Seminar 2017

Dear Colleagues and Members of the Public

You are cordially invited to attend the UJ Sociology, Anthropology & Development Studies Wednesday Seminar. The weekly seminar has been hosted by the Department of Sociology since 2000. It is supported by the UJ Faculty of Humanities and the UJ Department of Anthropology & Development Studies. Meetings are held on UJ’s Auckland Park Kingsway campus, at 15h30 on every Wednesday afternoon during term time, unless otherwise indicated.

Prospective presenters are encouraged to contact Dr Tapiwa Chagonda at tchagonda@uj.ac.za or Dr Siphelo Ncwangu at siphelon@uj.ac.za.

Please find the current programme below. A written paper is usually distributed on this website, to allow participants to read this in advance of the seminar. Confirmed presenters should please copy their written papers in electronic format to the convenor and copy to daviddt@uj.ac.za by ten days prior to their presentation. Those who wish to be added to the mailing list are welcome to send a request to the same e-mail address.

Guests are asked to arrive at the venue by 15:25. Those coming from outside the UJ are advised to enter the campus through Gate 2 on the corner of Ditton and Ripley Streets and to park in Car Park B (scroll down for map). It may be helpful to show an invitation to the guard on duty.

Best wishes
The Convenors: Wednesday Seminar

First term 2017: Politics and activism in Southern Africa

8 Feb: Dr Richard Pithouse (Visiting Fellow, WISER, University of the Witwatersrand) Frantz Fanon: Philosophy, Praxis, and the Occult Zone. Discussant: Trevor Ngwane (Sarchi Chair in Social Change, University of Johannesburg)

5 Feb: Prof Patrick Bond (Professor of Political Economy, University of the Witwatersrand) Social resistance rises in the spaces of Trump, the BRICS and Africa. Discussant: Carin Runciman (Sarchi Chair in Social Change, University of Johannesburg)

22 Feb: Dr David Matsinhe (Amnesty International). The Shrinking Space of Human Rights in Angola and Mozambique

1 March: Prof Mzukisi Qobo (SARCHI – African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, UJ). Is there still space for active citizenry and transformative leadership?

8 March: Prof Brian Raftopoulos, (UWC); Rose Hanzi, (Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights); Takura Zhangazha (Civil Society Activist); Zenzo Moyo (Doctoral Candidate, UJ). Political Activism in Zimbabwe: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives’

15 March: Prof Ashwin Desai, (Department of Sociology, UJ), Decolonising Liberation History: Gandhi in Africa

22 March: Term-end film screening.

Second term 2017: Politics and activism in Southern Africa

29 March: Roundtable on Reporting activism in Africa: Journalists views: Speakers were Simon Allison (Daily Maverick) and Geoffrey York (globe and mail)

05 April: Bongani Masuku and Lucky Lukhele (Swaziland Solidarity Network –SSN). Struggles for democracy in Swaziland.

19 April: Simona Safarikova. Sport as a Tool for development: tackling insecurity and violence in the urban settlement Cazucá, Soacha, Colombia.

26 April: Prof Stephen Brown. International Support for LGBTI Rights in the global South: The case of Canada.

03 May: Paulo Faria. The Critical Citizens: A Life in Goliath’s Land.

10 May: Claudia Gastrow. Shadow Cities: Power and Planning in Luanda, Angola.

17 May: God Loves Uganda. Discussant, tba.

Third term 2017: State capturing

26 July: Pravin Gordhan (Former Minister of Finance, Republic of South Africa) and Mcebisi Jonas (Former Deputy Minister of Finance, Republic of South Africa). ‘State Capture, White Monopoly Capital and Radical Economic Transformation: The Balance of Forces.’ Discussant: Lumkile Mondi (Senior Lecturer, School of Economics and Business Sciences, University of Witwatersrand). *Venue: Sanlam Auditorium, Auckland Park Campus, University of Johannesburg.

2 August: Prof Ivor Chipkin (Executive Director, Public Affairs Research Institute, University of Witwatersrand). ‘State, Capture, Revolution.’ Discussant: Prof Mcebisi Ndletyana (Department of Politics, University of Johannesburg).Betrayl-of-a-promise

16 August: Dr Siphelo Ngcwangu (Department of Sociology, University of Johannesburg). ‘Balance of Forces in the ANC: Where is the Working Class?’ Discussant: Mr Musawenkosi Malabela (Department of Sociology, University of Johannesburg).

23 August: Dr Wesley Mwatwara (Chairperson, Department of History, University of Zimbabwe). ‘Of Quail birds, Flags and Kujamuka: Citizens’ Movements and Activism in Zimbabwe, c.2016.’ Discussant: Blessing Vava (Researcher, Africa-China Reporting Project, Department of Journalism and Media Studies, University of the Witwatersrand).

30 August: Prof Marlize Rabe (Department of Sociology, University of South Africa). ‘Care, family policy and social citizenship in South Africa.’ Discussant: Prof Tessa Hochfeld (Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg).

6 September: Term-end documentary screening: ‘The Giant is Falling’ by Rehad Desai. *Venue: Faculty of Humanities Common Room, C Ring 3, UJ Kingsway Campus.

Fourth term 2017: Communities

20 September: Dr. Gavin Andersson (Seriti Institute) on ‘The Praxis of Cultural Change in Communities.’ Discussant: Prof Tina Uys (Department of Sociology, UJ).

27 September: Federico Bastiani (Social Street, Italy) on ”Social Street’: Reclaiming Communities First Online Then Off’. SOCIAL STREET ENGLISH

4 October: Dr. Mondli Hlatswhayo (Centre for Education Rights and Transformation, UJ) on ‘Community Responses to Declining Industries’. Discussant: TBC

11 October: Mudney Halim (TBC) on ‘Learning to Build Economic Solidarity’. Discussant: Dr Siphelo Ngcwangu (Department of Sociology, UJ).

18 October: Prof Mary Galvin (Department of Anthropology and Development Studies) on ‘Dying to Drink: Protest and Access to Water in Madibeng, South Africa’. Discussant: Dr. Carin Runciman (South African Research Chair in Social Change, UJ).

25 October: Hali Healy (Department of Anthropology and Development Studies, UJ) on ‘Well-being from the Ground Up: A Tale of Two Cities Living Under One Sun’. Discussant: Dr. Pragna Rugunanan (Department of Sociology, UJ).

1 November: Eesha Kunduri (Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi) on ‘Caste, gender and the (re)shaping of migrant identities: Insights from two Indian cities’. Discussant: TBC.