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The Humanities five: ‘doctoral degrees culmination of years of dedicated focus’

26 February 2021 | Story Rulanzen Martin

Read More Humanities 5 Phds 755x502 — Clockwise from left; Dr Alta Grobbelaar; Dr Merlene Esau; Dr Albertus Barkhuizen; Dr Helen-Mary Cawood and Dr Wade Goodrick.

“It (doctoral degrees) signifies the culmination of several years of dedicated focus amid the ongoing demands of their day-to-day work as academics in a dynamic and diverse faculty,” said Prof Heidi Hudson, Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities, about the conferment of doctoral degrees to five lecturing staff members in the faculty.

The newly capped doctors are Drs Alta Grobbelaar, Merlene Esau, Albertus Barkhuizen, Wade Goodrick, and Helen-Mary Cawood. “The Faculty of the Humanities strives to support its entire lecturing staff to obtain their doctoral degrees. I therefore take great pleasure in congratulating the five staff members in the faculty,” said Prof Hudson. Prof Hudson said what made their achievement even more special, was the fact that they obtained their degrees during unprecedented and challenging COVID-19 times.

The PhD degrees were conferred during a virtual ceremony on 24 February 2021.

PhD studies look extensively at social issues

It is important for PhD candidates in any discipline that their research theses should contribute new or additional information to their respective disciplines. Undertaking a PhD in the social sciences (humanities) can be loosely attributed to the curiosity of humankind – its connectedness, shared attributes, history, relations, or the deeper meaning of human existence.

The five research theses presented by the candidates look at various social themes, ranging from Dr Albertus Barkhuizen’s thesis on French as a possible teachable foreign language in South Africa, to Dr Helen-Mary Cawood’s argument that the collective memories of modern English football fans have been curated by contemporary ‘museal cultures.’ Dr Barkhuizen is a lecturer in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch, German and French, and Dr Cawood in the Department of Philosophy.

In her thesis, Dr Merlene Esau makes a considerable contribution to the development of social-work practices by focusing on child-led households as a vulnerable group in South Africa. Dr Esau is a lecturer and head of the Department of Social Work. Dr Alta Grobbelaar from the Department of Political Studies and Governance looks in her thesis at the interrelationship between the media and terrorist groups in Africa, while Dr Wade Goodrick from the Department of Sociology focused his thesis on the risks associated with unconventional gas developments in South Africa.

News Archive

King Moshoeshoe comes alive on national television

2004-11-02

Honourable Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili, Prime Minister of Lesotho, and his wife; King Letsie III of Lesotho and Dr Ezekiel Moraka, Vice-Rector: Student Affairs at the UFS during the première of the film at the Royal Palace in Lesotho

The ground-breaking documentary film on the life and legacy of King Moshoeshoe, the founder of the Basotho nation, will come alive on Thursday 4 November 2004 when it is screened on SABC2 at 21:00

The film, called Moshoeshoe: The Renaissance King, forms part of a larger project by the University of the Free State (UFS) to honour the Moshoeshoe legacy of nation-building and reconciliation and to explore his role as a model of African leadership. It was produced by the well-known journalist Mr Max du Preez and commissioned by the UFS as part of its centenary celebrations.

The SABC2 screening was preceded by a première in Bloemfontein last month, and was attended by provincial political leaders.

This past weekend there was a première at the Royal Palace in Lesotho, which was attended by King Letsie III, the prime minister, the chief justice, judges, the president of the senate, cabinet ministers and directors-general.

“Through this documentary film the UFS commits itself to developing a shared appreciation of the history of this country and to the establishment of the Free State Province as a model of reconciliation and nation-building. King Moshoeshoe is also a strong common element, and binding factor, in the relationship between South Africa/the Free State, and its neighbour, Lesotho,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

“Not all people in South Africa know the history of Moshoeshoe. Many Basotho – but not all – are well versed in the history of Moshoeshoe, and his name is honoured in many a street, town and township. Many white people know little of him, or have a very constrained or even biased view of his role and legacy. In Africa and the world, he is much less known than, for instance, Shaka,” said Prof Fourie.

“King Moshoeshoe did a remarkable thing in forging a new nation out of a fragmented society. He also created a remarkable spirit of reconciliation and a remarkable spirit of leadership,” said Prof Fourie.

According to Prof Fourie we already benefit from his legacy: the people of the Free State share a tradition of moderation and reconciliation rather than one of aggression and domination. “For the UFS this is also part of real transformation – of creating a new unity amidst our diversity,” said Prof Fourie.

“We also find in the legacy of King Moshoeshoe the possibility of a “founding philosophy”, or “defining philosophy”, for the African renaissance. To develop this philosophy, we must gain a deeper understanding of what really happened there, of his role, of his leadership. Therefore the UFS will encourage and support further research into the history, politics and sociology of the Moshoeshoe period, including his leadership style,” said Prof Fourie.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
2 November 2004

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