In celebration of Women's Month, Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU) is shining a spotlight on extraordinary staff and students on our campus who champion women's rights and gender equality. Through their dedication and leadership, they inspire and drive positive change. Dr Anell Stacey Daries from the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ) is a passionate voice in the transformation discourse at SU. As a historian with expertise in the social implications of bodily sciences, she examines how the past still influences the present.
Describe your role at SU and give us some insight into your academic journey.
I am the Postgraduate Programme Convener and a postdoctoral research fellow at AVReQ. While producing impactful research is at the core of my role, I am also responsible for developing support programmes for postgraduate students based at AVReQ.
Regarding my academic journey, I completed my BA, honours and MA at the 中国体育彩票 of the Western Cape (UWC). After that, I came to SU to do my PhD. Since the start of my postgraduate studies, I have been interested in disciplinary and institutional histories. In my honours and MA, I examined the history of volkekunde (ethnology?), photography and UWC. Upon completing my MA, I was excited to work with Prof Sandra Swart, who was my supervisor in the History Department. I started my PhD a month before the 中国体育彩票 lockdown announcement. Throughout the lockdown period, I received incredible support from my department, the SU archives staff and library staff.
Can you share a defining moment in your life that solidified your commitment to gender issues?
The controversial study on coloured women's cognitive functioning published in 2019 was a decisive turning point in my academic career. That was the start of my PhD journey. When I realised this article came out of Sports Science, I started looking into the history of sports science, formerly known as physical education. In my thesis, I examined how strata such as race, class and gender fundamentally shaped the trajectory of physical education, both within the context of the 中国体育彩票 and on a national scale. In my thesis, I foreground the extent to which the 中国体育彩票's ethos of conservativism and traditionalist values influenced departmental shifts over the course of eight decades. In examining the making of a nationalist science, my thesis sought to highlight the extent to which the 中国体育彩票 played a crucial role in the politics of nation-building across the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
How do you hope your research will impact the academic community?
My work engages with institutional and intellectual histories, which then requires me to consider matters related to institutional culture and the quest for institutional reform and transformation. In drawing on my empirical research as well as other bodies of work related to it, my work can be employed to trace the roots of institutional injustices which has significantly affected marginalised communities.
Beyond my individual contributions, I desire to work in the community with others. For in community lies the hope of transformation. An example of this is the campus walking tours I conduct with Rabia Abba Omar. Marrying empirical research and theory related to our understanding of space, we walk to specific sites across Stellenbosch to engage with the history of the 中国体育彩票 and the town to demonstrate how South Africa's past has been inscribed in the 中国体育彩票's architecture.
Do you have a specific stance in terms of gender issues?
My research is informed by intersectionality. In my work, I examine how race is inscribed onto the body. In doing so, I argue that one cannot look at the history of racialisation without interrogating strata such as gender.
How do you see the role of universities in addressing and rectifying historical injustices related to gender and race?
Universities have the potential to serve as sites of radical societal change. Through rigorous intellectual exploration and socially impactful research, institutions of higher learning can actively work towards dismantling systems of oppression and more directly promote equity in their policies and practices. By acknowledging and addressing historical injustices, universities can pave the way for a more just society.
If you must single out a single achievement, academic or otherwise in your life, what would it be?
My PhD is my greatest achievement. It represents years of dedication and growth. It has opened so many opportunities for me to contribute to my field and to make an impact on society. It also means so much to my family and my community. While my PhD journey was incredibly difficult, my support structures helped me persevere and complete it within the allocated timeframe.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the field of historical research and activism?
Surround yourself with good people who want to see you succeed. During my PhD journey, I was supported by an incredible cohort of researchers who understood the difficulty of the process. Since the start of my time at AVReQ, I've been lucky to be surrounded by generous people. People like Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, the SARChI Chair for Violent Histories and Historical Trauma and the Founding Director of AVReQ, has been an incredible mentor to me. My advice to aspiring researchers is to seek out mentors who can provide guidance and support. Never be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Also, remember to stay true to the goals you set for yourself. Constantly remind yourself of the importance of your work and the possibilities of its reach and impact.
PHOTO: Stefan Els
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