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22 August 2018
Prof Coetzee is retelling old stories in a new book
"Failing to Learn Doomed to repeat" was one of the bookworks on display.

The title of Prof Jan K Coetzee’s latest book, Books & Bones & Other Things, says it all. The book looks into the many aspects that have built our society by presenting in a new way the stories contained in old books collected over the years. 

Prof Coetzee is a Senior Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of the Free State (UFS). Books & Bones & Other Things was launched on 14 August 2018 and coincided with an exhibition of various “bookworks”   art installations by Prof Coetzee that feature old books, sculptures, artefacts, and fossils.
 
Book resulting from research programme 
   

“This is a book on books so the library is the perfect venue to launch a book on old texts as documents of life,” said Prof Coetzee.

For the past seven years he has been directing a Master’s and PhD programme in Sociology called The Narrative Study of Lives. His project, Documents of Life, from which this book came, focuses on a collection of old texts the oldest of which dates back to 1605.

“We live in storytelling societies and for as long as we can remember we have been telling stories. Over time the ability to produce books was born. Any collection of books can tell you a lot about your own life and the society you live in."

“I cannot read the stories of many of these old books because their narratives are closed. I have to re-narrate the books, change the narrative convention and present them in a way that makes sense to me. By combining the books with art and artefacts I want the books to tell their ancient stories in new ways.”

Book launches and intellectual discussions

At the book launch, Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research said: “What we have achieved with this launch and exhibition is unbelievable. We always try to create an intellectual space in the library.

“A book such as this is the pinnacle of an academic career. It is multidisciplinary and it looks at the world in a different way. That is what scholarship is about.”

A painting by Robert Hodgins was also handed over to the Johannes Stegmann Gallery, home of the corporate collection of the UFS, at the event. 

News Archive

Autumn graduation ceremony one of the biggest yet
2012-03-23

12 March 2012

The autumn graduation ceremony is set to be one of the biggest yet. This will be the most diplomas/certificates up to and including honours degrees that will be awarded at one ceremony.

A total of 629 diplomas/certificates and 2856 degrees will be awarded at the ceremony. The diplomas/certificates and degrees will be awarded in eight different ceremonies in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus from 27 to 30 March 2012.
 
Unlike other years, master’s degrees, doctorates and honorary doctorates will not be awarded during this year’s autumn graduation ceremony. These degrees in all the faculties will be awarded during one ceremony on 14 June 2012.
 
The programme for the respective ceremonies is as follows:
  • On Tuesday 27 March 2012, the Faculty of the Humanities will award 646 qualifications. The Faculty of Education will award 471 qualifications.
  • On Wednesday 28 March 2012, the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences will award 812 qualifications.
  • On Thursday 29 March 2012, the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences will award 781 qualifications.
  • On Friday 30 March 2012, the Faculty of Health Sciences will award 322 qualifications, the Faculty of Law 148 qualifications, and the Faculty of Theology 25 qualifications. On the same day, the School of Open Learning will award 261 qualifications.
The graduation ceremony of the Qwaqwa Campus will take place on 12 May 2012. Diplomas/certificates up to and including doctorates will be awarded during the ceremony.

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