Dr Kershia David’s Journey of Motherhood, Loss, and Meaningful Research

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Dr Kershia David’s graduation with a PhD in Psychology is more than an academic achievement; it is a deeply human story of resilience, loss and the powerful integration of motherhood and academia.

Her doctoral journey unfolded alongside one of the most transformative periods of her life: becoming a mother to triplets while navigating the emotional intensity of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In the midst of this, she experienced the heartbreaking loss of one of her babies. “That period was one of profound vulnerability and transformation,” she reflects. “It reshaped my understanding of resilience and deepened the meaning of my work.”

Rather than pausing her academic journey, this experience became intertwined with it.

Balancing the demands of research, teaching and motherhood required a shift in perspective. “It was never about perfect balance,” she explains. “It was about integration and learning to be both a mother and an academic at the same time, even in the most demanding circumstances.”

A lecturer and programme co-ordinator in Psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), David’s academic work explores how inequality is not only structured but reproduced through everyday interactions.

Her PhD research, 'Emergence of Intergroup Alliance in an Interactional Three-group Game', was supervised by Professor Kevin Durrheim, uses an experimental three-player game to examine how alliances form under conditions of equality and inequality.

Her findings reveal a striking reality: inequality often persists not through overt force, but through subtle, strategic relationships.

“Alliances are not always used to challenge inequality,” she explains. “In many cases, they stabilise and reinforce it.”

Participants in middle positions, for example, tended to align with those in power, highlighting how everyday decisions and interactions can quietly sustain social hierarchies.

This insight has far-reaching implications for real-world contexts such as workplaces and communities.

It suggests that addressing inequality requires more than structural change but calls for a deeper understanding of how people relate, collaborate, and make decisions within those systems. 

She said being both a staff member and a student at UKZN created a unique space for growth.

This was especially the case as her PhD coincided with the transition to online learning during COVID-19, which required rapid adaptation.

“Navigating those demands while completing my PhD forced me to think critically, work flexibly and engage meaningfully with students under changing conditions.”

Throughout her journey, David was supported by a strong network. Her husband remained a constant anchor, her faith provided grounding and her supervisor’s mentorship offered both intellectual rigour and genuine care.

“He recognised the person within the pursuit of the PhD,” she says.

Completing her PhD within this context reflects endurance and purpose. For David, this milestone represents not only the fulfilment of a long-held dream nurtured by her parents, but also the life she has built alongside it.

Her message to other women navigating similar paths is: “There is no single way to do this. You do not need perfect conditions to pursue meaningful work. Progress may be complex, but it is no less valid.”

In holding together the roles of mother, academic and researcher, David’s journey is a reminder that strength is often found not in separation but in integration.

Words: Lorna Charles-Wright

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini