Beyond Classroom Walls: The Impact of Field Trips on Pre-Service Teachers\u27 Engagement with Performing Arts in a Bachelor of Education Programme

This study investigates how field trips to a jazz concert and theatre performance enhance pre-service teachers’ engagement with performing arts in a South African Bachelor of Education programme. The objective was to assess their impact on music and drama education. The sample included 530 students across four years at a university of Technology. Findings show 92% had no prior exposure to formal arts venues, with increased enjoyment, cultural connection, and content knowledge in jazz and theatre. Students reported greater interest in integrating arts into teaching. Using Engeström’s Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), the study emphasises field trips’ role in addressing South Africa’s arts access disparities. It informs teacher education to foster culturally responsive pedagogy

Clean Energy and Financial Development as Determinants of Sustainable Development in sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is prominently involved in a range of established policies and international initiatives aimed at advancing clean energy and financial development, which are pivotal for addressing environmental concerns, stimulating economic growth, and promoting sustainable investment. However, access to clean energy, insufficient political commitment, and a lack of clear policy guidance remain major issues. This study investigated the relationship between clean energy access, financial development, and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to address critical research gaps. Financial Development exhibited a positive and significant relationship with gross domestic product per capita via analysis using panel data and employing panel Fully Modified Least Squares (FMOLS) regression, after determining that all the variables are stationary at I(1) except one, which is stationary at I(0). This suggests that a well-developed financial sector positively impacts economic growth by facilitating access to capital. Also, Renewable Energy Consumption demonstrated a negative association with gross domestic product per capita, possibly due to initial investment costs and technological constraints. The interaction effect between financial development and renewable energy also showed a negative impact on gross domestic product per capita, indicating a mitigating influence when both factors are considered together. Additionally, Trade Openness and Foreign Direct Investment exhibited notable impacts on gross domestic product per capita, with higher levels of trade openness and foreign direct investment potentially leading to lower economic growth. Based on the findings, the policy recommendations of this study are to strengthen the financial sector with efficient credit allocation, promote clean energy adoption despite challenges, mitigate trade openness impacts through diversification, and evaluate FDI for sustainable development alignment that enhances local benefits

Empowering African women with the skills required in the workplace in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)

Africa has been characterised by gender and social inequalities that have affected differentdimensions of women’s lives. Even in the modern era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR),most women do not have the right skills to secure and keep profitable employment. Grounded inhuman capital, postmodern feminism, and empowerment theories, this study unpacks how to empower African women with skills relevant in the 4IR. An integrative review approach is used. Out of 917 articles screened, 24 peer-reviewed articles (2018–2023) on 4IR, women, and Africa were retained and analysed using a manual content analysis method. Results reveal the need for a robust regulatory framework backed by government funding and support to address past inequalities and tackle the underdevelopment of 4IR and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills in women.

Therapy Helps, but the Root Cause of South Africa\u27s Mental Health Crisis is Structural

In August 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that Africa has one of the highest suicide rates globally. While the worldwide average stands at 9 per 100,000 people, Africa records 11 per 100,000. Among African men, the rate rises to 18 per 100,000, far above the global male average of 12.2 (WHO, 2022). Similarly, the 2023 World Happiness Report (WHR) revealed that of the world’s 24 least happy countries, 17 are African (WHR 2023). The above happiness statistics can be understood from the socioeconomic statuses of many African countries, which are considered the poorest continent. Bringing this closer to home, South Africa ranks among the top ten countries with the highest suicide rates. In 2019 alone, 13,774 suicide deaths were recorded, 10,861 of them men (cf. Ugar & Klaas, 2025). By 2021, there had been a rise to 18 per 100,000, well above the global male average of 12.2 per 100,000, underscoring the urgency of addressing the root causes of these trends (Ugar & Klaas, 2025). This increase could be explained using the rationale that I provide below

Some Burn Too Bright: Remembering Tshidiso Moletsane

The winner of the 2022 Sunday Times Award and finalist of the UJ Prize for South African Writing, Tshidiso Moletsane’s novel Junx (2021) made an indelible mark on the South African literary scene with its powerful portrayal of a young Black man frantically attempting to escape his mental anguish while roaming the nightly streets of Johannesburg, sinking deeper and deeper into his own depression, yet never losing his self-deprecating humour. Far from being a city of gold, the Joburg of Junx is “a city in enormous discomfort, a city in mourning” (94) —a city symbolic of larger struggles that continue to shape Black life in South Africa. As it offers an unflinching lens onto post-apartheid society, Junx ultimately suggests that the consequences of white supremacy, anti-Blackness, and racial inequality are nothing less than devastating for poor Black South African youth

Selective Violence-Blindness in the Word and the World: Analysing Roots, Exploring Interventions

While, in theory, largely opposed to violence, the Church, conceived broadly, has historically and in contemporary times been complicit in the legitimation of various forms of violence. To makes sense of this, this paper theorises the concept of selective violence-blindness as a phenomenon operating within the church to legitimise violence enacted upon certain bodies. It does this through analysing and drawing connections between two examples. The first highlights hegemonic readings of Hagar’s story in Genesis 16 to highlight selective violence-blindness in engagements with “the word”. The second centres hegemonic readings of the genocide in Gaza to highlight selective violence-blindness in engagements with “the world”. The paper begins with an exploration of these phenomena. It then offers a framework with which to analyse some of the factors producing this selective violence-blindness. Subsequently, the paper names and analyses three of these factors: coloniality, theological grand narratives, and a failure to recognise discourses as sites of struggle. Finally, drawing on scholars of black theology, Palestinian liberation theology, and black feminism, the paper proposes ways of addressing these factors through liberatory readings of both “the word” and “the world” that make visible and problematise the violence enacted upon certain bodies

Trance and Transfiguration in Rock Art and literature, Unisa Press/Routledge 2025: By Richard Alan Northover

Academic courses on psychedelic drugs and religion are very popular among Ivy League universities, notably, Brown University, Berkeley, Duke, and Harvard University. Current research articles and books abound on the topic (see for example Johnson (2022), Richards (2016), Cherniak et al (2022)). The prevalence of the field speaks to its acceptance by mainstream academia. Medical research is also recognising the benefits of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of depression and addiction (Kuypers 2020)

Integrating Battery Systems with Solar Inverters to Enhance Solar Energy Utilization and Grid Stability for a Sustainable Future: A Review

This study examines the critical role of energy storage solutions in integrating solar photovoltaic systems into the power grid. The focus is retrofitting battery systems to existing transformers and their limitations as direct adjuncts to solar inverters. Advancements in battery technology, including hybrid inverters and smart energy management systems, are explored. The study investigates the advantages of integrated systems, such as improved energy efficiency, enhanced grid stability, and increased self-consumption of solar PV energy. Economic and environmental benefits are also analyzed, including reduced reliance on fossil fuels, lower electricity costs, and decreased CO2 emissions. Finally, the study addresses large-scale implementation challenges, encompassing grid interconnection, safety protocols, and regulatory frameworks. This work comprehensively reviews current solar energy storage technologies and their importance for a sustainable energy future

L\u27anthropologie clinique d\u27orientation psychanalytique : un dialogue inter-culturel

This article addresses the question of how to take anthropologists\u27 subjectivity into account in their research through a psychoanalytically oriented clinical approach. Through the analysis of the author\u27s own psychological movements, he hypothesizes that a sense of guilt may be common to those who practice anthropology, and that analyzing their transference and countertransference reactions can provide a way to access the reality of the other. In this way, he proposes to find in the clinical approach an ethic that allows us to break with the evolutionary and neocolonial positions of the discipline. He seeks to define anthropology as the practice of intercultural dialogue, first at the level of intersubjectivity, but also at the level of culturally distant social and institutional practices.Cet article aborde la question de la prise en compte de la subjectivité de l\u27anthropologue dans sa recherche, à travers une démarche clinique d\u27orientation psychanalytique. Il fait l\u27hypothèse qu\u27un sentiment de culpabilité est peut-être commun à celles et ceux qui font de l\u27anthropologie, et que l\u27analyse de leurs réactions transférentielles et contre-transférentielles constitue une voie d\u27accès à la réalité de l\u27autre. En cela, il propose d\u27appliquer la démarche clinique pour tenter de rompre avec les positionnements évolutionnistes et néo-coloniaux de la discipline. En rappelant les principes méthodologiques de l\u27entretien clinique de recherche, il montre qu\u27il est possible de faire de l\u27anthropologie la pratique d\u27un dialogue inter-subjectif et inter-culturel

Teach, Reflect, Grow: Empowering Aspiring Educators through Structured Observations

Abstract Doctoral training is increasingly accepted for creating the conditions for the development of mature researchers equipped with essential transferable skills such as the ability to design and deliver good teaching, especially for those envisioning a career in academia. While doctoral candidates are primarily focused on research, there is a pressing need for them to develop pedagogical competencies and professional skills essential for independent leadership. However, the scarcity of continuous professional development opportunities in teaching poses a significant challenge. This article explores the development and implementation of a structured teaching observation process within a foundational course for a Certificate of Teaching in Higher Education specifically aimed at PhD students. This process is designed to support the professional development of aspiring educators through a comprehensive, three-step observation framework involving pre-observation discussion, observation, and post-observation reflec-tion. Our wholistic reflections highlighted that, while resource-intensive, the process was instrumental in fostering learning. Preparation and planning were highlighted as crucial for effective teaching. Engagement and confidence varied widely among students. The process cultivated an educator identity. Creativity was emphasized, though constrained in some cases by existing course structures or students’ personalities. Reflection helped in developing metacognitive skills, while feedback fostered improvement and also highlighted the tension between peer and instructor perspectives. The integration of feedback from both professional pedagogic experts and peer PhD students enriches the learning experience, promoting reflective practice and continuous improvement of teaching skills. This dual observation process offers diverse perspectives, fostering a culture of constructive feedback and professional growth.