FHSS news�Issue 1 • July 2008�
The managing director of Stan-�dard Bank Namibia, Mpumzi Pupu-�ma, expressed the bank’s support�and commitment to the arts by stating�that “art plays a vital role in educat-�ing, informing and challenging the�poverty of the mind”. He furthermore�said that the bank is “proud to be�part of the arts, offering essential�support to grow the sector, and with�it, our country’s unique identity and�sense of self.” And far from being a�
discipline without an economic future,�an education in the Arts affords stu-�
dents the opportunity to choose from�
a plethora of careers, such as in tex-�tile and fashion design, graphic de-�sign, education, etc. In fact art still�forms one of the most important�building blocks of civilization, thus�making it an essential discipline at�UNAM, one that needs to be sup-�ported and maintained.�
On 9 April 2008 the Department of Visual and Performing Arts received the�generous donation of N$ 105 000, of which N$ 55 000 is dedicated to bursaries�and the remaining N$ 55 000 to much needed materials, exhibitions, fashion�parades, etc. The donator: Standard Bank.�
Mr Pupuma handing over the cheque to the Visual Arts Section.�
news�
I�n February 2008, Mr Robin Tyson, lecturer in the�Department of Information and Communication�Studies, visited Finland as part of an ongoing North-�South-South co-operative programme between the�University of Helsinki, the University of Tampere in�Finland and the University of Namibia. This�programme also allows senior students in the�Department of Information and Communication�Studies the opportunity to visit Finland for a period�of three months. Currently Ndapanda Iyambo, a�Media Studies student, is at the University of Helsinki�participating in a course which looks at aspects of�international and developmental reporting.�
Furthermore, the Department encourages visits�by Finnish lecturers to Namibia. In March 2008,�Prof. Ullamaija Kivikuru, a regular visitor to UNAM,�gave a series of lectures on various topics�concerning the media environment in Finland and�assisted fourth year students with their research�projects.�
In May 2008 the Department also received Outi�Pyharanta, who offered a short course in�photojournalism to students in the BA Media Studies�course. This allowed the students to acquire a�thorough grasp of both theoretical and practical�aspects of photography.�
North-South Cooperation�
Boost for the Visual�Arts�
� Prof. Wilfrid Haacke was in the fortunate position�to meet, in�1988 at the�School of�Oriental and�African Studies,�London, Prof.�Jonathan Kaye,�a phonologist�and expert�programmer,�who was�prepared to�design free of�charge�dedicated lexicographic software for an ongoing�dictionary project in Khoekhoegowab. In the early nineties�he wrote a sophisticated programme that converts the�codified database compiled with commercially available�software (File Express, still DOS-based) into print-ready�text files in final page lay-out for the dictionary. The�programme made use of software designed for Windows�3.1.� In 2007 it turned out that this software was no�longer fully compatible with current operating systems�(Windows XP), with the result that the database for a new�glossary, a�
(commissioned by the Pan�South African Language Board) could no longer be�converted into text format. Over several weeks of daily�communication via email and skyping, Prof. Kaye�managed to successfully convert the data. This was a�complicated matter as the files had to be shuttled between�his Linux operating system and the local Windows setup.� As a result of the re-established contact Prof. Kaye�has now set out on writing a completely new programme�which is based on Linux open source software (i.e.�OpenOffice) so as to ensure the survival of the database. �It is today accepted that databases (including audio-visual�data) that use Microsoft software are threatened by�obsolescence after five years, as Microsoft does not reveal�the codes that would allow programmers adaptation of�software to new operating systems. Hence it is prudent if�not compelling for all public and private archives or�documentation centres to convert to open source software,�as used by Linux, to ensure that aging software can be�updated by private programmers. Open source software�is "free" software based on principles and practises that�promote the design and production of goods and�knowledge; I.e. it is not only free to download but users�are free to modify and distribute it.�
“�It is today accepted that�databases (including�
audio-visual data) that use�Microsoft software are�
threatened by�obsolescence after five�
years.”�
news�
Three FHSS staff members completed their doctoral degrees in early�2008. The new doctors are Fred Mwilima, Mara Murorua and Elisha Chiware. Dr�Murorua completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the Howard University ,�USA. Her thesis was titled “Personal Judgements and Psychologically Abusive�Behaviour: An Analysis of Ethnic Differences in Namibia”.�
Dr. Mwilima�
On 3 April 2008 the Department�of Language and Literature Studies�received Dr Karina Brink, wife of�renowned South African writer André�P. Brink, to deliver a public lecture on�Nadine Gordimer’s writing since�1994. The very informative lecture�presented an overview of Gordimer’s�writing as well as an analysis of the�development of her post-apartheid�writing.�
Karina Brink, née Szczurek, was�born in Poland in 1977. Her family�emigrated to Austria when she was�ten. Two years later they moved to the�United States, before returning to�Austria in 1991. She received her�M.A. from the University of Salzburg�(English and Slavonic Studies). From�2000 to 2001, she was an exchange�student at the University of Wales,�where she was part of the editorial�team of� , a poetry�anthology. She was a university�
news� Dr Elisha Chiware completed his PhD at the�University of Pretoria on “Business Information Needs,�Seeking Patterns and Information Sources in the SMME in�Namibia”.� Dr Mwilima completed his PhD through the�Sumnah School of Natural Healing in the USA. His�research was concerned with the influence of foods and�lifestyles on health, which he conducted in Windhoek,�Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Katima Mulilo. The results�revealed that good health does not come by itself, but�through ceaseless efforts and a mental fight against�selfish inclinations. It asserts that foods are intended to�fuel the inner healing of the human body and to�harmonise body chemistry. With well-chosen, well-�
prepared and nutritious foods, the human body is capable�of healing itself.� His Masters level theses were on the training�needs of Namibian journalists and the development and�impact of ICT in Namibian schools. Dr Mwilima has�contributed to the development of UNESCO’s media�training curriculum held in Lusaka, Zambia, in 2000 as�well as the 2008 curriculum review held at Rhodes�University, South Africa.�
(While Dr Mwilima is profiled in more detail in this�newsletter, Dr Chiware and Dr Murorua will be covered in�forthcoming issues of FHSS News.)�
[ ]�From left to right:�Ms O Ipinge (Language Centre), Dr�Karina Brink, Prof. André P. Brink,�Prof. M Z Malaba (English Section)�
maiden name Scczurek [shtchurek] in�South Africa.�
Karina Brink currently lives in�South Africa.�
assistant at the English Department of�the University of Salzburg while�working on her doctoral thesis: “Truer�than Fiction: Nadine Gordimer Writing�in Post-Apartheid South Africa”, which�she has completed in the meantime.�Her research interests are: South�African literature, nineteenth- and�twentieth-century fiction in English,�colonial and post-colonial studies and�Victorianism in the New Worlds.�
After completing her PhD she�decided to free her own stories from�the proverbial drawer and won 3rd�prize in the POWA (People Opposing�Women Abuse) Women’s Writing�Competition. Some of her other stories�have been accepted for publication by�
,� and�Since 2005 she has also been�
acting as book reviewer for� (under her�
L. Edwards. 2008. “HIV/AIDS, Frauen und Tradition:�Über die Feminisierung der Epidemie in Namibia” in�
, 57/08. 3-9. Austria�
L. Edwards. 2007. “Women’s Emancipation and Class�Politics: Unravelling the Tangle” in A. Hoffmann and�L. Gentle (Eds)�
. Johannesburg: Rosa Luxemburg�Foundation�
L. Edwards. 2007. “Gender and Sexuality: Socio-�Cultural Impediments to Women’s Sexual and�Reproductive Autonomy” in S. LaFont and D. Hubbard�(Eds).�
. Windhoek: Legal Assistance Centre�
L. Edwards. 2007. “HIV/AIDS in Namibia: Gender,�Class and Feminist Theory Revisited” in H. Melber�(Ed).� . Uppsala: Nordiska�Afrikainstitutet�
J. Klinner. 2008. “Fortbildung für DeutschdozentInnen�verantwortlich für die Ausbildung von DaF-�LehrerInnen”. in http://www.sagv.org.za/eDusa/�index.htm�
M. Z. Malaba & G. V. Davis�(eds). 2008.�
.�(Matatu 34). Amsterdam and�New York: Rodopi�
M. Z. Malaba. 2007.�.�
Windhoek: Orumbonde Press�
news�
The FHSS welcomes� in the Department of�Information and Communication Studies. She�
specializes in corporate communication and has�lectured at UNAM on a part-time basis for many�years. She brings important private sector�experience to the department, which is of great�
value to the corporate communication and public�relations modules offered by the department.�
joined the English Section in the Department of�Language and Literature Studies in April. She has extensive experience in�teaching English, with specialization in second language acquisition. She is�currently writing her PhD dissertation on the topic of the influence of mother�tongue instruction on reading and literacy in English.�
is a new colleague in the Clinical and Industrial�Psychology Section in the Department of Psychology and Social Work. He�has worked in private practice as well as in education and is therefore ideally�placed at UNAM. He is interested in doing research into job satisfaction�among Namibian teachers.�
The FHSS is pleased to have these new colleagues amongst its ranks and�wishes them a positive work experience at UNAM.�
Page 4�
A social work lecturer from University West in�Vanorsborg, Sweden, visited the Social Work Section�from 1 to 24 April 2008 in order to substantiate the�exchange programme between her department and�UNAM. She specializes in social group work,�empowerment of minority groups and social�mobilization. Second year social work students from�UNAM will visit Sweden in 2009 for six weeks and�acquaint themselves with how social work is done in�Sweden as compared to Namibia.�
Ms U. Muinjangue, Ms J. Ananias and Dr. L.�Lightfoot from the Social Work Department will present�papers at a Conference in Durban, South Africa,�during July 2008. The theme is “Global Social Work”.�
Ms M. Maree and Ms J. Ananias, from the�Social Work Section in the Department of Psychology�and Social Work, and NAMDEP are research partners�in assessing alcohol and drug use and abuse by�NAMDEP employees. Phase I of the research�assignment was completed in January 2008 when the�report was disseminated in Oranjemund. The�empirical work of Phase 2 was conducted from 31 May�to 5 June this year. This part of the research consists of�a qualitative study on drug and alcohol use and abuse�of NAMDEP employees in Oranjemund.�
Prof. Mchombu and Dr Chiware participated in�and delivered presentations during an intensive week-�
long course on knowledge and management tools�applications at the University of the Western Cape.�
Ms U. Muinjangue is conducting radio talk�shows for the Women’s programme on the Otjiherero�service of the NBC. Her topics are: child rearing,�relationships, marriage, self-esteem and self-�confidence, and the role of women in society. She also�contributes information about socially related issues for�the programme “Good morning Namibia”.�
Research Projects, Conferences and Community Service�
news�
Page 5�
