Blog

A warm welcome to the website of the Department of Anthropology at the University of the Free State! Our department was established in 1948 and has since managed to adapt to changing local and international circumstances and constantly update its expertise.

On our website, we give an indication of the scope of our undergraduate and postgraduate courses, what our viewpoints are about the discipline, and what we are striving for with our teaching, research, and community engagement.

Feel free to contact us or visit us on campus in the Flippie Groenewoud Building (Rooms 310, 311, 312, 328, 329, and 330) if you have any questions.

Cultural anthropologists try to make sense of the internal meaning of other cultures or ways of life as they occur in urban and rural environments — locally as well as globally. For this reason, we focus on a wide range of aspects of culture, e.g. religious practices and philosophies of life, family and relational groupings, political structures, symbolism, the prehistoric history of culture, and the processes of cultural change.

These domains are grounded in sound training in the theoretical foundations of culture, as well as the research methodology applicable to the study of culture. Specific attention is paid to field research for which anthropologists are renowned. University of the Free State UFS Department of Anthropology

The department makes use of trained student assistants to assist with study problems, while computer-assisted learning as well as other teaching resources are implemented.

At the postgraduate level, provision is made for honours, master and doctoral studies. Postgraduate students receive a strong theoretical foundation. There is a choice between a wide selection of subjects and they profit from the international collaborative agreements that exist between this department and Departments of Anthropology in Europe, the East and Africa.

Graduated students make first-rate contributions to the academic world, politics, journalism, the diplomatic service, museums, various government departments and many other areas. We are proud of the quality of our products.

Research is undertaken about various issues in the department. It varies from recreational aspects, value orientations, identity, land reform, Aids and gender. We house the only Unit for Khoekhoe and San Studies at a South African university.

Research is done in the Unit about ethnic and cultural revival, indigenous rights and language in Southern Africa. The Department is also home to a number of research fellows from across the world.

Community engagement and service learning are important to us. Students are equipped to make a difference in the communities where they will work in future. Furthermore, the department is responsible for a Kalahari Farm Kitchen Project amongst the ‡Khomani San and in Heidedal, Bloemfontein there is a Khoe-San Early Learning Centre. If you are interested in the Khoekhoe and the San, our department is the place to come and study.