International Spring Week

International Spring Week

The Faculty of Humanities at North-West University, South Africa, is pleased to announce its first international Spring Week.

SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT and CALL FOR ABSTRACT

Conference theme:

HUMANITIES HORIZONS: Navigating modernity and innovation

 

Aim of the international spring week

The aim of the international week is to bring together higher degree students, study leaders and researchers from different study fields in the humanities to learn and converse about the future of Humanities while navigating modernity and innovation. This week will provide opportunities to meet with renowned and expert researchers, attend workshops/seminars, but also presenting your own current and completed research or artwork. More importantly, a goal of this week is to have ample opportunities for networking, as well as constructive and critical discussions.

Please note:
Attendance is not dependent on abstract acceptance. Academics and higher degree students who want to attend the spring school to learn, network and interact with each other, as well as the expert presenters, are very welcome. However,  registration is obligatory.

 

Workshops and seminars

On 16 and 17 September interactive workshops and seminars on a variety of topics will be presented by experts on the following:

16 September:

  • Wellbeing – languishing vs flourishing
  • Identity of an academic citizen
  • The masters and doctoral article model
  • How to get your article published
  • Academic writing skills
  • Creative writing
  • Written Sesotho: History and future
  • Interactive discussions about your research
  • Virtual arts and Articificial Intelligence 
  • Synthography / AI-generated Art
  • Qualitative thematic data analysis
  • Case study research

17 September

  • Articificial intelligence and ethics
  • Preparing South African students for the AI driven future
  • The Mmogo method: A projective visual data-collection tool
  • Qualitative thematic data analysis
  • Structural equation modelling
  • MPlus
  • What is a theoretical framework
  • Developing a new framework or model
  • Decolonising the curriculum
  • Sonic methdodologies in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Panel discussions

There will be two panel discussions with expert panel members to stimulate thinking and questions regarding the following theme and subthemes:

Panel 1

Challenges, opportunities and the voice of Humanities in a rapidly changing world

The panel members include:

  • Artificial Intelligence – Mrs Doris Viljoen,
  • Conflicts and Violence threatening human rights in Africa – Prof Barend Prinsloo
  • Poverty and Human Rights in Africa – Me Niki Govender
  • Decolonisation – Prof Blessed Ngwenya
  • Democracy vs populism – Prof Piet Croucamp
  • The role of media in conflicts in Africa  - Prof Dumi Moyo

Panel 2

Panel Theme: Strengthening an integrated criminal justice system: prospects and shortcomings

Panel discussion leader: Prof Barend L. Prinsloo

Topic 1: Legal Foundations of SA's criminal justice system

  • Prof Heath Grant, Deputy Chair, Department of Law, Police Science, and Criminal Justice Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in NY
  • Prof Pieter du Toit, Faculty of Law, NWU (Internal so formal invitation letter not required – an email would suffice)

Topic 2: Criminal Investigations in South Africa: Crimes Against the State

  • Lt-Col IA Simons from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, South Africa

Topic 3: High-level specialised prosecutions

  • “The State vs B Thulsie and another”, Adv Adele Barnard, Senior Prosecutor at the National Prosecuting Authority, South Africa

 Topic 4: Criminal threats to SA's democracy: corruption, organised crime, financial crimes

  • Mr Willem Els, Institute for Security Studies, South Africa
  • Mr Johan van Heerden, Fraud Analytics Manager, First Rand, South Africa
  • Mr Richard Chelin, Anti-corruption Advisor, British High Commission, Pretoria

Topic 5: International collaboration to support SA's criminal justice system

  • Mr Chris Underwood, Political Counsellor, British High Commission, Pretoria
  • Mr John Melkon, Civilian Director and Assistant Professor Center for the Study of Civil-Military Operations at West Point, USA
  • Mr Sello Moerane, The Head of INTERPOL Regional Bureau, for Southern Africa, Harare, Zimbabwe

 

Important Dates

Extended due date to submit paper and poster abstracts: 12 July 2024                  

Abstract feedback date: 26 July 2024

Due date for registrations and payments: 16 August 2024