Message from the PsySSA Office: Prof Siphiwe Ngcobo (Past President)

Message from the PsySSA Office:

It is with utmost sadness that we have to inform you that we have lost one of our dearest members: Prof Siphiwe Ngcobo (Past President) was fatally shot under suspicious circumstances after attending a family function over the weekend.

We are at a loss for words and deeply disturbed that our colleague and friend died in such a violent manner. Prof Ngcobo was one of our most competent and dynamic presidents and lead PsySSA to even greater heights during his two terms. As you may recall, he was one of the co-signatories of the recent letter on violence that PsySSA wrote to the President of South Africa - it is utterly regrettable that he fell victim to those very actions PsySSA expressed concern with. The Society will feel the effects of his death for a long time.

Our hearts go out to his family and friends. The funeral will be held on Saturday in Richards Bay - we will keep you informed of further details as they become available. May Siphiwe’s soul rest in peace.

Kind Regards

Ms Fatima Seedat

PsySSA Office Manager

Reminder of the invitation to participate in two symposia at the 20th PsySSA Congress

The Community and Social Psychology Division is in the process of submitting abstracts for two symposia to be considered for the 20^th PsySSA Congress in September 2014. We invite PsySSA members and other interested parties to participate in these presentations and discussions:

Symposium 1

Social Psychology in South Africa today: Challenges, possibilities and implications

Social psychology in South Africa continues to be a crucial sub-discipline which aims to interrogate and take seriously issues of social justice.  Though espousing an expanded purview that considers social situations in which people are found, it continues to be populated and dominated by knowledges and theorizing from the West. This presents itself as a challenge as it almost assumes a universal way of understanding people’s lived experiences which has been argued by many as problematic. Much of the teaching in social psychology continues to be dependent on imported theories and an assumption of universal application. There is a need for critical reflection on the applicability of social psychology in the present South African context. This symposium seeks to offer space for this reflection through highlighting some of the challenges of uncritically applying imported theories and methodologies, possibilities of the sub-discipline in the country today, and the implications thereof.

For more information contact Dr Puleng Segalo at segalpj@unisa.ac.za

Symposium 2

Inside-out Outside-in: Prison experiences and communities

This symposium seeks to engage community psychology approaches and perspectives to the diverse communities that exist in and around correctional systems. The focus will be on initiatives that cross the boundaries between the inside and outside of prisons. Examples are the development of tertiary education opportunities for prisoners, issues of social reintegration and recidivism after release, issues relating to the families and relatives of prisoners, and the collaborative generation and dissemination of knowledge about prison experiences and circumstances.

For more information, contact Prof Eduard Fourie at fourime@unisa.ac.za