The Academic Citizen The Academic Citizen

The Academic Citizen

An academic citizen is anyone who is part of the higher education community. They are engaged in pedagogy or research or both, and are committed to furthering knowledge, education and the advancement of society from their disciplinary position.

An academic citizen sees their work in higher education as a public project, both in terms of being partially funded by taxpayer money, and in terms of the contributions they wish to make to the world around them.

Although citizenship implies an exclusive form of belonging, here we use it to signal the role of academic work in collective life in a non-exclusionary way, and to anchor it in a public project to which all humanity belongs.

We create knowledge not only for our individual benefit but for the benefit of all.

The Academic Citizen is an independent podcast series produced and funded in its second iteration by the South African Research Chair in Science Communication in 2022. It was originally supported by the Academic Staff Association of Wits University (ASAWU) when it was first established in 2016.
Occasionally English South Africa Philosophy · Social Sciences Narrated by Victoria Landey & Taryn Mackay
24 Episodes
1 – 20

54: New Universities

[FROM THE ARCHIVE - 2018] Carina Truyts is part of the pioneers at South Africa’s newest university, Sol Plaatje University in Kimberly. She has established the Anthropology department there. Her teaching and research is focused on contextual knowledge production, sharing and engagement. Truyts’ Masters Research was on Nourishment in the…
4 Apr 41 min

50: Young People and HIV Research Discourse

[FROM THE ARCHIVE - 2018] Dr. Beth Vale is a researcher at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection. She is a Mandela Rhodes and a Rhodes Scholar. Dr. Vale was a postdoctoral fellow under the NRF Chair in Local Histories, Present Realities at Wits University. Her research explored Johannesburg nightclub…
16 Feb 52 min

39: Cycle-Versities

[FROM THE ARCHIVE] South African universities suffer from serious traffic congestion, lack of parking spaces and high pollution levels. Even though many staff and students aspire to own a car, arguably the bicycle offers huge potential to transform the environment and culture of campuses. In this episode Dr Mehita Iqani…
9 Jan 44 min

33: Universities and Medical Aids

[FROM THE ARCHIVE - 2018] Despite policy initiatives aimed at structuring affordable low cost health care funding products, medical schemes have remained unaffordable, and therefore inaccessible, to the majority of South Africans. Universities, through insurance companies, provide medical aid with high premiums to their staff. Coupled with high tuition, international…
22 Nov 2023 46 min

Sound Matters Virtual Symposium - Call for Participation

Are you interested in, passionate about or working on the possibilities of using audio to create, shape, and distribute scientific and academic research to the public? Submit a proposal/abstract for our upcoming virtual symposium "Sound Matters: Interdisciplinary Explorations Into Audio Knowledge Production" in collaboration with the South African Research Chair…
3 Oct 2023 5 min

52: Politics of Academic Publishing

[FROM THE ARCHIVE - 2018] Writing for academic journals is highly competitive. The common saying in academic circles is, “get published or perish!” There’s no simple formula for getting published, expectations vary both between and within subject areas. But there are some challenges that will confront all academic writers regardless…
5 Sep 2023 1 hour

37: Community-Engaged Scholarship

[FROM THE ARCHIVE - 2017] Are universities stuck in an ivory tower, cut off from day to day reality? In this episode, Prof Mehita Iqani discusses how research should and could be engaged with “communities”. The guest is University of Cape Town Associate Professor, Tanja Winkler, deputy dean of the…
18 Jul 2023 46 min

43: Economic Inequality & Pay

[FROM THE ARCHIVE - 2017] Most universities are at the forefront of denouncing social injustices and inequality yet, in 2013 for instance the highest paid chancellor earned an annual salary of 3.2 million more than what the President of South Africa earns. These figures reflect shocking high salary discrepancies between…
29 May 2023 45 min

51. Mental Welnness in Academia

[FROM THE ARCHIVE - 2018} In the Netherlands, a study revealed that 1 in 3 academics suffer from mental health disorder. This then begs the question if the same applies to Academics here in South Africa? If so what could be the reasons? Is mental wellness an Institutional problem? Is…
30 Mar 2023 38 min

42: The Art of Language

[FROM THE ARCHIVE - 2018]Dr Hleze Kunju wrote his four-year-long PhD thesis in isiXhosa, about Xhosa people who settled in Mbembesi, an area outside of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. He graduated with his PhD in April 2017 and is a lecturer at Sol Plaatjie University. Hailing from rural Mqanduli in the Eastern…
12 Feb 2023 40 min

62. Journeys PART 2

In this episode, we explore three ways of understanding journeys from movement as knowledge with A/Professor Harmony Signaporia, to the ethics of flying and climate change with Dr Henri-Count Evans and to the elusiveness of nature and the wild by Dr Gabriella Leighton. Journeys is the final episode of Season…
23 Dec 2022 45 min

62. Journeys PART 1

In this episode, we explore three ways of understanding journeys from movement as knowledge with A/Professor Harmony Siganporia, to the ethics of flying and climate change with Dr Henri-Count Evans and to the elusiveness of nature and the wild by Dr Gabriella Leighton. Journeys is the final episode of Season…
23 Dec 2022 27 min

Commission & Collaborate With Us!

Are you an academic, researcher or institution or department of higher education? Do you want to make a podcast to share your research with the world? Speak to us, we can help! We are open to being commissioned from 2023. Intro and Outro Music by The Academic Citizen Backing Music…
19 Dec 2022 2 min

61. Failure PART 2

In the latest episode of #TheAcademicCitizen, being delayed is not being denied. We explore the choppy waters of what it means to be success? with Adv Thato Toeba, who or what determines failure with Dr Sthabile Kolwa and unpacking the enabling conditions that aid us in taking risks and learning…
15 Nov 2022 54 min

61. Failure PART 1

In the latest episode of The Academic Citizen, being delayed is not being denied. We explore the choppy waters of what it means to be success? with Adv Thato Toeba, who or what determines failure with Dr Sthabile Kolwa and unpacking the enabling conditions that aid us in taking risks…
15 Nov 2022 26 min

60. Breathing PART 2

Breath is life. In this episode, our academic citizens explore how breathing helps our mental and physical well-being with Dr. Ela Manga and the advocacy for improved air quality in our cities and health with A/Prof Tolullah Oni. A special thank you to Dr. Nosipho Mngomezulu for permission to use…
18 Oct 2022 35 min

60. Breathing PART 1

Breath is life. In this episode, our academic citizens explore how breathing helps our mental and physical well-being with Dr. Ela Manga and the advocacy for improved air quality in our cities and health with A/Prof Tolullah Oni. A special thank you to Dr. Nosipho Mngomezulu for permission to use…
7 Oct 2022 29 min

59. Ancestors PART 3

An exploration of ancestors and lineage with reference to the academic and intellectual project. Part 3 explores placement and identity with Youlendree Appasamy as well as academic ancestors with Dr Mohammad Shabangu.
4 Oct 2022 48 min

59. Ancestors PART 2

An exploration of ancestors and lineage with reference to the academic and intellectual project. Part 2 speaks to heritage and ancestry from rock art to archeology with Dr Sven Ouzman.
4 Oct 2022 26 min

59. Ancestors PART 1

An exploration of ancestors and lineage with reference to the academic and intellectual project. This is an intro by Dr Nosipho Mngomezulu, podcast host of The Academic Citizen.
3 Sep 2022 7 min
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