AGENDA: South Africa Reflects: 30 Years of Democracy Colloquium

On this page, you’ll find how to get to the colloquium and the full programme for the event.

Event location:

The Colloquium is taking place at two venues:

University of Johannesburg (day)

Photo of buildng

The colloquium will take place Conference Room 1&2, The Kerzner, at the School of Tourism and Hospitality, Bunting Road Campus, University of Johannesburg (Address: 57 Bunting Rd, Cottesloe, Johannesburg, 2092, South Africa)

MOMO Art Gallery (evening)

Picture of a building

The evening reception is at Gallery MOMO in Parktown North (Address: 52 7th Ave, Parktown North, Randburg, 2193, South Africa)

Agenda:

09.00 – 09.30Networking, Registration, & Coffees

[At the School of Tourism and Hospitality, Bunting Road Campus, University of Johannesburg]
09.30 -10.30Session 1: Opening

Keynote (TBC) and an introduction from UNISA Press and Skotaville Press 

Abebe Zegeye (Centre of Research and Development in Learning, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) and Beth le Roux (University of Pretoria) introducing the ‘Co-publishing 30 Years of Democracy and Beyond’ book series launch
10.30 -11.00Coffee break
11.00 -12.30Session 2: 30 years of Democracy and Beyond: South African Thinkers Reflect

This session will comprise presentations from expert South African academic voices both reflecting on the past 30 years of a democratic South Africa and assessing future opportunities and challenges.

Several South African academic voices will reflect on the past 30 years of democracy in South Africa and asses the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in this session. In this session, speakers from a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary backgrounds will consider the complexity of issues both now and in the coming years.

The contributions will address national, regional, and global perspectives, examining South Africa’s position in the political, economic, and sociocultural systems of the world as well as the national picture on the continent.


Confirmed panelists include:

June Bam-Hutchison, Sociology and History Education, University of Johannesburg (UJ)
Divine Fuh, Director of the Institute for Humanities Africa (HUMA), University of Cape Town
Thembinkosi Goniwe, an art historian, curator, and writer, Rhodes University, MOMO
Derilene (Dee) Marco, Senior Lecturer in Media Studies, University of the Witwatersrand (WITS)
Dilip Menon, Professor of International Relations, University of the Witwatersrand (WITS)
Bhaso Ndzendze, Associate Professor of Politics and IR, University of Johannesburg (UJ)
Thula Simpson, Associate Professor of History, University of Pretoria
Raymond Suttner, an independent scholar and social and political analyst.

Chair: Abebe Zegeye and Beth le Roux
12.30 -14.00Lunch
14:00 -15:30Session 3: 30 years of democracy: Provocations and Directions for Scholarship

The editors of key South African publications with academic, policy-focused, and more public-facing — will introduce their thoughts in this session.

They will discuss key trends in their respective fields, and how their publications have developed in the years since the establishment of democracy in 1994. The Editors will reflect on their areas of study and it’s effect on research, policy and public-facing publishing in South Africa, also touching on the broader African and global contexts. A key focus will be to dicuss key areas for consideration and provocation in relation to future scholarly directions.

Confirmed panelists include:

Jabulani Sikhakhane, Chief Editor of The Conversation Africa
Nthabiseng Motsemme (UJ), Journal of Contemporary African Studies
Dina Ligaga (WITS), Eastern African Literary and Cultural Studies
Candice Moore (WITS)African Studies
Martha Bridgman, South Africa Journal of International Affairs
Lisa Otto (UJ) African Security Review
Tarminder Kaur (UJ) Anthropology Southern Africa

Chair: Janet Remmington, Global Portfolio Director – Humanities and Social Sciences International
15.30 – 15.45Closing remarks from Abebe Zegeye and Beth le Roux
17.00 -19.00The evening reception is at Gallery MOMO in Parktown North (Address: 52 7th Ave, Parktown North, Randburg, 2193, South Africa)

Introducing the reception will be Thembinkosi Goniwe, an art historian, curator, and writer based at Rhodes University.