The Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies

What do we do?

We are committed to raising awareness about gender issues in the Southern African context.

Vision

Our vision, aligned with that of the University of South Africa, is to strive to become a hub of academic excellence in gender and sexuality studies through interdisciplinarity; student-centredness and engaged scholarship

Mission

To advance academic excellence through:

• Promoting quality CODeL+ tuition
• Conducting high impact research
• fostering active engaged scholarship in gender and sexuality studies
• serving as a catalyst for transformation and anti/post/de- colonisation

Values:

The Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies is aligned with the values of the University of South Africa

Why do we do it?

We believe that raising awareness about gender is the only way to make progress towards eliminating GBV (gender-based violence), homophobia and transphobia as well as discrimination against women in the workplace and the political arena. We further believe that education about gender is an effective way to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women.

How do we do it?

• We promote scholarship as a way of changing society in Southern Africa to make it more gender equitable.
• We foster theory-led multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary research into all aspects of gender studies.
• We co-ordinate research projects into, for example, gender and representation; gender and CODeL; gender and technology.
• We also co-ordinate an interdisciplinary Honours programme in Gender Studies.

Objectives

• To create a conducive and inclusive space for the production of engaged research that is innovative, current, and high-quality.
• To forge and maintain research collaborations with gender stakeholders both internally and externally.
• To advocate for social and gender justice for minorities and other vulnerable populations, including LGBTQIA+ people.
• To conduct community engagement that is influential and impactful, beneficial to communities, and sustainable over time.
• To conduct research of national and international scope within specialised research areas and play a key role in the creation, transfer and application of knowledge and research intelligence that guide policy and development at national level, educational and organisational improvement planning;
• To provide and maintain excellent postgraduate teaching, learning and supervision in gender studies.

Contact us:

Ms Mapula Mogashoa (Administrator for the Institute for Gender Studies)
E-mail: mogasmn@unisa.ac.za