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Capturing experiences of academic geographers under apartheid: racism, resistance, solidarity
Topics: History of Geography
, Africa
, Historical Geography
Keywords: Apartheid; archives, oral history, history of geography, South Africa Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract Day: Monday Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 11:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 12:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) Room: Virtual 1
Authors:
Ruth Craggs, King's College London
Hannah Neate, Manchester Metropolitan University
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Abstract
What were the experiences of geographers working under apartheid? How did they live with and resist the project of racism and segregation that apartheid entailed? In attempting to answer these questions, we turned to ‘careering’ as an omnivorous methodological approach drawing on personal and university archives, publications and oral histories. We hoped to produce peopled histories of geography that went beyond the individual to academic networks, highlighting affective relationships of racism and solidarity. Our approach aimed to highlight violence and discrimination but also agency and creativity in South African geographers’ professional lives. In going beyond publications to consider academic lives more holistically (making space for teaching, administration, activism etc) we sought to highlight alternative models of academic resistance to racist projects which have often highlighted theoretical innovation over everyday labour and activism. This talk reflects on the success and challenges of these methods and the relevance of the research to contemporary debates about ‘decolonising’ geography.
Capturing experiences of academic geographers under apartheid: racism, resistance, solidarity