Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
27 March 2018 Photo Charl Devenish
Karee and Tswelopele win Stagedoor finals 2018
Karee and Tswelopele joined forces to win Stagedoor 2018.

Triumph in categories for best creativity, best drama, and overall performance, were the order of the night for the dynamic-duo, Karee and Tswelopele. Their heated performance stole the judges’ hearts and earned them their first-place victory. “Beylief”, the words Beyers Naude and Madelief joined together, won second place for the authentic story they told with their unique rendition of musical theatre. Armentum and Khayalami secured third place.

The Stagedoor finals marked yet another spectacular, spirit-filled night for first-year students and the Kovsie community. The Kopanong Auditorium stage lit up with theatrically performed stories that are relevant to South Africa’s modern society.

The Department of Arts and Culture established Stagedoor as an interactive theatre and musically infused cultural competition for the student residences and which is unique to the University of the Free State (UFS). 

The competition’s aim is to tackle modern-day issues such as infrastructure and economic inequality, land reform and education. It also aims to examine the pressures that come with university life, and many other issues that face South Africa, but more specifically the youth. First-year residence students are then tasked with the duty of transforming the “script” and bringing it to life.

This year’s Stagedoor of course encompassed heart-wrenching content that depicted resolute attitudes from students who not only wrote their own scripts, but who performed with spirit that was lit by fire. To view the videos that were taken on the night visit the UFS Twitter and Facebook pages.

News Archive

Trauma, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation Studies produces a literary hat trick
2015-12-17

Description: Samantha book cover Tags: Samantha book cover

Three scholars. Three books. One research unit.

Two post-doctoral fellows and a PhD student from Trauma, Forgiveness and Reconciliation (TFR) Studies at the University of the Free State (UFS) have each achieved author-status. During December 2015, Drs Samantha van Schalkwyk and Kim Wale, as well as Naleli Morojele will have their books on the shelves.

Description: Naleli Morojele book cover Tags: Naleli Morojele book cover

Dr Van Schalkwyk, PhD in Psychology (UFS, 2014), is leading co-editor of the book A Reflexive Inquiry into Gender Research: Towards a New Paradigm of Knowledge Production & Exploring New Frontiers of Gender Research in Southern Africa. The book is a product of an international symposium she organised in 2013. Dr Van Schalkwyk has made prolific contributions during her three years at the UFS: speaking at two international conferences, and publishing her research in internationally-accredited peer-reviewed journals. In addition, she is also heading a major research project on Gender Reconciliation, based at the university.

Dr Wale is a graduate of the University of London with a PhD (2013) in post-conflict development. Her forthcoming book, South Africa's Struggle to Remember: Contested Memories of Squatter Resistance in the Western Cape is based on her doctoral research. Now that Dr Wale’s book is finished, she will be working with Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela on the analysis of research data collected for a study on transformation – as well as resistance to it – in students’ residences.

 Description: Kim Wale book cover Tags: Kim Wale book cover

Naleli Morojele received her Master of Arts in African Studies in 2014 from the UFS. Her dissertation research was on women political leaders in post-conflict countries, with data collected in South Africa and Rwanda. The review comments on her thesis prompted her to consider turning her research into a book. She spent seven months on this project with support from a global network of mentors affiliated with TFR Studies. The product is the book, Women Political Leaders in Rwanda and South Africa: Narratives of Triumph and Loss. Morojele is currently a PhD candidate. Her study focuses on university women, and explores women’s gender identity in the post-apartheid context.

“I am very excited about the work that these young women have produced,” says Prof Gobodo-Madikizela. “Dr Van Schalkwyk has already been invited by Palgrave Macmillan to consider a contract with the publisher to turn her PhD thesis into a book. It is going to be a very busy and productive year for her.”

A bumper book launch in mid-January 2016 is in the pipeline.

 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept