about
Amanda Gouws is Professor of Political Science at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa She holds a PhD from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in the USA. Her specialization is South African Politics and Gender Politics. Her research focuses on women and citizenship, the National Gender Machinery and women’s representation and she has published widely in these areas. She is the editor of (Un)Thinking Citizenship: Feminist Debates in Contemporary South Africa. (UK: Ashgate and Cape Town: Juta, 2005). In 2007 she was the Edith Keeger Wolf Distinguished Visiting Professor at Northwestern University, USA. In 2011 she was selected as a Fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation Centre in Bellagio, Italy, where she was working on a book on the Women’s Movement in South Africa. In 2012 she received the Wilma Rule Award for the best paper at the International Political Science Association Conference in Madrid, Spain, in the category Gender and Politics with the title “Multiculturalism in South Africa: Dislodging the Binary between Universal Human Rights and Culture/Tradition”. Her edited book with Daiva Stasiulis Gender and Multiculturalism:North/South Perspectives appeared with Routledge Press in 2014. She was a Commissioner for the South African Commission for Gender Equality from 2012-2014. She is currently a Distinguished Professor, holding a NRF Research Chair in Gender Politics.
You can also follow her on Twitter at @SARCHIGender.
CONTACT
EMAIL: ag1@sun.ac.za
PHONE: +27 21 808 2386
ADDRESS: department of political science, University of Stellenbosch
6th Floor, Arts Building
cnr. Merriman Ave. and Ryneveld St.
Stellenbosch
7600
Follow me on Twitter
Publications
BOOKS
Watson, J and A Gouws (2018) Nasty Women Talk Back. Imbali Press.
Gouws, A and D. Stasiulis (eds) Multiculturalism in South Africa: Dislodging the Binary Between Universal Human Rights and Culture/Tradition. UK: Routledge (2014)/ UKZN Press (2016) (Paperback).
Swart, N, A Gouws, P Petterson, J Erasmus and F Bosman (eds) Welfare, Religion and Gender in Post-Apartheid South Africa- Constructing a North South Dialogue. Stellenbosch: Sun Media (2012).
Gouws A (ed) (Un)thinking Citizenship: Contemporary Feminist Debates in South Africa. Hampshire: Ashgate/Juta. 2005. (Was chosen as the book of the month by Constitution Hill, February, 2007).
With James L. Gibson Overcoming Political Intolerance in South Africa: Experiments in Political Persuasion. New York: Cambridge University Press. 2003. (Was Awarded the Alexander George Award for best book in Political Psychology 2004).
ARTICLES (peer reviewed)
#EndRapeCulture Campaign in South Africa: Resisting Sexual Violence through Protest and the Politics of Experience”, Politikon, January 2018 (online).
"Feminist Intersectionality and the Matrix of Domination in South Africa” Agenda, 31:1 (2017).
With Angela Alchin and Lindy Heinecken “Making a Difference in Peacekeeping Operations: Voices of South African Women Peacekeepers”, African Security Review, December 2017 (online)
With Belinda Maswikwa and Sarah Gordon “Constructing Citizenship and Identity: Exploring Political Participation Amongst Black African Women from Zimbabwean and South African Townships” Politikon, December 2017 (online)
"Women’s Activism Around Gender Based Violence in South Africa: Recognition, Redistribution and Representation”, Review of African Political Economy, 43: 149. (2016)
"Gender, Politics, and the State in Southern Africa” in The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies (edited by Nancy Naples). 2016.
With Hayley Galgut, “Twenty Years of the Constitution: Reflecting on Citizenship and Gender Justice” Agenda, 107(2016)
With Pieter Fourie, “Introduction to the Special Issue: “Citizenship (Local and Global) – 20 Years After the Constitution”, Politikon, 43:1, (2016), pp1-6
With Collette Schulz-Herzenberg, “What has trust got to do with it: Measuring Political Trust in South Africa, 20 Years after Transition” Politikon, 43:1, (2016) pp7-29.
Phillips, A, D Byrne, A Gouws, D Lewis, L du Toit and S Viljoen, “A Conversation with Anne Phillips on Multiculturalism” Gender Questions 3:1.(2016)
"The State of Women’s Movement in South Africa Twenty Years after the Democratic Transition”, Agenda 100. (2014)
With Julie Claassens “From Esther to Kwezi: Sexual Violence in South Africa Twenty Years after Democracy” International Journal of Public Theology, 8 (2014)
With Joleen Steyn-Kotze and Jo-Ansie van Wyk “Celebrating Forty Years: The State of Political Science in South Africa in 2014” Politikon, 40:3 (2013)
"Multiculturalism in South Africa: Dislodging the Binary Between Universal Human Rights and Culture/Tradition” in Politikon, 40: 1 (2013) (Special Issue on Multiculturalism).
“Introduction: Women in Local Government Elections” Journal of African Elections, 11 (2012)
“Reflections on Being a Feminist Academic/Academic Feminism in South Africa” Equality, Diversion and Inclusion: An International Journal, 31: 5, pp 526-541 (2012).
With Derek Davis (2011) “Monitoring Perceptions of Causes of Poverty in South Africa” Social Indicators Research http://www.springerlink.com/content/0303-8300/preprint/?sort=p_OnlineDate&sortorder=desc&o=10 (online article).
“Women’s Representation in Government: Quotas, Substantive Equality and Self Interested Politicians” Transformation, 77 (2011) pp80-99.
With Trunette Joseph and Jane Parpart “A Transformative Approach to Gender Mainstreaming: Changing the Deep Structure of Organizations” Kinder, Kon & Forskning, 20:1 (2011), pp 7-21
“The Feminisation of Migration” Africa Insight, 40: 1, (2010), pp 169-180
“Feminism in South Africa Today: Have we Lost the Praxis?” Agenda 83, (2010), pp 13-23
“Gender as Seriality: A Response to Zimitri Erasmus and David Benatar” South African Journal of Higher Education, 24:2. (2010), 213-223
“A Gender Perspective on Social Welfare and Religion in Paarl through the Lens of a Feminist Ethics of Care” Journal of Theology for Southern Africa, Number 33 (2009) (Special Issue on Churches, Welfare, Religion and Gender: The Impact on the Role of the Churches).
With J C Erasmus and W van der Merwe “Changing Landscapes of Welfare, Religion and Gender: the Impact on the Role of the Churches” in Journal of Theology for Southern Africa, Number 33 (2009)
“Global Women’s Movements and Transnational Feminism: A View from the South” in Critical Half, 7:1, Fall (2009).
“Changing Women’s Exclusion from Politics: Examples from Southern Africa” in African and Asian Studies, 7 (2008)
“Obstacles for Women in Leadership Positions: the Case of South Africa” Signs, 34:1 (2008), 21-27.
With Hennie Kotze “Women in Leadership Positions in South Africa: The Role of Values” Politikon – SA Journal of Political Science, 34: 2 (2007)
With Jane Bennett, Andrienetta Kritzinger, Mary Hames and Chris Tidimane “’Gender is Over’: Researching the Implication of Sexual Harassment Policies in Southern African Higher Education” Feminist Africa, 8 (2007)
“Ways of Being: Activism and Theorizing at the Global Feminist Dialogues in Porte Allegre, Brazil, 2005” Journal of International Women’s Studies, 8: 3 April (2007), p28-36.
with Andrienetta Kritzinger “Dealing with Sexual Harassment in Institutions of Higher Learning: Policy Implementation at a South African University” South African Journal of Higher Education, vol 21: 1 (2007)
with Yusef Waghid “Higher Education Quality Assurance in South Africa: Accreditation in Perspective” South African Journal of Higher Education, 20: 6. (2006).
“Making Gains with Women’s Rights: One Step Forward, Two or Three Steps Back” CODESRIA Bulletin, 1&2, p4-5 (2006)
“Rethinking Development from a Gender Perspective” CODESRIA Bulletin, 3 & 4. (2005), p25-26
“Women’s Representation: The South African Electoral System and the 2004 Election” Journal of African Elections, 3: 2, (2004), p59-76
“The Politics of State Structures: Citizenship and the National Machinery for Women in South Africa” Feminist Africa, vol 3:1, 2004, p27-47
“The Impact of Crime on the Legitimacy of the South African Political System”. Acta Criminologica - Southern African Journal of Criminology, 17: 1. 2004, p78-89
with Selma Sevenhuijsen, Marie McDonald and Vivien Bozalek “South African Social Welfare Policy: An Analysis through the Ethics of Care”. Critical Social Policy, 23: 3. 2003, p69-87. (Reprinted in M Hamington and D Miller Social Welfare Policy Rowan and Littlefield. 2005).
with Ellen Riggle “Self-Discrepancy and Political Tolerance in South Africa” Politikon, 2003, p149-163
with James L. Gibson “The Study of Political Tolerance in the South African Context” Social Dynamics, vol 27:4. Winter 2001, p109-133
with James L Gibson “Making Tolerance Judgments: The Effects of Context, Local and National” Journal of Politics, 63: 4, 2001
with Lourens du Plessis "The Relationship Between Political Tolerance and Religion: The Case of South Africa" Emory International Law Review, 14: 2, 2000, p657-698
with James L. Gibson “Social Identities and Political Intolerance: Linkages within the South African Mass Public” American Journal of Political Science 44: 2 2000, p278-292
with James L Gibson "Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa: Attribution of Blame and the Struggle over Apartheid" American Political Science Review, 93:3 1999, p501-517
"Beyond Equality and Difference: The Politics of Women's Citizenship" Agenda, January 1999, p54-58
with Shireen Hassim "Redefining the Public Space: Women's Organisations, Gender Consciousness and Civil Society in South Africa" Politikon, vol 25:2, 1998, p53-76
with James L. Gibson "Political Intolerance and Ethnicity: Investigating Social Identity" Indicator South Africa, vol 15:3, 1998
with James L. Gibson "Support for the Rule of Law in the Emerging South African Democracy" International Social Science Journal, no 152, June 1997, p173-191
"Intolerance in Natal: Illustrating the Complexity of Tolerance Attitudes" Politikon: SA Journal of Political Science, vol 23:2, 1996, p15-31
"Feminist Epistemology and Representation: The Impact of Post-Modernism and Post-Colonialism" Transformation, no 30, 1996, p65-82
"The Rise of the Femocrat?" Agenda: A Journal about Women and Culture, no 30, 1996, p31-43
with Lourens du Plessis "The Gender Implications of the Final Constitution" (with Particular Reference to the Bill of Rights) SA Public Law, vol 11:2, 1996, p472-489
with Andrienneta Kritzinger "Sexual Harassment of Students: A Case Study of a South African University" South African Sociological Review, vol 7:2, 1995, p1-24
with Robert Mattes and Hennie Kotze "The Emerging Party System in the New South Africa" Party Politics, vol 1:3, 1995, p381-395
"Women in Political Science:(An)other Look at the Discipline" Politikon: The South African Journal of Political Science, vol 20:2, 1993, p5-24
“Political Tolerance and Civil Society: The Case of South Africa” Politikon, vol 20: 1 1993, p15-31
"The Angry Divide" Agenda: A Journal about Women and Gender, no 19, 1993
with Lourens du Plessis "'n Dialektiese Perspektief op die Statutêre en Grondwetlike Verwesenliking van Vroueregte in Suid Afrika" Stellenbsoch Law Review, vol 4:2, 1993 (Translated title: "A Dialectic Perspective on the Statutory and Constitutional Realisation of Women's Rights in South Africa") p240-260
The Covid Diaries: Women’s Experience of the Pandemic
Edited by Amanda Gouws and Olivia Ezeobi (Imbali Press, 2021)
This collection of essays captures the existential feelings of anxiety, angst and uncertainty. They also express exhaustion, discovering new dimensions of life and rethinking priorities in the face of a rupture of what has gone before. What we hear in these essays are the voices of women speaking to this pandemic and what lockdown ahs meant to them and for them. Some essays are written with raw emotion, others in beautiful poetic prose, some in poetry. Through the essays runs a golden thread of coming to terms with a new of life and what it means to be a woman, a mother, a partner, a friend and a Covid-19 victim in the year that will be known as the year of the pandemic.
Written by a diverse group of women writers, this collection of essays gives voice to lived experiences of the pandemic.