The Politics of Teaching, Funding and Publication in South African Anthropology: “Our Experiences”

This paper takes a critical look at the politics of teaching, funding and publication that seemingly dominate the academic context of anthropology in South Africa. The views that will be expressed are of an inherently personal nature as they will reflect the experiences that we have had as young academics in our institution and beyond. There are numerous challenges that we have had to face; many of them having to do with the political context of teaching, funding and research/publication. In this paper, we will indicate some of the major challenges that we have had to face, specifically within the context of teaching, funding and research. These three areas are of specific importance to us because, as young researchers/academics, these issues arecritical in relation to our institution’s criteria for academic staff development. However, despite the importance of these criterion, we will show, based on our own experiences, how institutional politics within the university context as well as the politics associated with publication, have become obstacles preventing us from developing successfully ourselves and making a meaningful contribution to the development of South African anthropology

“Ndiyindoda” [I am a man]: theorising Xhosa masculinity

Masculinity studies in South Africa depend on Western gender theories to frame research questions and fieldwork. This article argues that such theories offer a limited understanding of Xhosa constructions of masculinity. Xhosa notions of masculinity are embodied in the concept of indoda, meaning a traditionally circumcised person. This article explores the nuanced meanings of indoda and its relationship to other masculinities, like uncircumcised boys [inkwenkwe] and medically circumcised men. The discussion reveals that indoda is the most “honoured” form of masculinity. A traditionally circumcised individual is regarded as indoda, a real man, irrespective of his sexual orientation or class, and this affords him certain rights and privileges. Inkwenkwe and medically circumcised men embody “subordinate” forms of masculinity and are victims of stigma and discrimination by indoda. This requires us to revisit some Western theories of masculinity which place heterosexual men at the top of a masculine hierarchy and gay men at the bottom. It furthermore requires us to pay attention to the body when theorising Xhosa masculinity, since it is a principal way of “proving” and “defending” Xhosa manhood.IBS