Exploring Boundaries Between Worlds: Siobhan Banwari Earns PhD in Classics at UKZN

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For UKZN’s lecturer Dr Siobhan Banwari, completing a Doctorate in Classics marks the culmination of a research journey shaped by curiosity about how ancient societies understood uncertainty, change, and the unseen. 

Her PhD study, supervised by Professor John L Hilton, examines liminality, primarily in Greek with comparative Roman material and offers a new interpretive framework for understanding how people in the ancient Mediterranean world interpreted moments of transition between the human and divine, life and death, and the known and unknown.

Her interest in the subject began with a powerful mythological figure.

“Hecate was a goddess associated with boundaries, magic, the underworld, and transitional spaces. Banwari explained. “I was particularly drawn to how ancient texts engage with moments of transition between life and death, human and divine, which led me to explore the broader concept of liminality across Greek literature.”

“My research shows that ancient societies did not view uncertainty as something to avoid, but as something to be managed through myth, ritual, and divine mediation,” she said. “By examining figures, spaces, and moments that exist in between, my work highlights how transitions were seen as powerful but potentially dangerous, requiring guidance and structure.”

A key turning point in her research came through engagement with the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, a text that reshaped her understanding of ancient religion.

“It presents loss, transformation, and return not as isolated events, but as part of a structured process,” Banwari said. “This reshaped my understanding of ancient religion as deeply concerned with navigating change, rather than simply explaining it.”

While the study of ancient belief systems might seem distant from contemporary concerns, Banwari argues that their relevance remains strong.

“Ancient belief systems remain relevant because they address universal human experiences, uncertainty, change, and transformation,” she noted. “They offer enduring frameworks for understanding how people make sense of the unknown, which continues to resonate in modern contexts.”

Completing a doctoral study in classics required sustained engagement with a wide body of material across genres and historical periods. Banwari credits the development of a clear theoretical framework and strong supervisory guidance for helping her navigate the scale of the project.

“One of the greatest challenges was managing the scale and complexity of material across multiple genres and time periods,” Banwari said. “The guidance and support of my supervisor were invaluable in helping me navigate these challenges and maintain steady progress.”

Support from colleagues within the former School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics at UKZN also played an important role in shaping her scholarly voice and independence as a researcher.

“My academic journey was shaped by a combination of institutional resources and the support of a small but dedicated group of colleagues,” she reflected. “This experience strengthened my independence as a researcher and encouraged me to take ownership of my project.”

Following graduation, Banwari plans to continue building on her doctoral work through publication and teaching.

“I plan to continue developing my research through publications, including expanding specific aspects of my work into journal articles, while also continuing to teach and contribute to the field of Classics,” she said.

Her study stands as a reminder that even the most ancient texts continue to offer insight into how people understand transition, uncertainty, and transformation across time.

Words: Lee Rondganger

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini