Ideas that began as academic research became part of a wider public conversation when University of the Free State (UFS) scholars shared the stories behind their latest books during UFS Authors in Discussion at the 2026 Vrystaat Arts Festival on 7 and 8 July.

Facilitated by Prof Grey Magaiza, the session brought together leading UFS academics to reflect on the ideas behind their latest publications, the research journeys that shaped them, and the questions they invited society to confront.

For Prof Vasu Reddy, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, the festival provided an important platform for taking scholarship into public spaces. "As universities, we have a responsibility to make knowledge accessible. Academic research should not remain confined to journals and lecture halls. Platforms such as UFS Authors in Discussion create important opportunities to connect scholarship with communities, culture, and contemporary social challenges.”

Books that challenge, question and inspire

Among the featured authors was Prof Reddy, who, together with Prof Ahonaa Roy of the Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai (IIT), co-edited Transnational Contact Zones: Rethinking Gender and Sexuality in Africa and India, recently published by Routledge.

The publication explores transnational perspectives on gender while highlighting new forms of scholarly collaboration between Africa and Asia. It brings together diverse perspectives on social justice, identity, and inclusion.

Mongrelisation and Rugby, Decolonisation and African Moral Philosophy, written by Prof Colin Chasi, examines the relationship between philosophy, history, and contemporary society from distinctly African perspectives.

In Mongrelisation, Prof Chasi interrogates identity, belonging, and the philosophical possibilities created through cultural encounters, while Rugby, Decolonisation and African Moral Philosophy reconsiders one of South Africa's most recognisable sports through the lenses of ethics, transformation, and decolonisation.

Dr Rebecca Swartz, Senior Lecturer in History, turned attention to childhood in Children and Freedom in the Cape Colony: Age, Labour and Apprenticeship in the Post-Emancipation British Empire. Her research reinterprets the history of emancipation by examining how ideas of childhood, labour, and freedom shapes colonial society and the lives of young people.

The discussion also featured Prof Christian Williams, whose book Christian Faith and Namibian Liberation: An Ethnographic Biography of Salatiel Ailonga examines the intersection of faith, liberation politics, and social transformation through the life of one of Namibia's influential church leaders.

Collectively, these publications demonstrate the breadth of scholarship emerging from the University of the Free State. The research not only advances academic knowledge but also contributes meaningfully to the understanding of contemporary society through historical enquiry, gender studies, philosophy, theology, political thought, and the humanities.

Scholarship beyond the university

Prof Reddy highlighted the value of the Vrystaat Arts Festival as a platform for public scholarship, stating that, “the Vrystaat Arts Festival provides a vibrant space where research can inform public understanding and inspire meaningful engagement."

The university's participation reflected its broader commitment to public scholarship, ensuring that research-informed conversations beyond academia help build more informed, inclusive, and reflective societies.