselves and for those around you. We can hardly refer to these bursaries as solely a financial investment; rather they are ammunition in the fight for economic liberation.’
Pillay thanked MKI for investing in talent at the University and encouraged the bursary recipients to work hard. ‘Together with MKI we at the University are providing support to you to ensure your success,’ he said.
- Barrington Marais
author : .author email : .UKZN Student Recognised at SA Operations Research Conference
Mr Sivashan Chetty.UKZN Computer Science Masters student Mr Sivashan Chetty was named runner-up for the prestigious Theodor Stewart Medal at this year’s Operations Research Society of South Africa (ORSSA) Student Competition.
Chetty has recently completed his MSc under the supervision of Dr Aderemi Adewumi, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at UKZN’s School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science and Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal Chapter of the ORSSA.
Chetty received the recognition for his thesis presentation titled, “Studies in Heuristics for the Annual Crop Planning Problem” in the masters category at the 42nd ORSSA Annual Conference held in Stellenbosch, where Adewumi and Professor Nelishia Pillay, Academic Leader for Computer Science, were also amongst the presenters.
‘It was truly an honor to have been selected as a finalist in this year’s ORSSA National Student Competition,’ said Chetty.
‘More valuable than the award itself was the experience gained. I encourage researchers to make it their goal to present at similar conferences. It will be well worth the effort. It’s also incredible to see the wonderful work people are doing within the operations research community.’
Identifying a number of challenges both for farmers and researchers in the field of mathematical and computing science, Chetty’s research is aimed at determining “good solutions to crop planning problems”. His study dwells on a fairly new but important area of crop planning known as Annual Crop Planning (ACP).
‘ACP is essentially a crop planning problem at the level of an irrigation scheme. For the ACP problem, two new mathematical models are presented in this study for the problems at both new and existing irrigation schemes. To determine solutions for the case studies presented, both Local Search and Swarm Intelligence metaheuristic algorithms were investigated, with three new LS algorithms having been introduced. These algorithms are called the Best Performance Algorithm, the Iterative Best Performance Algorithm and the Largest Absolute Difference Algorithm.This research presents results showing the viability, effectiveness and efficiency of incorporating proven metaheuristic techniques into any decision support system that will help determine solutions to crop planning problems,’ said Chetty about his research.
Adewumi and his students have been making a number of key contributions to the field of Opertaions Research. Last year, Ms Annaliza Moodley won a similar award in the honours category at the ORSSA Conference.
According to the co-ordinator of the student competition, 2013 saw the highest number of entries into the Masters’ category, making Chetty’s placement all the more prestigious. It is also the first time a UKZN student has been named among the finalists for this award.
- Barrington Marais
author : .author email : .Zanele Mbokazi Urges Social Work Students to Follow their Dreams
Radio and TV personality Ms Zanele Mbokazi is seen motivating Social Work students from UKZN. Radio and TV personality Ms Zanele Mbokazi encouraged Social Work students from UKZN’s College of Humanities to follow their dreams and pursue success - at a recent event organised by the leadership of the UKZN Social Work Association (SWA).
Mbokazi shared some life lessons drawn from her own experiences and stories about her upbringing and her life as a student at UKZN 20 years ago.
Speaking to the students Zanele said, ‘You are on a race called life and you need to know the rules of the race in order to finish it. Make sure that preparation meets opportunity. Prepare by studying or doing something every day to get you closer to your goals and when that opportunity strikes, you will be prepared to make it happen.’
She also advised students to never be ashamed of where they had come from but to focus on the future. ‘Remember that “One Day” becomes a reality if you persevere. Have confidence to know where you are going and don’t take your studies for granted. Go back with your newly acquired skills and make a difference in your communities. Reach your destination. With God on your side, nothing is impossible.’
- Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .Social Work Lecturer Recognised as “Up-and-Coming” Academic
Dr Tanusha Raniga (right) receives the Association for South African Social Work Education Institution (ASASWEI) Young Up-and-Coming Academic Award presented by UKZN’s Professor Vishanthie Sewpaul. Dr Tanusha Raniga of the School of Applied Human Sciences has been recognised as an up-and-coming academic by the Association for South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI).
The Young Up-and-Coming Academic Award was presented to Raniga at the recent National Association of Social Work (NASW) South Africa conference.
‘I am both thrilled and humbled by the award. And it is a great feeling to be acknowledged and affirmed for your work,’ she said.
On the night of the function, Raniga dedicated the award to her late father who had been her pillar of strength. ‘My dad was an educator for 35 years and he was my inspiration. He always advised me to give 100% of myself in whatever I do and to always be true to myself and to others around me.’
Raniga believes that university students should not only be given the requisite forms of knowledge and skills to compete effectively in a highly competitive global economy, but to attain a critical consciousness that comes from intervening in reality as makers and transformers of communities.
‘The rich, diverse backgrounds and life experiences that students bring to the classroom are unique and add to an intellectually stimulating environment where as an educator, I form an integral part of the learning process. I have always strived to create a synergy between my teaching, research and community engagement and I will continue to do so,’ she said.
- Melissa Mungroo
author : .author email : .UKZN Academics Form Part of New Global Cyber Security Group
Dr Brett Van Niekerk. School of Management, Information Technology and Governance academics Dr Brett van Niekerk, Professor Manoj Maharaj and PhD student Ms Trishana Ramluckan are part of a new Information Processing (IFIP) working group commissioned to explore how Information and Communication Technologies affect or threaten individuals, society or nations in relation to either war or peace.
Van Niekerk holds the position of Group Secretary while Maharaj and Ramluckan who are researching the use of social media in crisis communications are members of the international group that is part of the IFIP and represents Information Technology societies from 56 countries and connects more than 3 500 scientists from academia and the industry.
Commenting on how serving in the group will benefit teaching and learning, Van Niekerk said: ‘Participating in the working group allows the researchers to access and interact with some of the top international researchers in the related fields of study. This creates opportunities for international collaborative research and to showcase the research done at UKZN.’
The group will focus on promoting innovative and creative thinking in the ITC field by utilising the efforts of academia and research institutions, industry, governments, civic society, and the military to come up with research papers, current research or the results of research in progress, case studies, use cases, lessons learned, and risk assessment/impact assessment to address the challenges in this field.
The chair of the group, Dr Louise Leenen, described the academics’ contributions over the past five years as vital to ensuring the establishment of the group.
‘The UKZN staff members have acted as reviewers of papers, done presentations and attended workshops. Dr van Niekerk, in particular, has helped with correspondence, organising workshops, and gathering support for the group locally and internationally,’ said Leenen.
- Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .Students Showcase Current Affairs Knowledge and Writing Skills
The winners of the current affairs quiz celebrating their victory.The Teaching and Learning Unit of the College of Law and Management Studies recently held its first Annual Current Affairs Quiz and Write Right competition Awards Ceremony.
The quiz is an initiative of the Business Language Development module which aims to develop the students’ reading, writing, listening skills and comprehension in English at a micro-level. To prepare for the quiz, the students had to keep abreast of current affairs and contribute towards the questions.
The quiz was divided into five categories, namely national politics, world affairs, education health and environment, law and order and economic and labour issues.
Business Language Development Academic Co-ordinator Mr Graham Nash said the idea for the quiz was motivated by the awareness that when students enter the University their knowledge of current affairs is often limited.
The Write Right Competition created a platform for students to showcase their creative and academic writing skills by submitting their essays, poetry and short stories.
The competition was open to students from all disciplines and 22 papers were received, 10 in the academic category and 12 in the creative writing category.
Teaching and Learning Unit Head, Dr Annah Bengesai, who came up with the idea for the competition said the judges were impressed by the quality of writing exhibited by the students.
‘Writing is a form of power for students as it is the only way they can communicate what they have learnt. It is their gateway to the professional world and we were very impressed by the material we received as it shows the high calibre of students we have in our university,’ she said.
Commenting on the aim of the competition College Dean of Teaching and Learning, Professor Kriben Pillay said: ‘Writing is not only about grammar and spelling, it is also about giving meaning and context. As you go out into the profession you will be required to write well and we are counting on you to contribute to the Writing Place in future.
Guest judge, Ms Rosanne O’ Hara, said that as an academic she was used to reviewing academic writing but thoroughly enjoyed reading the short stories and poems written by the students.
- Thandiwe Jumo
author : .author email : .October Teaching and Learning Forums in the College of Law and Management Studies
From left to right: Professor Brian McArthur, Ms Vanessa Tang and Professor Kriben Pillay. Responding to the College of Law and Management's strategic goal to increase the number of PhDs among staff and promote excellence in teaching and learning, the office of the Dean of Teaching and Learning recently arranged for staff who had recently graduated with their PhDs to share their experiences at the Westville campus. As well as an insightful talk by Ms Vanessa Tang of the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance at the Pietermaritzburg campus. Both events were streamed live on the web.
The Westville event saw Dr Vannie Naidoo from the School of Management, Information Technology and Governance, Dr Sandra Hildbrand from the Graduate School of Business and Leadership, and Dr Karen Bargate from the School of Accounting, Economics and Finance – all of whom graduated with their doctoral degrees earlier this year – share the personal and professional challenges and benefits of studying for a PhD.
The academics highlighted the importance of having support from family, getting a good balance between their studies and work and the need to be passionate about their research. The challenges they faced included dealing with a personal loss while studying, consulting with supervisors who might retire before they have completed their studies and transcribing data from their interviews.
Commenting on the purpose of the forum, College Dean of Teaching and Learning, Professor Kriben Pillay, said: ‘The aim of sharing the academics’ journey with other staff is for those currently doing their PhDs to know that they are not alone, that their research is beneficial to teaching and learning and for them to receive advice on how to cope with the challenges they are facing.’
The Pietermaritzburg campus event saw Tang deliver a talk titled, ‘A Piagetian-Bloomsian approach to teaching and learning economic concepts’. Tang’s talk forms part of an extended research initiative in which she has been involved for a number of years.
Tang said that by addressing queries about her teaching approach, she found the inspiration to begin the research presented in her Talk. She also used classroom evaluations and observations as cornerstones for developing the insights presented in her paper.
Professor Brian McArthur of the Discipline of Information Systems and Technology noted the passion in Tang’s teaching approach. ‘Your enthusiasm for teaching definitely came through in your presentation and for this reason I would imagine that you are able to achieve success in whatever teaching approach you utilise. The perspectives presented in your talk were especially interesting,’ he said.
Tang said she hoped her views on teaching and learning in economics would inspire colleagues to find unique approaches to teaching and learning which they could share.
The streamed forums attracted the attention of people in Malaysia, London, England and Germany.
*A book titled Comparative Regionalisms for Development in the 21st Century: Insights from the Global South, co-edited by Tang was released earlier this year by Ashgate Publishers.
- Thandiwe Jumo and Barrington Marias
author : .author email : .Cultural Day Exposes Students to Rich Campus Diversity
Some of the international students at UKZN’s Annual Cultural Day.In a bid to foster a multicultural environment and showcase the different countries from which UKZN’s international students are drawn, the Corporate Relations’ International Office recently hosted an annual Cultural Day at three UKZN campuses.
About 20 exhibition stalls, each representing a different country, showcased photographs and information about that country’s food, traditional attire and unique qualities. Participants also had an opportunity to taste the food and drinks on display, make friends, take pictures and share contact details.
UKZN is currently home to more than 2 000 international students, 250 postdoctoral research fellows, and 500 international academics from over 90 countries undertaking studies, research and teaching in a range of disciplines within Schools and Colleges.
Countries from which international students come from include Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ghana, Tanzania, Malawi, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Uganda, Spain, Swaziland, Germany, the United States of America, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Angola, Kenya, Mauritius, Belgium and France.
With the theme, “Inspiring the healing of our planet together”, the South African exhibition stall was shared with UKZN Greenpeace student activists.
UKZN’s international partnerships provide an opportunity for direct interface and global academic exchange that enhances scholarship and the student experience.
Entertainment included an introductory march and singing by the South African Military Band, a number of dance, poetry and praise-singing performances, music by the UKZN Choir, lucky draws and a parade of traditional outfits by staff and students.
In her welcome, Ms Tasmeera Singh of the International Office urged the students to take advantage of the day and learn about the different countries displayed.
Food providers on campus handed food vouchers to students while the Information and Communications Services Division handed over five computers to disadvantaged students. Both these initiatives were courtesy of Programme Director Mr Selvan "Tintin" Pillay. The programme ended with cross-cultural dancing and singing.
- Sithembile Shabangu
author : .author email : .Jeff Guy Launches New Book at Ceremony Remembering Killie Campbell
Dr Killie Campbell’s relatives with Senior Musiologist at Killie Campbell, Mr Vusi Buthelezi (third from right).The Campbell Collections commemorated the life and work of its founder Dr Killie Campbell in September by co-hosting the launch of a new book by historian and UKZN Emeritus Professor Jeff Guy on Theophilus Shepstone.
Titled Theophilus Shepstone and the Forging of Natal: African Autonomy and Settler Colonialism in the Making of Traditional Authority and published by UKZN Press, the book is said to question many of the established views on the enigmatic colonial administrator and his policies.
The commemoration of the life and work of Killie Campbell started last year when the first Dr Killie Campbell Memorial Lecture was held at the Durban Art Gallery to coincide with the opening of the second leg of artist Barbara Tyrrell’s “Iqholo le Afrika” exhibition.
During this year’s commemoration, the KwaZulu-Natal Historical Society awarded the Killie Campbell Bursary to UKZN history student, Mr Kathay Pillay. Dr Killie Campbell contributed to the KwaZulu-Natal Historical Society, which is the oldest “heritage and conservation” society in Southern Africa.
Mrs Joyce Myeza, Head of UKZN Special Collections, of which the Campbell Collections is a part, welcomed the audience, which included members of the Campbell family – Mrs Tara Campbell Foster, who flew down from Johannesburg to attend the event, Mrs Jane Campbell Bedford and her sister Delia Campbell Francis. The Campbells made a pledge to the Campbell Senior Museologist Mr Vusi Buthelezi to support the Friends of the Campbell Collections, UKZN.
Myeza articulated the relevance of commemorating Dr Killie Campbell in the 21st century. ‘South Africans chose September month as a “Heritage Month”. This is what can be termed a natural coincidence as Killie was born on 9 September and died in her old age on 28 September. Therefore, the Campbell Collections, as the brain child and the priceless result of the tireless effort of Dr Killie Campbell, has every reason to commemorate and celebrate September as a heritage month and as part of “Celebrating Durban”, the city to which she made an immense contribution.’
Myeza described Killie Campbell as a woman who loved her country and displayed an unprecedented love for her province. ‘The evidence is visible in the city,’ she said.
Guy echoed Myeza’s sentiments, advising the audience to “just look around you” for evidence of Campbell’s contribution.
- Vusi Buthelezi
author : .author email : .The UKZN Griot - of Cartoons and Censorship
.Word has reached the College of Humanities that some of our colleagues in the hard sciences are concerned about some of the fluffy thesis titles that are emanating from our part of the academic world. Not serious enough, we’re told. Well, I can commiserate with this sentiment. In a previous column on “Hoaxes and Parody” I talked about the thesis that had the same title as a US soap opera broadcast daily on SABC.
The content of the thesis, however, was a lot less coherent than the soap. Yet, this thesis had been approved, supervised, submitted and passed. This was institutionally approved fluff. That’s the problem with postmodernism. It’s difficult scientifically to separate out the wheat from the chaff. Who knows, maybe this thesis is light years ahead of its time?
This example came to mind again during the annual CCMS/Amnesty International seminar, this time on the topic of “Cartooning and the Protection of State Information Act”. The event was addressed by the august UNESCO Chair of Communication at UKZN, Professor Ruth Teer-Tomaselli. She took the audience on a historical, theoretical and methodological journey of the role played by cartoons in enhancing the public sphere, ensuring debate and protecting the democratic dialectic. No fluff here, as entertaining as the talk was. Cartoonist Brandan Reynolds followed with case studies deriving from his own work for Business Day, Weekend Argus and Rapport (see: http://brandanreynolds.com/)
Zuma, of course, is the archetypal caricature. The sliding vertical shower head has entered into pan-African folkore. Zapiro is continuously fending off court actions lodged against him by the President. Indeed, all 28 South African cartoonists banded together in a shared theme to remember Black Tuesday in 1977 when Black-targeted newspapers were banned, and Black Wednesday, the day that the Protection of State Information Act was passed by Parliament in 2012.
Looking at this corpus of unfolding history is a chilling reminder of how easily democracy can go wrong and presidents led astray. With but a few squiggles and brevity of words, cartoonists are able to generate objects on which PhDs have indeed been written. Some academic journals are now devoted to the topic. Cartoon discourses, their economy of signs, and the capturing of prevailing social sentiment, is remarkable. These speak both literally and symbolically, and analyses that cannot be made in words for fear of legal action are generally permissible in this visual form.
Getting back to the fluff. Reynolds is preparing a book of his cartoons on the President, which he will call, SETTING A BAD PRESIDENT: The Rise, Coming To Power and First Term of Jacob Zuma. The title is catchy, but the topic is deadly serious. Cartoon images might be interpreted by some as “fluff”, but cartoonists’ arguments go to the core of the public sphere. I know this because two of my MA students, both graphic designers, wrote MA theses on the topic. One of them, by Andy Mason, is Black and White in Ink: Discourses of Resistance in South African Cartooning while the other by Nicolas Vergunst is the less “fluffy”, Revolutionary Culture and Images of Political Struggle in South Africa Since 1976.
My colleague, Lauren Dyll, came up with the snappy Spielberg-like main title for her MA thesis, “Close Encounters of the First Kind”, a thesis on development communication and cultural tourism in the Kalahari. By calling on popular film imagery she was contesting received stereotypes about the ‘Bushmen’ as a First People, while also attracting readers relating to policy development, implementation and use-value. Indeed, her thesis provided a blueprint for a particular community-based business model of tourism across the country.
For non-scientists, science-type titles are incomprehensible, but we do not make fun of them. See, e.g., “Hypercarnivory, durophagy or generalised carnivory in the Mio-Pliocene hyaenids of South Africa?” Ya well, no fine. Apart from the prepositions, I recognised only two of six scientific terms in this 12-word title (see SA Journal of Science, May/June 2013). No matter, the article itself was quite readable.
The humanities deal with humans who actually do the interpreting, whether or not they are scientists, engineers or accountants. Indeed, it is scientists who devised ways of seeing that was once considered “fluff” by their own communities: gravity, relativity theory, uncertainty principles, and so on. What’s fluff or science fiction today is hard science tomorrow. Anybody who watches the Discovery or BBC Knowledge channels knows this. As an aside, quite what DSTV has done to the History Channel is now anyone’s guess with their fluffy series on Pawn Wars, Shipping Wars, Storage Wars and other kinds of non-wars.
I guess one could talk about Cartoon Wars. The cartoonists are not warring with each other, but with attacks on democracy, restrictions on free expression and with the narrowing of the public sphere. They are like bees. They pollinate public discourse and when their pens are made silent, the public sphere will die. As Einstein once said: ‘If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.’ If cartoonists are bees to political commentary, the implications of their suppression would be equivalent in the realm of public debate.
And what, finally, of columnists? As one of my correspondents, a US-based Anthropologist, put it: ‘I read your comments about DIFF and was charmed by your voice and clear-headed writing, as usual (UKZN Griot: Of Festivals and Policy). I also loved the caricature! The drawing is very funny and recognisable (tho’ I'm not sure you frown that much) and I think you might be the only academic I know who can increase his prestige and panache by using such an illustration. Sometimes, they refer to people like you and Noam Chomsky as “Public Intellectuals” (hope that's not an insult). I always look forward to what's next!’ Well, the caricature was done by none other than Durban’s own Nanda Soobben.
Until next time …
* Keyan G Tomaselli is Director of the Centre for Communication, Media and Society. He’s a real character. Just ask his students.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the author’s own.
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