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Literature Still Matters!

Literature Still Matters!

One of the enhancements of the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Strategic Plan 2.0 involves identifying key people who are fundamental anchors of its DNA strands of engagement and student-centredness.

Professor Michael Chapman is one of these anchors at DUT who was recently awarded the prestigious 2018 Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Medal for Social Sciences and Humanities.

The Human Sciences Research Council awards such a medal on an annual basis to a scholar who has made an outstanding contribution through his research and publications in any discipline and field in the social sciences and humanities.

Professor Michael Chapman is a retired professor at DUT. He is an A-rated researcher (National Research Foundation) and author of over 20 books and 70 articles on South African and southern African literature, poetry, and literary theory. His 500-page history, Southern African Literatures (1996; 2003), won South Africa’s then premier prize (the Bill Venter Award) for academic literature.

Upon hearing the news of his win, he was immediately surprised.

“You see my field, literature, tends to be marginalised against more utilitarian disciplines not only in the hard sciences, but also in the Humanities, where law, economics, history, sociology and political science usually command more respect than literature. On reflection, an appreciation that the HSRC has recognised that literature has value. In a society, indeed, in a world, of debased public discourse – them and us; make America great again; or, here, white monopoly capital, literature’s value is that it is suspicious of cliché, binary oppositions, authoritarian populism. Our writers, our literary critics, seek to move beyond simplifications to open experience to complexity, whether in the individual or the societal life,” he said.

Prof Chapman began his academic career at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in the late 1970s, when South African literature didn’t feature on English syllabuses in South Africa. He saw the potential of the then New Black Poetry of the 1970s, and fought hard to have South African literature included on University and school curricula.

“It is that drive that underpins this award – a life-time recognition not only of my contribution to literature, and also my contribution to literary education for young South Africans,” he said.

Prof Chapman thanked his nominator, Dr Maleshoane Rapeane-Mathonsi, Director of Research in the Faculty of Arts and Design, as well as his Dean, Deputy Dean, and colleagues in the Faculty. “I have been affiliated to DUT since September, 2015. I am stimulated by the environment and I have had great support from my new colleagues,” he added.

For three years Prof Chapman was a mentor (National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences) at the University of the Western Cape. He had learnt a great deal about the challenges of postgraduate studies. “I would like to share the insights at DUT, particularly in a context in which a former Technikon (more industry-based than academic-based) is now evolving as a University, and has to find its niche – somewhat paradoxically – as a University of Technology. I hope that my HSRC medal, associated as it is with DUT, can add value to the ‘University’ profile of the Durban University of Technology,” he said.

Congratulatory messages were also given by the DVC: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Prof Sibisuso Moyo. “Congratulations for the award which comes well deserved as an A-rated NRF scientist but also as someone who continues to make an outstanding impact in this area.  Thanks also goes to the Faculty team for making the nomination,” she said proudly.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal at DUT, Prof Thandwa Mthembu, also congratulated Prof Chapman on his outstanding achievement. “Congratulations and as a retired professor, you are certainly doing much more than most of those who are still in full-time employment. We also appreciate how your hard work and your association with DUT will make people stop and watch the revolution that your example might usher at DUT,” he said.

The award will be presented to Prof Chapman during a special ceremony held by the HSRC on 20 September 2018.

Pictured: Professor Michael Chapman.

Waheeda Peters

 

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