"Because the Country Says They Have to Change"

Abstract:: The shift from apartheid to a constitutional democracy in South Africa brought with it a plethora of questions concerning ideas of nationhood, citizenship, and organisational transformation. Integrally caught up in the revolution, the South African Police Service (SAPS) faces transformative challenges on scales far larger than most other organisations in the country. From being the strong arm of the oppressive elite, it has had to restructure and rearticulate its function, while simultaneously attempting to maintain law and order. Like many other corporations and organisations, the SAPS has engaged in interventions aimed at aiding the fluidity of this process. This report is an analysis of one such intervention. It attempts to ascertain the extent to which members are changing as a result of particular diversity workshops conducted in a region of the Western Cape. The analysis focuses on members at one particular station.

Improving Understanding and Collaboration among First Responders

Abstract:: This unique training addresses the institutional culture of five responder groups: law enforcement, EMS, fire, public health, and private security in an attempt at fostering understanding among these groups

No Strings Attached

Abstract:: Discusses the role that the institutional context and culture play in shaping the uptake of e-Infrastructure services for research.

Abstract:: In this project, students spoke out about their experiences at UCT. In particular, they describe how they perceived the university and the other students, and how their experiences impacted their academic performance and general wellbeing while attending UCT. In the study, the authors consulted a variety of policy documents and publicity materials from UCT. The authors then held 19 workshops with focus groups of students. Five were mixed, while fourteen were purposive in that certain designated students such as black students foreign students women, etc., were targeted. The initiator of the study conducted ten of the focus groups, but for the others peer facilitators were used. From the findings, it is clear that in students experiences 'whiteness' still largely characterises the institutional culture. Many black students, and some white students, described incidents of overt racism against black academic staff and students. This report documents suggestions made by students and also puts forward some recommendations. It is hoped that these will be received in the spirit in which the research was undertaken, namely to be helpful to UCT as it continues along the road of transformation. This report provides a forum in which diverse students voices are collated and reflected on behalf of the students and committed educators and for the continuance of outstanding education at UCT.