Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
|
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613958575226880 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Bredell, Alesha |
| author2 | Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla |
| author_browse | Bredell, Alesha Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla |
| author_facet | Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla Bredell, Alesha |
| author_sort | Bredell, Alesha |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135640 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:24.894Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135640 Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis Bredell, Alesha Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla Van Robbroeck, Lize Verwoerd, Wilhelm Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Visual Arts. Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Bredell, A. 2026. Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/921dc50b-424c-48b3-a88e-92498ada85e8 Following the Open Stellenbosch student protests in 2015, during which the Afrikaans language consistently emerged as a central theme, the need to explore more nuanced reflections on the significance of Afrikaans at Stellenbosch University became evident. By capturing the voices of artists, poets, musicians, and writers to articulate complex histories, this study examines the potential of arts-informed research to confront the deeply rooted colonial legacy of Stellenbosch University (SU). As an art and curatorial scholar in post-1994 South Africa, I felt it necessary to contest, renegotiate, and address the various ways in which coloniality continues to define and affect our collectively inherited and unequal realities. To achieve this, I spent hours meticulously gathering material, sifting through cabinets, files, and boxes of photos in three Stellenbosch archives: the official SU archive, the SU Museum Archive, and the Heemkring, or ‘dorpsargief’ as it is colloquially known. I also invited a diverse range of practitioners, including visual artists, poets, writers, and musicians, who in their work address, explore, and celebrate marginalised forms and histories of Afrikaans, which I refer to as Afrikaaps/ns to acknowledge its creole origins. Through interviews with key stakeholders (staff, students, alumni, and artists) and organising a workshop, a visit to the SU Museum Archive and campus walkabout with a group of artists, this study was informed by a variety of voices that significantly contributed to contextualising and understanding the language atmosphere on campus, lived experiences, historical perspectives, and visions for a future institution centred on restitutive justice. The process was also guided by post-qualitative principles, which facilitated the engaged and reflective approach to research. During this process, discussions and workshops were carefully documented, including video recordings, photographs, reflective writings, drawings, and voice recordings—all of which became part of the data and materials used throughout this study. The outcome of mutual reflection, achieved by opening the cracks and fissures of an institution steeped in colonial and neoliberal systems like SU, allowed for the emergence of deeply situated knowledge. It also revealed how ongoing dedication to dismantling longstanding colonial impacts is necessary and how certain elements continue to restrict and disarm the potential of decolonial processes to genuinely transform institutions such as SU. Although the decolonial potential this study initially aimed to achieve was somewhat limited, the foundation for further engagement was laid, as responses from staff, students, alumni, and artists showed optimism for future progress in this area. Addressing historical and epistemic injustice, along with ongoing institutional complacency within oppressive systems, was supported by creative and flexible approaches that proved valuable for future efforts. By focusing on the reflective process rather than the final result, this project offers fresh insights and approaches to aspects often overlooked in academic studies of creative processes, especially those related to complex and traumatic histories. Consequently, this research enhances understanding of methods to approach, gather, and organise collaborative curatorial and arts-informed research projects. Doctoral 2026-04-07T06:48:59Z 2026-04-07T06:48:59Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135640 en Stellenbosch University 246 pages : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Bredell, Alesha Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis |
| title | Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis |
| title_full | Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis |
| title_fullStr | Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis |
| title_short | Towards a Restitution of the Afrikaaps/ns Archive: Discussing Praxis |
| title_sort | towards a restitution of the afrikaaps ns archive discussing praxis |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135640 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bredellalesha towardsarestitutionoftheafrikaapsnsarchivediscussingpraxis |