A Swiss - South African Survey of global trends and local inflections pertaining to gender

A series of three workshops at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), and University of the Western Cape (UWC) in October 2007 reviewed existing research foci and explored avenues of potential collaboration.

The workshop at Wits on Gender and Sexuality: Instruments for change, patterns of persistence  was co-hosted with Prof Sheila Meintjes of the Department of Political Studies. The areas focussed on included sexuality, the law, and society. Contributions came from from Pumla Gqola – Wits; Ruth Morgan and Busi Kheswa – Gay & Lesbian Archives; Serena Dankwa – Universities of Berne and Basel; Vasu Reddy – HSRC; Patricia Purtschert – Gender Studies, Basel; Kylie Thomas – Journalism, Wits; Katharina Pühl – Gender Studies, Basel; Shireen Hassim – Political Studies, Wits; Andrea Maihofer – Gender Studies, Basel and Sheila Meintjes – Political Studies, Wits. 

The Workshop at UKZN on Gender, Culture and Society: Instruments for change, patterns of persistence was co-hosted by Prof Thenjiwe Meyiwa of the Centre Gender Studies at the University of KwaZulu Natal. The areas focussed on were young people and children; literature; and the economy. The workshop included contributions by Lebo Moletsane – Faculty of Education, UKZN; Thabisile Buthelezi – Faculty of Education, UKZN; Vuyiswa Mathambo – Child, Youth, Family and Social Development, HSRC; Rob Pattman – Sociology, UKZN; Jude Clark – Psychology, UKZN; Stephan Meyer – Philosophy/Gender Studies, Basel; Reshma Sathiparsad – Social Work, UKZN; Priya Narismulu – English Studies, UKZN; Judith Lütge Coullie – English Studies, UKZN; Cheryl Stobie – English Studies, UKZN; Margaret Daymond – English Studies, UKZN; Catherine Burns – History, UKZN; Nolwazi Mkhwanazi – Psychology, Fort Hare; Percival Ngonyama, UKZN; Daniela Casale and Dori Posel – School of Economics, UKZN; Imraan Valodia – School of Development Studies, UKZN and Thenjiwe Meyiwa – Gender Studies, UKZN 

The workshop at UWC provided an overview of gender-related research across the disciplines at the hosting institution, the University of Cape Town and the University of Stellenbosch. The workshop was hosted by Dr Desireé Lewis – Women’s and Gender Studies, UWC and Prof Tammy Shefer – Women’s and Gender Studies, UWC. It included performances by Malika Ndlovu and The Mothertongue Project. Contributions were made by Yvette Abrahams – Gender Equality Commissioner for the Western Cape; Gertrude Fester – Associate Professor in Women’s and Gender Studies, UWC; Serena Dankwa – Gender Studies, Universities of Basel and Berne; Thamar Klein – Research Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology; Teresa Barnes – History University of the Western Cape; Anne Mager – History, University of Cape Town; Andrea Maihofer – Sociology / Philosophy, University of Basel; Lynda Spencer – English, Stellenbosch University; Heike Becker – Anthropology, University of the Western Cape; Vivienne Bozalek – Social Work, University of the Western Cape; Mary Hames – Gender Equity Unity, University of the Western Cape; Elaine Salo – African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town; Meg Samuelson – English, Stellenbosch University; Susie Newton-King – History, University of the Western Cape; Patricia Purtschert – Gender Studies, University of Basel; Shaun Viljoen – English, Stellenbosch University; Rachel Chadwick – UWC; Peter Damm – UWC; Muthoni Kimani – UWC; Nadia Sanger – HSRC; Moffat Tarusikirwa – UWC; Zulfa Abrahams – UWC; Janine Hoek – UWC; Carolyn Krause – UWC; Sharrone Mitchell –  UWC; Lindsay Clowes –UWC; Diana Gibson – UWC; Desireé Lewis – UWC; Stephan Meyer – University of Basel.