2022-07-27 Anthropology and Development Studies-39 – Prof Stadler, staff in the Anthropology department and students
DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES DOES UJ PROUD IN QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS
In 2023, the Department of Anthropology and Development Studies achieved one of UJ’s highest rankings according to the 2023 QS World University Rankings, one of the most prestigious and widely recognised rankings in higher education, published annually by the London-based company, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The rankings evaluate universities in five categories: arts and humanities, engineering and technology, life sciences and medicine, social sciences and management, and business and economics. One of the indicators in the rankings is research impact, and to this end, the Department of Anthropology and Development Studies publishes a prolific number of books, said Prof Jonathan Stadler, Head of the Department. “Over the last few years we have produced 14 full-length monographs and edited collected works. In 2023, Archives of Times Past , edited by Prof Mbongiseni Buthelezi (Wits University Press), was awarded a prize for the best non- fiction edited collection by the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences. “We have also edited several special editions of international journals, and many of us are on the editorial boards of international and local journals. Our students often win prizes and are invited to local and international conferences to present papers,” said Prof Stadler. Everyone in the department is responsible for teaching, curriculum design, and contributing toward research and publications, according to Prof Stadler. The student population, combined Development Studies and Anthropology is: 1569 undergraduates, and almost 100 postgraduates (Honours to PhDs). “There are 10 full-time lecturers and one half-time lecturer,
all of whom have PhDs and are recognised in their specific fields. We partner with the Centre for Social Development to offer a course work MA and a thesis PhD programme in Development Studies, as well as the Paleo Research Institute, which teaches modules at undergraduate level in Anthropology and supervise research MAs and PhDs,” elaborated Prof Stadler. Having moved with the digital age, the Department uses Moodle to teach, mark and interact with the students. “We also use other online platforms to run blended meetings and seminars. However, face-to-face lectures and meetings are the norm. A few of our post graduate students do research online, while others write on digital spaces and do virtual networking. International postgraduate students have the option of virtual consultations and meetings with supervisors,” affirmed Prof Stadler. Looking to the future, the Department aims to strengthen the established links it has made with Anthropology, Palaeontology, and Development Studies with respect to its teaching, supervision, and research. “We want to continue to further enhance this interdisciplinarity through shared projects, publishing, and to build on the strengths of all ‘sides’ of the department. We have ongoing plans to further develop our partnerships within the southern African region and in East Africa through shared research and training opportunities. “To this end we are hosting two conferences at the end of the year. The first is the Annual Meeting of Anthropology Southern Africa, the Association for Southern and pan- African Anthropologists (ASPAA). The second is the annual meeting of the World Anthropological Union, the first time an African country is hosting this meeting.”
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