Professor in Prospective African Futures

CORE PURPOSE OF JOB

Nelson Mandela University's Humanities Faculty seeks a specialist scholar and Professor in the discipline of Philosophy with African expertise and global experience to be appointed at the level of Full Professor to lead the development of research and engagement scholarship in the field of African Futures. The Special Professor in African Futures will support the Faculty's strategy to revitalize the Humanities and reignite their catalytic role in the academy and reposition the Faculty as a leader in the field of African Futures regionally, continentally, and internationally. In leading the Faculty's focus on African Futures, the Special Professor will chart new academic paths in tackling Africa's prospects. Building from their established research, their work for the Faculty will lead to the creation of distinctive frameworks, theories and concepts that build on African sociopolitical experiences, languages, histories and oral archives, philosophies and cultures while going beyond conventional philosophical debates on ubuntu, identity, African Renaissance and decoloniality. The dynamic and energetic individual will bring to the Faculty a high calibre scholarly career of proven international standing that demonstrates in-depth command of African questions and can tackle theoretical terrain that grapples with the complex problems of Africa's past and present realities (i.e. issues of development, migration, scientific development) in light of contemporary conditions of globalization (i.e. the advancing 4IR and the global economic order). In addition to high-level intellectual leadership, a key aspect of the professor's work will be to contribute towards mentoring emerging scholars and the academic development of postgraduates towards the long-term transformation of the South African academy. They will initiate and lead high-level scholarly engagement, research projects and international partnerships that will advance the Faculty's strategy to build sustainable and productive academic

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

 Academic Leadership - Develop and initiate a sustainable research and engagement programme in African Futures rooted in the discipline of Philosophy and the Humanities that can address questions across a range of scientific domains and successfully supervise and mentor postgraduate students within the faculty in the area of African Futures

 Engagement - Initiate sustainable, high-level institutional partnerships and scholarly engagement programmes with partners across the African continent, the international African diaspora and other parts of the world on behalf of the Faculty

 Transformation - Contribute to the Faculty's strategy to mentor and develop emerging scholars and academics towards the sustainable long-term transformation of the greater South African Humanities

 Research Output- Annual publication of books and/ or journal articles in top rated, accredited high-status international presses

 Fundraising - Develop sustainable donor partnerships in support of the programmes as

 Reporting envisaged above - Write regular reports on the progress of programmes and projects

CORE COMPETENCIES

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