ASSAf Distinguished Visiting Scholar (DVS) Programme 2023/24

The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) hosted Prof Loretta Baldassar as the 2023/24 ASSAf Distinguished Visiting Scholar (DVS). The DVS Programme took place on 12 - 27 March 2024. Prof Baldassar delivered a series of lectures under the theme “Transnational Family Care: from social death to digital kinning over a century of Australian migration” at various institutions across five Provinces: the universities of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Limpopo (UL), Free State (UFS), Rhodes, Stellenbosch and University of Cape Town (UCT). She also engaged with emerging academics at these institutions as part of her research capacity development work, drawing on the tools and insights of social network analysis (SNA). Prof Baldassar is Professor of Anthropology and Sociology, Vice Chancellor’s Professorial Research Fellow, and Director of the Social Ageing (SAGE) Futures Lab at Edith Cowan University (ECU). The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) annually invites one or more distinguished scholars from abroad to present lectures at various higher education institutions around the country. The scholars are internationally prominent academics who are inspirational speakers and usually with an ability to bridge the divides between disciplines. The purpose of the Distinguished Visiting Scholars’ Programme is to fulfil one of the Academy’s strategic goals, viz. the promotion of innovation and scholarly activity. Through interaction with distinguished individual scholars from around the world, ASSAf aims to enrich and stimulate research endeavours at South African higher education and research institutions. Scholars from the humanities disciplines are invited in alternate years.