The Transdisciplinary Institute for Mandela Studies engages in research, documentation, postgraduate studies, community engagement, and the establishment of national and international networks focused on Critical Mandela Studies. The significance of our work lies in reshaping the university's identity, contributing to the revitalization of humanities, and advancing social justice research. It also aligns with the broader societal significance of understanding Mandela's legacy and its implications for social justice and equality. The project responds to a cluster of strategic ‘academic’ imperatives linked to V2030:

a. Revitalisation of the Humanities

b. The intellectual ‘Mandela’ identity of the University

c. Transdisciplinary Studies

d. African Intellectual Traditions

e. Associated Institutional Research Themes

f. Academic Expression of Mandela

g. African Footprint

 

TIMS addresses transformation priorities by involving students, faculty, and stakeholders in discussions about Mandela's role within the university, thereby cultivating a more inclusive and socially conscious environment. The project has 3 avenues of work which are outlined below:

 

1. Institutionalisation

• To embed the concept of the Mandela identity within the University.

2. Mandela Studies

• To engage with emerging Mandela-related scholarship, both internal and external, to advance the academic and social identity of the University.

3. The Post-Apartheid, Decolonised, and Africanised University

• To use the Mandela figure to advance decolonial and Africanisation work and connect Mandela to the rest of the African continent and the world.

 

Our Objectives