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05 November 2020 | Story Thabo Kessah
Prof Moffett’s latest offering collates hundreds of mountain research material into one accessible reference book.

Prof Rodney Moffett recently published a new book focusing on various scientific articles published between 1808 and 2019. The book, A Scientific Bibliography of the Drakensberg, Maloti and Adjacent Lowlands, has 534 pages and covers material appearing in accredited journals, plus unpublished but traceable reports, documents, presentations, and dissertations.

“The scientific articles range from palaeobotany with 17 entries, to rock art with 502 entries, as well as 252 theses and dissertations,” said Prof Moffett.

He said it took 18 months to compile the book, typing the manuscript himself – mostly at night.

In the foreword, Dr Ralph Clark, Director: Afromontane Research Unit (ARU), says: “This bibliography is a labour of love, and will inspire a new generation to take up the baton for excellent research in this fantastic mountain system. We are proud to publish this under the ARU banner as a contribution to growing and consolidating mountain-passionate relationships in Southern Africa, and to encourage our journey towards developing a holistic understanding and sustainable use of these iconic mountain landscapes.” 

Other books

Prof Moffett is an honorary research fellow in the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of the Free State, and an associate of the Afromontane Research Unit on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus. He was previously Professor of Botany on the Qwaqwa Campus when it was part of the University of the North, retiring in 2000. Since then, he has remained active, publishing scholarly works on ethnobotany and other natural history subjects.

His four recent books, also published by Sun Press, are: Sesotho Plant and Animal Names and Plants used by the Basotho (2010), A Biographical Dictionary of Contributors to the Natural History of the Free State and Lesotho (2014), Basotho Medicinal Plants – Meriana ya Dimela tsa Basotho (2016), and A Field Guide to the Clarens Village Conservancy (2018). A second revised edition of Meriana ya Dimela tsa Basotho – 

News Archive

Prof Solomon appointed to board of flagship journal of UNECA
2016-10-06

Description: Prof Hussein Solomon UNECA Tags: Prof Hussein Solomon UNECA

Prof Hussein Solomon, member of the Editorial
Board of the Afro-Arab Social and Economic
Review. He is also the author of Islamic State
and the Coming Global Confrontation.
Photo: Charl Devenish

“I cannot say I worked towards it – I just did my work, and I guess someone noticed.” These are the words of Prof Hussein Solomon from the Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State (UFS), who was recently appointed to the Editorial Board of the Afro-Arab Social and Economic Review.

On an editorial board with people he quoted
This is the flagship journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The mandate of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is to promote the economic and social development of the states which are regarded as members of the United Nations (UN). Prof Solomon says the board consists of people that he used to quote when he was a student, and to serve alongside them is a privilege.

Book launched in Greece, Japan, and Indonesia

His book, Islamic State and the Coming Global Confrontation, was earlier published by Palgrave Macmillan in London and launched in Greece, Japan, and Indonesia in June and July 2016 respectively. It analyses the origins and organisational structure of the Islamic State (IS), ans examines its military triumphs and success in securing new recruits via social media.

Exploit of IS vulnerabilities to combat organisation
Prof Solomon says the IS makes use of the winning hearts and mind (WHAM) principle where they earn the trust of residents by providing basic services, and the only solution we have is to “exploit the Islamic State’s vulnerabilities and to highlight their atrocities.”

He mentions that a lot needs to be done to overcome the IS. It is vital to have boots on the ground and an acceptance that countries will splinter. An overarching strategy needs to be in place which allows for regional variations, good governance, and the countering of extremism.

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