About the Centre for Humanities Research, University of the Western Cape

In a rapidly shifting social context of a post-apartheid society, the study of the humanities offers creative possibilities for dealing with the challenges of globalisation, rapid technological change, and the legacies of colonialism and apartheid. To this end, the Centre for Humanities Research (CHR) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) is unique in developing partnerships across and between institutions, particularly universities, schools, public arts projects, museums, archives and art galleries, and nurturing future generations of humanities graduates, educators and cultural practitioners. To facilitate inter-institutional collaboration and partnership and to foster public engagement in the interest of building critical citizenry, the CHR’s two satellite initiatives in Athlone and the former District Six were established to convene a public lecture series and an arts education programme respectively. The public lecture series takes place at the Dullah Omar Centre for Critical Thought in African Humanities (DOCCTAH) and the arts education programme at the Factory of the Arts.

The University of the Western Cape is a national university, alert to its African and international context as it strives to be a place of quality, a place to grow. It is committed to excellence in teaching, learning and research, to nurturing the cultural diversity of South Africa, and to responding in critical and creative ways to the needs of a society in transition. Drawing on its proud experience in the liberation struggle, the university is aware of a distinctive academic role in helping build an equitable and dynamic society.