High School History Recap

In the first episode of our Apartheid Series, Colin is joined by Dr Wayne Dooling from  the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. The conversation deals with the concept of segregation in South Africa, where it comes from and how it was implemented. As an expert on Race, Segregation, and Apartheid in Twentieth-century South Africa, Dr Dooling helps us make sense of the systems of racial separation that would lead to the overarching system of Apartheid.

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A great collaboration with Kelly Chase of the History Detective! The perfect way to start Season 4. 

In this episode we aim give an overview of the policy and practice of apartheid in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Here are some of the questions we cover.

• What does the Afrikaans word "apartheid" translate to?
• How did South Africa get to the point where the minority white government were able to discriminate against the majority black population?
• What were some of the apartheid laws?
• Who were the ANC and what was their role in protesting apartheid?
• Who was Nelson Mandela and what role did he play in the anti-apartheid movement?
• Which kinds of boycotts and protests occurred globally in response to apartheid?
• How did apartheid come to an end?
• Who are lesser known persons from history who made a contribution against apartheid?

Visit the History Detective website or find Kelly Chase on twitter. Follow High School History Recap on twitter for updates on our latest episodes. Find all our episodes here.

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In this episode, Colin is joined once again by the American military historian, Michael Neiberg. This time they discuss a little thing called D-Day a.k.a. the Normandy Invasion a.k.a. Operation Overlord. Operation Overlord is one of the largest operations in military history and in this discussion Michael and Colin delve into not only the events of June 6th, 1944, but also the logistical challenges faced by Dwight Eisenhower and his team of planners, French involvement in the operation, as well as the living legacy left on the beaches.
So if you know a few things about D-Day but are wondering about Mulberry harbours called Winston, force multipliers, how to say Forces françaises de l'intérieur, and French citizens being riled up by poetry, this is the episode you've been looking for. Enjoy!

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In this episode Colin speaks to the author of  Choreomania: Dance and Disorder, Dr Kelina Gotman. Kelina is from King's College in London and her research interests include theatre, dance and performance history, and philosophy. In this episode we tackle  the formation of the concept of the ‘dancing disease’ in nineteenth-century colonial medical, psychiatric and anthropological circles. What is choreomania really all about? Did people truly go mad and dance themselves to insanity? Well, Kelina sets the record straight!

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In this episode William discusses the neglected narrative of Dr Abdullah Abdurahman with Stephen Langtry. Dr Abdullah was South Africa's first elected black politician.

Here are some of the questions we look at:

·         The life and times of Dr Abdullah
·         We discuss Martin Plaut's biography of Dr Abdullah
·         Are there many lost figures in South African history?
·         Why are some stories remembered at the expense of others?
·         What is the balancing point in writing history?
·         A short biography of Dr Abdullah
·         The friendship between Dr Abdullah and Mahatma Gandhi
·         The schools set up by Dr Abdullah
·         Some background on District 6 (Was it similar to Sophiatown?)
·         Why did Dr Abdullah call it the African Political Organization?
·         Was there ever something like a Coloured nationalism?
·         Who were some of Dr Abdullah’s contemporaries?
·         Does Dr Abdullah deserve more recognition?
·         Do we neglect the historical context when we write biographies?
·         Being mindful of person, context and contemporaries
·         How did 1910 lie the foundation for the politics of the 20th century?
·         Why did Dr Abdullah fall out of favor?
·         Why is the Western Cape considered an island in South Africa?
·         What is the main lesson we can learn from Dr Abdullah’s legacy?

Find us on twitter:
William H Palk
Stephen Langtry

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In this episode, William discusses the life and legacy of the enigmatic Khoi woman, Krotoa, with Professor Shanade Barnabas of the University of Johannesburg (UJ). The discussion is based on the award-winning 2017 film made to commemorate her life. 

Some of the questions include:

• What is the main storyline of Krotoa and why has it won so many awards?
• What are the available historical sources on Krotoa?
• Does the movie do the "real" story of Krotoa justice?
• How is Krotoa represented in the movie?
• What were some of the psychological effects of colonization?
• What are the political dimensions of the story of Krotoa?
• How do different groups justify their claims to Krotoa's legacy?
• What are the important themes in the movie?
• Should South Africans build a monument (metaphorically speaking) around the legacy of Krotoa?
• Should Krotoa be regarded as the mother of a nation?
• Why are women portrayed differently in how historical figures are commemorated?
• Has Krotoa been given her rightful place in history?
• What were some of the effects of Dutch colonization on the Khoikhoi people?
• What would be the best way to immortalize Krotoa?

Find us on twitter:
William H Palk
Prof Shanade Barnabas

Thanks for listening!

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In this episode William is in conversation with Dr Precious Mncayi about research she has done into South Africa's unemployment crisis.  We have an unemployment rate of at least 29% and it is therefore vital to look at the mismatches between education and the demands of the labour market.

Read her article here.

Questions asked in this podcast:
Is SA facing an unemployment crisis?
Is the focus on STEM warranted?
How does SA’s unemployment figure compare to other countries?
What is the link between STEM fields and economic growth?
What are the demands of the labour market?
What are the historical explanations for SA’s high unemployment figure?
What is meant with education mismatch?
Why is there a mismatch between what students set out to study and what they end up doing?
SA has the largest share of mismatch workers...
What does it mean to be underemployed?
Is it still worthwhile to go and study?
Are we ignorant about the demands of the labour market?
Which factors determine study and career choice?
Striking a balance between interest and demand...
Where can we get more information on the demands of SA’s labour market?
How has SA’s labour market change?
Which qualifications have high employment prospects?
Should you pursue a degree or a diploma?
What about the humanities?
Is there a shortage of teachers in SA?
What is the average age of teachers in SA?
How can high school learners make better subject choices?
What should be the main aim of education in schools today?
What is government’s role in solving SA’s education mismatch?
What is the single most important change we can make to prevent education mismatch?Should psychometric testing determine university admission?
Are matric distinctions a guarantee for university success?

Resources:
www.lmip.org.za
www.lmi-research.org.za

Find us on twitter:
William H Palk
Dr Precious Mncayi

Let us know what you think:
[email protected]

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In this episode Colin is joined by HSHR researcher, Gemma Mills, to discuss Ancient Greek mythology and religion. To help them understand the topic better, they have employed the help of an expert in the field in the form of the Roy D. and Margaret B. Wooster Professor of the Classics from Colgate University - Professor Robert Garland.  At the hand of a few examples, Prof Garland explains the difference between myth and religion, why mythology and religion was so important to the Ancient Greeks, why these myths are still around, and a few other interesting things about grieving mothers, seasons, spiders and revenge. 
If you have any questions or comments, or would like to support the show, please reach out to us!

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Archaeologist, Dr Tim Forssman, joins William to talk about San Rock Art. These are some of the questions they look at.

Who are the San? Were they the only southern Africans that left behind rock art?
How do archaeologists find rock art sites?
How many rock art sites are there in southern Africa?
Tim's favorite rock art site.
How did the San go about painting their images? How did they mix their paint?
How do you date San rock art? What are some of the oldest sites?
What does San rock art tell us about their society and worldview?
Did San rock art change over time?
What are some good sources on San rock art?

Find Tim on twitter. His handle is @Tim4sman.
William's twitter handle @WilliamHPalk.

If you've enjoyed this episode, please consider buying us a coffee.

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William is joined by one of his Grade 12 learners, Justine Naude, to discuss a question that appeared in last year's final IEB History paper. The question asked to critically evaluate whether or not the National Party undermined the negotiation process from 1990 to 1994. We discuss the NP's insistence on power sharing and whether their involvement in black-on-black violence in townships purposefully undermined negotiations for a democratic government. Justine reads her introductory paragraph to a discursive essay on the question and we use this to navigate some of the content of this important topic in South African history. Find us on twitter @WilliamHPalk or email us at [email protected].

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