Dr Jan–Ad Stemmet
Academic Articles In Accredited Journals
(1) Title: The Relationship Between the State and Media During Times of War or Political Unrest: Can there really be a winner –
- Co–author with Prof. Leo Barnard of an article dealing with the media. The article was published in the accredited New Contree,no.48, November 2000 and ocused on:
- The relationship between the media and governments of so called pariah states, among others Stroessner’s Paraguay, Franco’s Spain and Israel during the Intifada uprising of the 1980s.
- Special reference is given to the rocky relationship that existed between the government of PW Botha and the foreign media.
(2) Title: Oliver Tambo and the Ghost of Struggle Passed
- Co–authored with Prof. Leo Barnard, the article was published in the accredited South African Journal for Contemporary History, vol. 26, no.2, December 2001, and focused on:
- Assessing the role of Oliver Tambo in the struggle to liberate South Africa.
- Assessing the manner in which he and his tremendous legacy is remembered / honoured in the New South Africa.
(3) Title: The Rubicon Speech of PW Botha of 15 August 1985: A bridge too far and a river too wide.
- Co–authored with Prof. Leo Barnard, the article was published in the accredited Journal for Contemporary History, vol. 27, no. 1, April 2002, and focused on:
- The prologue to this controversial speech; its deliverance and chaotic economic and political aftermath.
(4) Title: Committees, tyres and teenagers: “People’s Power” and “Alternative Structures” as part of the strategy of the ANC to render the country ungovernable during the 1980s.
- Co–authored with Prof. Leo Barnard, the article was published in the accredited Journal for Contemporary History, vol. 28, no. 1, June 2003 and focused on:
- The way in which the youth actively supported the ANC in the liberation struggle during the 1980s; how this fitted in with ANC strategy; the violent chaos that this strategy in practice effected.
(5) Title: See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak and Publish no Evil: The Relationship between PW Botha and the Pro–establishment Afrikaans Press during the 1980s
- Co–authored with Prof. Leo Barnard, the article was published in the accredited Historia – the journal of the Historical Association of South Africa, vol. 49, no. 1, May 2004 and focused on:
- The relationship that existed between the government of PW Botha and the mainstream pro–establishment Afrikaans press; it highlighted how the warm relationship that had existed between the two groups soured during the 1980s – and discussed why.
(6) Title: Pornographers, Prudes and Politics: A history of the 1996 Film & Publication Act and the dawn of liberty published in the December 2004, vol. 29 (3), edition of the accredited Journal for Contemporary History.
- The article examined the creation, in the 1990s, of the new so–called censorship law – the most important South African law governing freedom of speech and expression. The article reviewed the reasons for its formation and also its final, controversial, inception.
(7) Title: From Nipples And Nationalists To Full Frontal In The New South Africa: A Brief Introduction To The History Of Pornography And The Censorship Thereof In The Old And New South Africa
- The article forms an overview of the history of South African censorship and specifically its dealing of sexual material.
- The article was published in the November 2005 edition, vol. 31 (2), of the accredited journal Communicatio, of UNISA’s Department of Communication.
(8) Title: The Pornography Debate: Historical reflections on the legalisation of pornography in South African communities.
- The article examines the national debate that flared–up in South Africa around censorship reform / the legalisation of pornography, during the 1990s. The article is an exploration and assessment of the three main debating points: Morality. Gender–based Hate Speech. Finding a rights–based equilibrium.
- The article published in the accredited journal, Communitas, vol. 10, 2005, of the Free State University’s Department of Communication (UFS).
(9) Title: The Struggle, Scapegoats and Botha’s Babylon: Reflections on the way hat the regime of PW Botha viewed the international anti–apartheid campaign.
- The article chronicles and examines the way that the political violence that had beset South Africa during the turbulent 1980s affected the minority government’s role in and relationship with the international community. The article focus on how the government’s reaction to and role in the violent political crisis solicited utterly detrimental reaction from the world community and its repercussions for the country.
- The article was published by the Free State University’s accredited Journal for Contemporary History, vol. 30, no. 3, December 2005.
(10) Title: The Battle Of Namoha, Qwaqwa (1950): An Oral History Perspective.
- Authored by Prof Leo Barnard, Dr J-A Stemmet and Mr. Stephen Semela (the latter is a PhD candidate of the Department.)
- The article focus on how, in 1950, the culling of stock within the Witsieshoek area led to conflict between the authorities and the local Basotho community – climaxing in a violent clash between the two groups. The uniqueness of the article lies therein that it was written by means of Oral History.
- The article was published by the Free State University’s accredited Journal for Contemporary History, vol. 30, no 3, December 2005.
(11) Title: Troops, townships and tribulations: Deployment of the South African Defence Force (SADF) in the township unrest of the 1980s.
- Starting with Operation Palmiet of 1984, this article examines the development of the military’s internal role, as well as the police’s justification for calling on the SADF and, on the other hand, the army’s qualms about entering the internal arena alongside the police.
- The article was published by the University of the Free State’s accredited Journal for Contemporary History, vol 31, no 2, September 2006.
(12) Title: “Skimmespel van die waarsegsters”: Politieke sensuur in Suid–Afrika, c. 1980–1989. ’n Historiese perspektief.
- Published in the special edition of the Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe, March 2009; editor: Prof J Fourie (UNISA).
Commissioned Books:
(1) Volksblad: Centenary Book (2003–2004)
- I was the sole author (with Prof Leo Barnard acting as coordinating editor) of the Volksblad’s centenary book – “‘n Lewe van Sy Eie: Die Biografie van Volksblad”
- The book, published by Tafelberg, was commercially distributed in October 2004, and chronicles the newspaper’s 100 year history.
- As part of the research for the book I traveled extensively to Gauteng and the Cape.
- I conducted interviews with a wide array of newspapermen, including Mr. Ton Vosloo.
- As part of the research for the publication I liaised with the publishers, typographers, graphic artists and gained valuable insights into everything it takes to create a commercially viable book.
The book was successfully submitted for accreditation as a research output. The independent external evaluators commented:
Ton Vosloo, Chairperson of Naspers and founding editor of Beeld:
- “[Stemmet and Barnard] are recognised historians and have succeeded in bedding down a host of facts and information in a very readable book which does justice to the subject. A newspaper has a soul and is peopled by individuals and the book reflects the understanding of the authors of the complexities of journalism in a period of consolidation and later transition. Altogether the book adds to…the knowledge of the subject in its historical sense and is a commendable addition to the extensive field of publishing…”
- Bert Kirsten, Department of Communication, UNISA:
- “The book…forms essential part of the reading material for anyone interested in the South African media in general and Afrikaans daily newspapers in particular.”
(2) Mimosa Films
- Writing a book on the history of Dr Jamie Uys, Boet Troskie, and Mimosa Films.
Other research activity:
Departmental Group Research:
(1) The South African Democracy Education Trust (SADET)
- SADET “was established as a project Trust after President Thabo Mbeki indicated his concern about the paucity of historical material on the arduous and complex road to South Africa’s peaceful political settlement after decades of violent conflict…This study will result in…the publication of 5 volumes of research covering the successive decades in the run up to the first democratic elections…” (SADET background document)
- This is a national project. The Free State team – of which I am part of – consists of departmental members, including the Head of the Department, and senior postgraduate students. Mr. Chitja Twala, a member of the History Department, is the Free State team’s Project Leader.
- Our objective is to write an historical overview of the former homelands near the Free State, with particular reference to the situation as found in the 1970s.
- This research was taken up / published in Volume 2 of the above mentioned set of SADET volumes.