The Department of Psychology is proud to announce the appointment of internationally renowned scholars, Sharon G Horne and Michelle Fine as professors extraordinarius.

This exciting addition to the Department is encouraged by the vibrant enabling environment set up for academics to transcend disciplinary boundaries as organic intellectuals, engaged in multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary research. An additional benefit of working closely with seasoned scholars, is the enhancement of quality and innovative scholarship.

About Prof Sharon G Horne

Prof Sharon G Horne

Horne is a noted scholar in the field of Counselling Psychology, with a focus on LGBTIQ concerns.

She co-founded the PhD programme in Counselling Psychology, with a transnational emphasis, at the University of Massachusetts Boston in the United States, and has directed the programme since 2011.

Prior to this appointment, she served on the faculty at University of Memphis for 12 years in the Counselling Psychology programme. She has extensive experience in research and teaching, has directed more than 30 theses and dissertations, conducted 150+ national and international conference presentations, and published 100+ articles in scientific journals and book chapters.

Horne has already conducted LGBTIQ research in South Africa as an esteemed Global Fulbright Scholar (2018-2022) and in 2019 she was hosted by the Unisa Department of Psychology at the invitation of the then College of Human Sciences’ Executive Dean.

She has received several prestigious awards for her research and mentoring, such as the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Contributions in International Psychology, and the Elizabeth Beckman Award for Mentoring.

Horne’s interest in transnational concerns in LGBTIQ communities is consistent with ongoing cutting-edge research conducted by Unisa academics and will enhance collaboration and further the scholarship in this catalytic niche area as set out by Prof Puleng LenkaBula, Unisa’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor.

As professor extraordinarius, 2022 - 2025, she will be sharing her knowledge and wisdom with department faculty through leading a national survey currently underway regarding mental health access and treatment of LGBTIQ individuals, publishing research articles in accredited journals, delivering seminar presentations and presenting papers at postgraduate student engagements.

About Prof Michelle Fine

Prof Michelle Fine

Fine is a distinguished Professor of Critical Psychology, Women’s Studies, Social Welfare, American Studies and Urban Education at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center, and is a founding faculty member of The Public Science Project, a university-community research space designed in collaboration with movements for racial and educational justice.

She has been appointed as professor extraordinarius, 2021 - 2024.

As a scholar, expert witness in litigation, a teacher and an educational activist, her work centres theoretically and epistemically on questions of justice and dignity, privilege and oppression, and how solidarities emerge.

Fine served as an expert witness in a range of educational, racial and gender justice class action lawsuits including girls suing for access to Central High School in Philadelphia and The Citadel in South Carolina, students of colour suing for racial equity in Wedowee Alabama, youth fighting for equitable financing and facilities in Williams v. State of California, and most recently a finance inequity lawsuit for the children of Baltimore.

With a rich international network of collaborators and activist scholarship, she has published extensively in the form of books and articles on high school pushouts, adolescent sexuality called the "missing discourse of desire", the national evaluation of the impact of college in prison, the struggles and strength of the children of incarcerated adults, the wisdom of Muslim American youth as well as chapters and books on epistemic justice and critical participatory inquiry.

Fine is a recipient of professional awards including Honorary Degrees from Bank Street College, Lewis and Clark, Stanford University and the Distinguished Alumni award from Teachers College Columbia, as well as lifetime achievement awards from the American Psychological Association and the American Educational Research Association.

As per the conditions of her appointment, Prof Fine will contribute to the academic programme of the Department of Psychology through collaborative research, seminars, mentoring of emerging researchers and potentially acting as an external supervisor in future. She has recently taken part in the virtual inaugural lecture of Prof Puleng Segalo as a respondent to the topic "A permit to exist: on place-identity, gender, trauma and (non)belonging".

* By Katlego Pilane, Department of Psychology, College of Human Sciences