Inaugural Lecture Highlights Emancipation in Management Studies

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A title drawn from an iconic song by Nina Simone - iconic American singer, songwriter, musical arranger, and civil rights activist - set the stage for a powerful exploration of freedom and the meaning of emancipation within the field of management studies on UKZN’s public lecture series presented by Professor Shaun Ruggunan’s in his Inaugural lecture titled: “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free… Emancipation in Management Studies”.

As a Full Professor in Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations at the College of Law and Management Studies, Ruggunan has dedicated his career to studying the intersections of labour, power, and identity within diverse professional settings.

‘My research speaks to three main areas of the spirit of emancipation. First is my work on seafarers and globalisation, second is my work on critical management studies, and thirdly is work on the sociology of professions - areas that all bring forward vital questions of autonomy, control, and social justice,’ he said

Ruggunan’s work on seafaring labour markets has highlighted that global labour dynamics are influenced by race, nationality, gender, and class, rather than purely economic factors.

‘My current research on seafarers now explores seafarer mental health, diversity, equity, and inclusion within the maritime industry, as well as the historical impact of seafarers on globalisation and cosmopolitanism,’ he stated.

Alongside Professor Debby Bonnin, Ruggunan also established the sub-discipline of the sociology of professionals within South Africa’s sociology and human resources research landscape.

The third focus of his research is on studying management critically, questioning traditional views of how management should work. He uses ideas from decolonial and critical social theories, which challenge historical power imbalances and seek to include diverse perspectives

Ruggunan hopes to apply these ideas specifically to improve how management is taught and learned in universities

‘My role as a teacher, author, and researcher has been shaped by a pursuit of emancipation - an ideal that lies at the core of my scholarly endeavours, my work simply bridges theoretical and practical realms, inviting people to reflect on how freedom manifests in both personal and collective spaces,’ he concluded.

Click here to watch Professor Shaun Ruggunan’s Inaugural lecture.

Words: Ayanda Radebe

Photograph: Supplied