2008 Woodie Awards
Conference Examines South African Democracy
Rachel Horst
Issue date: 4/7/04 Section: News
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The conference will bring together speakers whose expertise is focused in a wide range of backgrounds for the purpose of providing a comprehensive and multifaceted view of the process. Coinciding with the presidential elections in South Africa, to be held on April 14, the conference will include Goucher faculty members Seble Dawit, Eric Singer, and Janet Shope in the discussions.
The transformation process in South Africa has been a relevant subject for many in the Goucher Community. Since 1996, Goucher College students, have spent a three-week intensive course program with Associate Professor of Sociology Janet Shope in South Africa, entitled "Inequality and Social Policy in South Africa." Goucher students have also interned in past years with the Umthathi Training Project, a grassroots organization dedicated to improving and educating the communities of South Africa. The Project will be the subject of discussion on Friday. During one of his stays in South Africa, coordinator and Associate Dean of International Studies Eric Singer discussed with a colleague the programs at Goucher and the changes he had seen since their initiation nearly ten years ago. It was during that discussion in Durban that Singer developed the idea of marking the ten-year anniversary of democracy in South Africa, beginning what he calls a "drawn-out, challenging process" of putting together such a large group of prominent speakers on the subject.
The aim of the conference is to examine the effects of democratization and ensuing "redistribution of society" as well as evaluate the role of "[Non-Governmental Organizations] and grassroots organizations- how they shaped and effected change" in South African society, says Singer. It will also address the "international donor community" as playing a huge part in the "pace and nature of social change."
Since 1994, South Africa has attracted the attention of the international community due to its dramatic change from domination by its five-percent white minority to multiracial, democratic elections. To form a well rounded assessment of this transition, Singer says, the panels are crucially made up of "journalists, academics, policymakers...a variety of perspectives."
Over the three days, the panels will discuss democratization and its significance in many aspects of South African life, including media coverage, government, politics, and social ramifications. The conference is free, but requires registration online, found here.
To close the conference, Goucher will host the renowned South African musician Vusi Mahlasela for a free concert in Kraushaar Auditorium. Mahlasela is a major figure in South African music, combining various genres of music with a traditional South African sound. Vusi Mahlasela acted as a musical voice for the political and social struggles of the South African people in the 1980s, and has been called by some a "revolutionary" in his relentless call for peace and social transformation. Since then, Mahlasela has been recognized on an international scale by a variety of audiences while many feel he evokes a strong but universal emotional depth in his music. His album The Voice was released this past year under the label of fellow South African and versatile musician Dave Matthews, ATO Records.
Matthews is an ardent supporter of Mahlasela's musicianship, emphasizing the importance of his role in South African society and attempting to make his impact known to those abroad as well.
Tickets for the performance can be obtained by calling (410) 337-6333. The concert will begin at 8 pm.