FACULTY OF ARTS

School for Social and Government Studies

NEWS

In the month of May

OPEN DAY

The North West University hosted it's annual Open Day event on the 4th of May 2013. The School of Social and Government Studies had an opportunity to welcome some of it's prospective 1st year students on this day. Students Assistants and Lectures were available to assist the students regarding enquries and information on the respecvtive subject groups that the School has. Despite the cold weather students and parents made their way to the Schools' stand to find about more about the qualifications offered by the School. The day was indeed a success with many prospective students together with their parents gracing the stand.

In the month of April

Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management Tour

The annual second and third years' Heritage and Cultural Tourism Management Tour visited Pretoria this year during the weekend of 12 to 14 April 2013. The first stop was Mapoch Ndebele Village. The tour guide, Johanna, told more about the history of the working village which in 1953 moved to Klipgat, and students could buy Ndebele craft while they were escorted through the town. Saturday began with a visit to the monument, where Perpetua told the story of the Voortrekkers according to the frieze (marble panels) within the monument. After the students explored the monument and museum, Fort Schanskop was visited.

After lunch it was time to visit Freedom Park. Barderesh, the tour guide, explained how the process works for adding names on the 'Wall of Names'. as well as the symbolism around other places on the site, such as the 'Eternal Flame', 'Isivane' and 'Lesaka'. The tour ended with a visit to the Sammy Marks Museum, a highlight for all the students. Riana, by means of the guided of the house, with original content, explained the life of the mining magnete and his wife, as well as their descendants, though interesting facts and stories. She told of John Murray , among others, Sammy's accountant, who died in the house, and allegedly still wanders there...

In the month of February 2013

School for Social and Government Studies hosts Academics and Graduates from Justin-Liebig-Universität

The 2013 academic year got off to a great start for the School for Social and Government Studies. The School was able to launch a new phase in its Internationalisation plan by hosting academics and graduate students from Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen for a three day workshop. The workshop, titled, Conceptualising Social and Cultural Transformation after the Postcolonial Turn: Comparative Prospects for Social Sciences, was launched by the campus Rector, Prof. Herman van Schalkwyk. The aim of the workshop was to trigger a sustainable examination of what at present is debated as "multiple modernites" (Eisenstadt), "liquid society" (Bauman), or "glocality" (Walzer) in the Global North; and as Modernity/Coloniality (Mignolo) or Theory from the South (Comaroff and Comaroff) in what is emerging as the Global South.

During the course of the three days, participants from the two universities presented fourteen papers and eighteen posters. Presenters discussed a range of themes in terms of their implications for social and cultural transformation, and their papers were met with lively discussion. Topics ranged from suburban gardens, hunting farms and the environmentalist movement as alternative (and often anti-transformational) political spaces in post apartheid South Africa; to the struggle to make democracy a meaningful political intitution in both the European (Swiss and German) and the South African contexts; to women's disempowering experience of South African public health. Presenters also discussed changing employer employee relations in South Africa and effect if this change on collective bargaining in the contexts of domestic work and municipal employment. Other presenters axamined the potential implications of the politics of risk for political and economic transformation in South Africa; considered the importance of clearly defining power for social research in transforming societies; and explored the social transformative role of violence, and social transformation of violence in relation to social change - with a particular focus on the USA, Germany, and Norway.

On the basis of the fourteen paper and eighteens poster presentations, we were able to identify nine overlapping areas of interest during the workshop's final session. Representatives from each institutuion were nominated and appointed to drive discussion in these nine areas and thereby ensure that the discussion started at the workshop continues to form a solid base for a cooperation and exchange relationship over the next few years. Andre Goodrich (NWU) and Joern Ahrens (JLU) were appointed to coordinate and organise the envisaged student exchange programme.

INAUGURATION LECTURE BY Prof Gerda van Dijk

Photo: Prof Mariëtte Lowes and Prof Gerda van Dijk

On Thursday, 21 February, 2013, Prof Gerda van Dijk presented her inaugural lecture on the topic "In search of a contemporary focus in teaching Public Administration". The lecture was presided over by Prof Mariëtte Lowes, the Deputy Vice-Rector for Teaching and Learning at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University.

In her lecture, Prof van Dijk decsribed the development of Public Adminitration Education in Europe, America and South Africa. She focused on the current composition of degrees in Public Administration as a being placed in faculties of management, law, commerce and humanities. Her contribution emphasised the need for producing graduates that are capable of and committed to working in the South African public sector with its specific developmental focus and governance orientation. She presented arguments in support of profiling the Public Administration student based on his/her conceptual, affective and active abilities to demonstrate competence in public service delivery. She alerted the audience to the possibilities of trans-disciplinary Public Administration Education which should be issue-driven, contemporary and integrative.

The reality is that Public Administrattion scholls and departments should be recognised for their ability to contribute to a more educated citizenry. Public Administration Education is an important contributor to the development of the state and should be considered as asset to higher education institutions. The changing role of higher education towards becoming more responsive to the needs of society is supported through a focused, developmental Public Administration Education operating in a governance paradigm.

Prof Gerda van Dijk is appointed as Professor in the School for Social and Government Studies at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University.

MERIT AWARDS

The Annual Merit Awards for the School for Social and Government Studies was held on 18 February 2013 at the Alumni Clubhouse F22. At this occassion, top performing students within the School are awarded with certificates in appreciation for their hard work and efforts. The School uses this occassion as motivation, support amd encouragement to students to do better on their respective modules within the School. Ms. Christa de Wet was this year's MC for the occassion. The guest speaker for the occassion was Dr. Luni Vermeulen who gave a delightful speech on Career Anchors and Work behaviour Style. Ms. Danell de Wet was chosen to give thanks on behalf of the students. Afterwards the students, lecturers and guest of honour, Prof Mariette Lowes enjoyed refreshments. The top students for the year 2012 who were invited to the awards are listed below:

The School for Social and Government Studies Celebrates Valentine's Day

The 14th of February in South Africa is Valentine's Day, a day of love and romance! The School for Social and Government Studies took time out to share the love on the day by having red and white cupcakes served to all its staff members. Who said you needed to have a partner to make Valentine's Day special? In the photo, within the School, F.r.t.l. Ms Suzanne Reyneke (Benchmark Centrum for cooperate social responsibility),  Mrs Carma Geldenhuys (Snr Administratrive Assistant) and Mrs Nicollete Visser (Snr Administrative Assistant)

The School for Social and Government Studies, with us everyday is a special day!

The Handing over of the terrain to Tronkor Construction

Photo: F.l.t.r. Prof Johan Zaaiman (School for Social and Government Studies), Mr Abrie Burger (Tronkor Construction) and Mr Johan Jacobs (project manager)

The handing over of the terrain to Tronkor Construction for the construction of 2 new floors for the School for Social and Government Studies took place on 30 January 2013. The storeys will make provision for offices, seminar rooms and workplace for graduate students. The project will be complete by 30 August 2013.

Last updated on 14 May 2013 by Sello Seitlholo