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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.

Available Episodes 10

What happens when you combine science with electrifying and nostalgic sonic experimentation? In this episode, we explore the ideal fusion of music and science as we share stories of scientific research with researcher, science communicator, and producer, Prof Alice Motion. Focusing on the psychological aspects of public understanding of science, this episode illustrates that, much like facts, emotions and social relationships play a significant role in how we create, share, and absorb knowledge. Music, much like science, holds epistemic authority, making the partnership between science and music immensely valuable for improving access to and understanding of scientific research in society. Come with us with the last episode of season.

Humans need to re-establish our connection with the Earth. In this episode, we explore the role of sound in helping us understand how waste has impacted the spaces and experiences of our planet with sociologist, filmmaker, and performer Dr. Julie Patarin-Jossen. Through feminist and queer perspectives, this episode helps us develop a new emotional relationship with the natural world, especially as we are called to protect our home, Earth. Come with us.

Similar to spoken and written language, clothing conveys important symbolic meaning and serves as a creative space for preserving daily traditions. In this episode, we highlight indigenous language and knowledge systems with independent fashion practitioner, researcher, and archivist Siviwe James. Through the use of sound, we emphasize the significance of traditional clothing as primary cultural materials, allowing for a deeper exploration of history and culture, particularly in relation to isintu and intlonipho. Listen to the episode on our website or on all streaming platforms. Come with us.

The sounds of nature can offer a unique listening experience and make us aware of our spaces and the species that exist. In this episode, we head deep into the green urban belts and wild spaces of Aoteroa with wildlife filmmaker, storyteller and host of Tune into Nature Podcast, Karthic SS. This episode guides our attention and appreciation to nature's soundscapes where listening can offer whole different modality to learning about the presence of species and growing conservation efforts. Come with us.

When we think of museums, we often envision a traditional building with objects and artefacts. In this episode, we challenge this notion with Dr. John Kannenberg from The Museum of Portable Sound. This episode delves into the concept of collecting and showcasing sound as cultural and museological heritage, offering a new perspective on traditional museum and music practices. By examining the portability of sound, this episode emphasizes that sound is an integral part of our cultural heritage and is not confined to a single space. Come with us.

Listening is dynamic, especially in recreating historical places. In this episode, we explore Willow Road in Fairview, Gqeberha with musician and sound artist Andrei Van Wyk. It focuses on using sound to evoke the lost homes and communities of Willow Road, destroyed by the Group Areas Act of 1950. By reconstructing the past through sound, this episode highlights how audio can revive aspects of lost spaces. Come with us.

What is the significance of engaging with colonial archives, which are laden with historical power imbalances and misrepresentations? In this episode, we embark on a journey through time to explore radio archives from the colonial era. Luc Marraffa, a PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam, helps us rethink how we engage with archives and give voice to unheard narratives and non-verbal cues.

On the premiere episode of Season 7, listeners are treated to an interstellar auditory experience in the form of an audio postcard. Narrated by Sarah Kane, a PhD researcher in Astronomy from Cambridge University, this episode offers a captivating exploration into the innovative realm of data sonifications. Kane, along with her esteemed team, sheds light on groundbreaking research insights concerning the effectiveness of utilising data sonification in astronomy outreach and communication, with a specific focus on reaching audiences with visual impairments. Come with us.

[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 'first thousand days' in the context of precarious livelihoods in a small Cape Winelands town.

In this episode she shares with with Dr Nosipho Mngomezulu the excitement, countless opportunities and responsibilities associated with being part of this pioneering exercise. They also speak about institutional cultures and the ethical conundrums faced at such new establishments.

Produced, Edited, Researched and Scheduled by:

Simbarashe Honde

[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 cultures as sites of identity, attachment and place-making. Vale’s doctoral research completed at Oxford, was an ethnographic study exploring the medication-taking practices of HIV-positive adolescents in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. She worked as part of a mixed-methods team that worked collaboratively with government and local NGOs to inform policy and programming.

In this episode, Dr Nosipho Mngomezulu caught up with Dr Vale and they chat on youth research, intimacy, HIV and writing for the public. They also discuss effective ways of engagement, conflict and identity construction in disseminating research.