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19 March 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo SUPPLIED
Prof Robert Peacock
Prof Robert Peacock, of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Criminology Department, champions global engagement in scholarship, offering hope to victims worldwide while linking academia, policy, and practice.

Crime and victimisation have far-reaching consequences that profoundly impact on societal, economic, and ecological development. At the forefront of addressing these global challenges in Criminology, Victimology, Transitional and Criminal Justice, stands Prof Robert Peacock, an esteemed figure in the field from the University of the Free State's Department of Criminology.

His expertise adds significant depth to understanding and tackling the complex interplay between interpersonal conflict and broader societal, economic and ecological injustices. As serving and now Immediate Past President of the World Society of Victimology, Prof Peacock’s impact reached the highest levels, holding consultative status at both the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the Council of Europe. Together with the Justice Section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), interventions on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice reform were also made on occasion of the 35th Anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power.

Advancing global discourse

Reflecting on his tenure, Prof Peacock emphasises: “The plight of victims of crime and abuse of power underscores the imperative to scrutinise global and local power dynamics, linking local experiences to global patterns of victimisation and transformation.” This sentiment resonated profoundly during the World Victimology Symposium held in Donostia/San Sebastian in Spain, shedding light on the Anthropocene epoch’s complexities.

His commitment to international collaboration is unwavering, evident in his new role on the Scientific and Advisory committee of the upcoming 2025 World Criminology conference to be hosted by O.P. Jindal Global University in India.

Global reach

Beyond academia, Prof Peacock’s influence extends worldwide, with invitations as a guest lecturer, course director, and keynote speaker at prestigious institutions and symposia. His guest editor roles in special editions of journals like Mediarres and Ethnicity in Criminal Justice highlight his dedication to advancing critical regional and international discourse.

To proceed with an emancipatory agenda for victims of crime and abuse of power in Africa or that of a Southern Victimology, Prof Peacock advocates for a paradigm shift in victimology, transcending narrow Western perspectives, and to remain mindful of the global economy and geopolitics that create new variations of privilege and status and asymmetries that cut across nations and regions. Recent translations of his work into Spanish aim to enhance accessibility across Latin America.

Strategic collaborations

In recognition of his expertise, Prof Peacock received a Global Minds grant, facilitating collaboration with KU Leuven (Katolieke Universiteit Leuven) in Belgium, a leading institution in law and criminology. This partnership, focusing on human rights, transitional justice, restorative justice and victimology, paves the way for impactful research on conflict, peace, and development.

Prof Peacock’s longstanding collaboration with colleagues in Belgium and the Netherlands underscores his commitment to international scholarship. Together, they’ve contributed significantly to victimological approaches to international crimes, even securing an audience with Pope Francis.

Advancing practical application

In advancing praxis and the internationalisation of engaged scholarship, Prof Peacock presented twice during the month of January 2024 on the topic of Trauma informed practice for frontline workers at the Permanent Mission of Belgium to the European Union. This was done in close cooperation with the Leuven Institute of Criminology, KU Leuven, and the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brussels, together with an interdisciplinary project consortium, that included partners from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Prof Peacock shared as speaker sessions with a Trauma Expert of the Victims and Witnesses Section of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

As Prof Peacock continues to champion engaged scholarship on an international scale, his contributions seek to ameliorate the plight of victims of crime and abuse of power worldwide, bridging gaps between academia, policy, and practice.

News Archive

Nomination process for portfolio of Bloemfontein Campus SRC President re-opened
2015-08-21

  

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) today made the decision to re-open the nomination process for the portfolio of President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) until Monday 24 August 2015 at 16:00.  

The decision to re-open the nomination for the portfolio of President was made after the incumbent SRC submitted a proposal to the IEC to re-open the nomination process for the upcoming SRC elections on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS). 

The announcement of the SRC candidates on Monday 17 August 2015 revealed that only one nominee, Eddie de Wet, met the eligibility requirements for the portfolio of President.  In a letter to the IEC, Mr De Wet expressed his support for the nomination process to be re-opened in order to allow other candidates to campaign for this portfolio.  In the interest of democracy and student participation during the SRC elections, the IEC decided to re-open the nomination process for a given time.

Nomination forms are available at the duty room of Protection Services from Saturday 22 August 2015 at 09:00, or it can be downloaded from the following URL: http://kovsielife.ufs.ac.za/dl/Userfiles/Documents/00001/663_eng.pdf

Completed nomination forms must be handed in at the reception desk of the Student Centre on the Thakaneng Bridge between 09:00 and 16:00 on Monday 24 August 2015.

The SRC elections will take place on Monday 31 August and Tuesday 1 September 2015.

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