[csaa-forum] Apartheid Studies & Call for Entries for the Encyclopaedia of Apartheid

[Antonio Traverso]

From: hum-bof-bounces at listsrv.uj.ac.za [mailto:hum-bof-bounces at listsrv.uj.ac.za] On Behalf Of Singh, Lorna
Sent: 25 November 2015 12:51 PM
To: hum-bof at listsrv.uj.ac.za; hum-secs at listsrv.uj.ac.za
Subject: [Hum-bof] Apartheid Studies & Call for Entries for the Encyclopaedia of Apartheid

Apartheid Studies & Call for Entries for the Encyclopaedia of Apartheid

Professor Nyasha Mboti, of the Department Communication Studies at the University of Johannesburg, is putting together a set of resources/projects in response to the challenge of a “decolonised” curriculum in the South African university.

The first is a proposition for the founding of a new field of studies, Apartheid Studies. The project of Apartheid Studies addresses the surprising absence of a disciplinary canon on apartheid in South Africa and across the world. Twenty years after the assumed dissolution of apartheid, there is not a single centre or institute for Apartheid Studies at any of the twenty-odd South African universities. This aporia is both surprising and ironic, particularly considering the proliferation of a range of “new” studies in the humanities: Queer Studies, Holocaust Studies, Genocide Studies, Black Studies, Slavery Studies, Trauma Studies, Memory Studies, Poverty Studies, Gender Studies, Feminist Studies, Empire Studies, Postcolonial Studies, Cultural Studies, and so on. There is even a field called Dolls Studies, which theorises the place of the Barbie doll in everyday life. The study of apartheid, on the other hand, does not yet lay claim to any particular constitutive body of theory or theoretical accounts that it can call its own.

Professor Mboti’s forthcoming monograph, Apartheid Studies (Africa World Press, 2016), is an attempt to address this aporia by nominating a canon of apartheid studies. The book is about how apartheid is not just a subject for historians, but also one for theoreticians. In this regard, apartheid can be read and utilised as a theoretical framework, philosophy, heuristic grid, methodology, taxonomy and central toolkit of analysis. With the inauguration of Apartheid Studies as a field, theorising about/with/in apartheid ceases to be an adjunct, bolted-on, or exotic add-on that begs, borrows from, and apologises to other settled disciplines. Rather, it produces its own meaningfulness, its own circuits and layers of meanings, its own concepts, readings, textualities and conceptual histories, its own models, and its own materialities and situated practices. Ultimately, the book sets out to establish the outlines of a new decolonised research agenda. The hope is that, step by step, the habit of token incorporation of bits and pieces of Africa into Eurocentric courses and degree programmes in the humanities is broken, to be replaced by new, Afro-relevant epistemic fields.

The Apartheid Studies project frames a second, equally exciting, first of its kind adjunct project. Professor Mboti has reached an agreement with Africa World Press to edit, in 2017, volume 1 of the first ever Encyclopaedia of Apartheid. The Encyclopaedia is meant to be one of the founding texts of Apartheid Studies. It will be a unique one-stop reference text providing high quality definitions and clear explanations of over 1000 words, phrases, concepts, events and biographies relating to apartheid. No such resource currently exists in any sort of form. It will thus be an immensely welcome text to bookshelves and libraries. The Encyclopaedia project, which will also have electronic and online versions, is intended to be an easily accessible invaluable, high quality, authoritative, current and concise resource for students, researchers and academics interested in apartheid and apartheid studies. It will be of greater benefit to the new generation that is attempting to change states of affairs at South African universities, particularly undergraduate and postgraduate students. Established scholars needing a source for quick, readable introductions to topics, events, issues and personalities should also find it handy. The Encyclopaedia is, admittedly, an enormous project. It is not meant to be a mere compilation of disparate articles; it is, rather, meant to be a glimpse into the true presence of apartheid. The hope is firstly that, as Patrice Lumumba put it, the scars are never forgotten. Secondly, it is that some true intellectual exploring and deeper digging can begin.

Call for Entries for the Encyclopaedia of Apartheid
This call is for authors to contribute concise, alphabetically ordered entries (A-Z) to volume 1 of the Encyclopaedia of Apartheid (Africa World Press, 2017). The word limit for each entry is 1000 words, excluding references.

Please send expressions of interest to nmboti at uj.ac.za<mailto:nmboti at uj.ac.za>, along with word(s)/topics/keywords/events/name(s) that you propose to contribute an entry on. Deadline for expression of interest is 01 January 2016. Guidelines are attached.

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Prof. Nyasha Mboti
Head of Department
Department of Communication Studies (CMS)
School of Communication and Media Studies
B-Ring 6, Kingsway Campus
University of Johannesburg
Cnr. Kingsway & University Rd, Auckland Park

Office Ext: 2929

Webpage:
http://www.uj.ac.za/EN/Faculties/humanities/departments/comm/CMS/about/Staff/Pages/Nyasha-Mboti.aspx

Twitter: @NyashaMboti
Skype: nyasha.mboti


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Guidelines for Entries
Entries are of two types: Subject/topic/keyword/event entries & Biographical entries

A: Subject/Topic/Keyword/Event entry
Each subject/topic/keyword entry should contain 3 sections: Introduction; Main section; References. The subject/topic/keyword entry also includes content describing organisations.

Introduction: this section should contain a brief definition of the keyword, concept, topic or subject in no more than one or two paragraphs.

Main section: this is the main section of the entry. It starts with a “History” of the subject. The content of the rest of the main section is at the contributor’s discretion. Content should, however, demonstrate clearly and comprehensively that the subject/topic/keyword/event is significant to the narrative about apartheid. Content should also reference important new research on the topic of the entry. Entries should adopt a tone of analysis as opposed to that of partisan advocacy.

References: in this section all sources used in the entry are cited in full using the Chicago style. The References section may be divided into subsections such as Primary Literature and Secondary Literature. It may also include Other Important Works, Further Reading sections, and so on.

B: Biographical entry
Each biographical entry should contain 3 sections: “Life”; Main section; References.

“Life”: this section should contain an accurate chronology of the birth, life, work/career and death of the person.
Main section: this is the main section of the entry. It contains information that clearly demonstrates the person’s significance in the narrative about apartheid.

References: in this section all sources used in the entry are cited in full using the Chicago style. The References section may be divided into subsections such as Primary Literature and Secondary Literature. It may also include Other Important Works, Further Reading sections, and so on.

Style Guide
Titling
Topics on organisations should include founding dates in title. Events should mention year of occurrence in title. Each biographical entry should have the individual’s birth date and death in the title, e.g., Plaatje, Sol (19 -- 19--).

Originality
Each entry must be the author’s original synthesis and interpretation, not a copy and paste of material from other sources.

Opinion
Entries should not contain conjecture or opinion. Content must be precise, factual, specific and verifiable.

Citing Sources
Avoid citing only sources from the Internet. All citations should be included in the main text in parentheses, in the following format: (Zungu 2015, 23). Multiple citations should be separated by a semicolon. Footnotes may be included to help unclutter and shorten the main page of the entry.

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