Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
21 November 2024
|
Story Jacky Tshokwe
|
Photo Supplied
Prof Mogomme Masoga, Dean: Faculty of the Humanities.
On 8 November 2024, the South African Humanities Deans Association (SAHUDA) elected Prof Mogomme Masoga, Dean of the Faculty of The Humanities at the University of the Free State (UFS), as its new President. This appointment marks a pivotal moment for SAHUDA, which represents a diverse network of deans who champion the prominence and future of humanities, social sciences, and the arts in South Africa and beyond. Prof Masoga, who has served as Vice-President of SAHUDA for the past year, brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advocating for the role of humanities in addressing the challenges of our contemporary world.
As President, Prof Masoga envisions broadening the influence of what he terms ‘public and applied humanities.’ His aim is to advance a humanities framework that not only enriches academic discourse, but also engages with critical global and local issues. This approach, rooted in socially responsive scholarship, will prioritise areas such as computational and digital humanities, environmental humanities, and other interdisciplinary fields that intersect with the pressing concerns of our time.
“The humanities are more relevant than ever to understanding complex societal issues,” Prof Masoga explained. “Through public and applied humanities, we can bring the critical perspectives of our field into active dialogue with the challenges of a digital and ecologically threatened world.”
His election underscores the University of the Free State's growing influence in national and international conversations about the future of the humanities. For the UFS, this leadership role enhances its reputation as an institution deeply invested in fostering meaningful contributions to society. Prof Masoga’s presidency is set to amplify the university’s voice and perspectives in SAHUDA’s mission to fortify the role of humanities in education and public life.
Over the next two years, Prof Masoga’s tenure will include a focus on initiatives that strengthen the relevance of humanities scholarship, encourage interdisciplinary research, and cultivate public engagement. He will also prioritise fostering collaboration across higher education institutions in South Africa and internationally to ensure that humanities disciplines are equipped to address the diverse needs of our rapidly evolving world.
Prof Masoga’s commitment to SAHUDA’s mission reflects the values and aspirations of the UFS Faculty of The Humanities. His presidency is an invaluable opportunity for the university to contribute to the national agenda of reinforcing the humanities as a field essential to a healthy, critically informed, and culturally aware society. This achievement serves as a proud moment for the UFS and a beacon for the potential of the humanities to drive societal progress in South Africa and beyond.
Young Communication student publishes second book
2014-09-03
Most people get to 90 and never publish a book. Some people at 19 have not even read a book.
But 19-year-old BA Communication student at Kovsies, Grace Nthebe, has already published two books, only in this year...
Grace writes poetry and her first book is called Reflections by Grace.
“It is a personal book and it was only by the grace of God that I could do this reflection,” says Grace.
“Reflections take a look at four aspects of myself:
- Me as a beginner in my life;
- Being a believer of love;
- Looking at critical conditions in life;
- And then finally, taking a look at myself as an African woman.”
Grace became fascinated with poetry in Grade 10. She developed as a poet more and more when she was in Grade 11 and started relying on her writing as a means to express the unexpressed.
“A friend of mine took a look at my writing and asked why I don’t have it published?”
“That was not easy, but I covered everything smoothly and took my time with it.”
More recently, Grace’s second book called Tribute to Love was also published.
“This is more of a motivational book,” she says.
“Young women often have to pretend to be ‘okay’ when going through tough times like a break-up. In Tribute to Love I go through ten basic steps to recover fully after a break-up.”
“A lot of times recovery starts with forgiveness and if you have social support, it eventually ends with learning to let go and being willing to love again. Relationships and break-ups are often phases every person goes through, but it is important to go through it in the right way…”
Grace’s books are self published by Quick Fox and available online at amazon.com