Research Leader–Follower Development for Peacebuilding and Social Justice: The Africa Young Graduate Scholars Development Program
Peace, Reconciliation and Social Justice Leadership in the 21st Century
ISBN: 978-1-83867-196-9, eISBN: 978-1-83867-193-8
Publication date: 23 September 2019
Abstract
Leadership development is an essential yet complex process that manifests over a long period of time. Owusu et al. assert that in African researchers’ graduate programs, the learners receive theory, research methods and grant writing instruction without significant attention to leadership development. So, how do researchers, academics, administrators, and think-tanks plan and carry out leadership–followership development within organizational and transitional justice fields? The research capacity building of young African scholars in the knowledge production community has the potential to lead to the development and articulation of norms and values that will seek to address fundamental issues of transformation, direct, structural, and cultural violence, and assist in addressing a wide range of problems associated with violence of social injustice. We draw lessons from the Africa Young Graduate Scholars (AYGS) 2017 conference and writing retreat, which drew 22 young scholars (with 10 females and 12 males) who had completed original research and five facilitators (two females and three males) from universities in Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe for developing research leader–follower insights.
Building research leadership–followership capacity in knowledge production communities in the context of conflict prevention is crucial for establishing sustainable peace. It is recommended that: (1) the AYGS be replicated on other parts of the continent and throughout the diaspora; (2) publications from emerging leaders and followers in the research/knowledge production community begin to increase; and (3) establishment and expansion of leadership development programs for research leaders and followers in African graduate programs.
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Acknowledgements
Acknowledgments
Sylvester Bongani Maphosa: I acknowledge generous support from the HSRC, AISA and the government of South Africa in funding the AYGS forum and collaboration with the following institutions that made this AYGS 2017 case study: the UFH, Univen, Free State University, UNISA, University of Stellenbosch, UWC, NWU – Mafikeng, UL, the UNDP, plus the German and Finish embassies (all in South Africa); University of Colorado Boulder (USA); University of Botswana; Kenyatta University (Kenya); Pan African University (Yaoundé, Cameroon); Catholic University of Bukavu (DRC); NUST (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe), and the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (Harare, Zimbabwe). Above all, we thank the ILA and the BLB book series in championing the cause of “the vision of a future where all life can thrive.”
Alphonse Keasley, Jr: To my colleague and collaborator, Sylvester Bongani Maphosa, your commitment to all of our joint scholarly endeavors has been a tremendously satisfying contribution to my professional life. To the Office, Diversity and Community Engagement team at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU-B), I am most appreciative of your faith in my scholarly work in South Africa.
Citation
Maphosa, S.B. and Keasley, A. (2019), "Research Leader–Follower Development for Peacebuilding and Social Justice: The Africa Young Graduate Scholars Development Program", Peace, Reconciliation and Social Justice Leadership in the 21st Century (Building Leadership Bridges, Vol. 8), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 81-97. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2058-880120190000008006
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019 Emerald Publishing Limited