Welcome to the 15th Humanities and Social Sciences International Conference (HASSIC) 2024
Important Dates:
Full Paper Submission Deadline: 25th November 2024
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS) conference aims to make a significant contribution to the scholarly understanding of “Problematising Ubuntu as a Critical Project in the Humanities and Social Sciences: Towards Healing and Well-Being of Communities.
The humanities and social sciences have a transformative role that goes beyond creating knowledge and critical thinking regarding caring for the well-being of society. It involves a comprehensive global approach to humanising pedagogies, promoting social cohesion, and addressing society’s past injustices to facilitate healing and restoration. The concept of Ubuntu (humaneness) finds its expression in the Nguni phrase: “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” which emphasises that a person’s worth in society depends on his/her interactions with other people, and how they esteem him/her. Ubuntu is not a biblical concept but rather, it is an ancient African one. Nevertheless, it falls back on one simple thing: humans have been created for togetherness.
What divides us is greed, lust for power, and a sense of exclusion. However, these are aberrations (Allan Boesak). The South African White Paper on Welfare (Department of Welfare, Republic of South Africa, 1997) defines Ubuntu as more than the principle of caring for each other’s well-being and as a spirit of mutual support, but also, “acknowledges it as both the right and the responsibilities of every citizen in promoting individual and societal well-being” (p. 2). Ubuntu implies a sense of humanness, recognising and caring about the human dignity of others. It should be adhered to in all teaching & learning, and research activities in higher education. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an internationally recognised framework aimed at promoting sustainable development through clearly defined views.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and National Development Plans (NDPs) in South Africa are geared towards the humanising process, which is crucial for creating a more inclusive, fair, and sustainable society in the face of enduring historical scars and societal issues. The conference seeks to investigate novel methods in achieving the above goals and plans, and, to problematize solutions through Ubuntu perspectives. This can be accomplished by promoting an understanding of Ubuntu and the interrelatedness that exists between individuals, societies, and the environment. Integrating Ubuntu viewpoints in higher education can help students cultivate skills such as empathy, critical thinking abilities, and a dedication to social justice. Gabriel Setiloane states, “Ubuntu is a piece of home-grown African wisdom that the world would do well to make its own.”
By focusing on Ubuntu philosophy, one can strive to instil African values that address the historical injustices and heal the wounds which still afflict our communities. This conference aims to stimulate significant discussions and cooperation among educators, academics, students, practitioners, and policymakers in South Africa and other regions.
Universities may play a vital role in preparing students to be proactive catalysts for change in their communities by integrating the ideas of Ubuntu into the curriculum to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and National Development Plans (NDPs).
Research Themes
Papers must be based on original research, case studies, theoretical frameworks, and practical insights that investigate the following themes:
- Mosaic of healing through Ubuntu and Indigenous knowledge systems.
- Ubuntu, Indigenous knowledge and the web of community life.
- Ubuntu in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
- Implications of Ubuntu for community development, engagement, social justice and healing.
- Challenges and complexities in the application and practice of Ubuntu.
- The cultural context of Ubuntu.
- Gender dynamics of Ubuntu.
- Individual VS Collective – balancing collective responsibility with individual rights and autonomy.
- Ubuntu for Healing and Restoration, Ubuntu and Social development.
- Ubuntu and challenges of social transformation, Case studies of Ubuntu in action, Decolonising healing practices through Ubuntu and Decolonising teaching and learning approaches through Ubuntu.
We welcome original research papers, case studies, policy analyses, and practical initiatives that address the connection between humanising pedagogies, woundedness, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and National Development Plans (NDPs) in the South African context. Submissions should provide thoughtful analysis, practical observations, and feasible suggestions to promote sustainable development, social justice, and healing through humanities education. They should include the following, and other related sub-themes:
Subthemes – From the research clusters RNA of FHSS:
The proposed sub-themes from the research clusters should focus on the RNA to serve and streamline pre-existing and ongoing staff and student research activities centred on a series of common and inter-related (currently very largely individualised) research perspectives from the fields of:
- African Languages & Culture
- Anthropology & Development Studies
- Communication Science
- Creative Arts
- Criminal Justice
- English
- General Linguistics & Modern Languages
- Geography & Environmental Planning
- History
- Information Studies
- Philosophy & Applied Ethics
- Political & International Studies
- Psychology
- Recreation & Tourism
- Social Work
- Sociology
2024 HASSIC Conference Experience
Join us in examining how humanising pedagogies in education and treating wounds might lead to transformation, focusing on SDGs and NDPs in the South African context. Your efforts are crucial in moulding a more sustainable, inclusive, and healing-focused educational environment for the future of South Africa.
For inquiries and submissions, please contact Prof Z Fikelepi-Twani, at hassic@unizulu.ac.za. We look forward to your participation in this meaningful dialogue on humanising humanities and sustainable development in South African higher education.