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Current Awareness 2024: July

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The Library can assist with a literature search, which is a systematic and comprehensive search for published, academic material on your specific subject/topic. How do you request one? Simply go to Request a literature search .

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What is current awareness

Current awareness is the term used to describe staying informed by keeping up to date with the latest publications, research and news in your field.

The perspective of current awareness is the present and the forthcoming, as opposed to the retrospective. 

Current awareness ranges from looking for information on specific topics on a regular basis (and this usually involves the assistance of your Personal Librarian to help you set up a search profile matched to your research interests) to embracing a wider, more general, and cross-disciplinary view that brings an element of serendipity into your search for the latest information.

Informally, researchers remain alert in all contexts for useful information and insights that will inform their daily practice, their research, and spark off innovative and creative ideas for new avenues of research.

Websites of the month

UN Women

UN Women is the global champion for gender equality, working to develop and uphold standards and create an environment in which every woman and girl can exercise her human rights and live up to her full potential. We are trusted partners for advocates and decision-makers from all walks of life, and a leader in the effort to achieve gender equality.

Gender Equality Glossary

The UN Women Training Centre’s Glossary is an online tool that provides concepts and definitions with gender perspective structured according to the thematic areas of UN Women. It includes gender concepts as well as international conferences, agendas, initiatives and partnerships related to gender equality.

The glossary is also available in Spanish and in French.

Database of the Month

Unisa Open

The following sites on Unisa Open contains useful information for Unisa staff.

About the monthly awareness page

The year is marked with many special days, weeks, and months dedicated and devoted to raising awareness about important issues.

This monthly post, compiled by the Information Search Librarians Team, will note special dates and themes, and draw your attention to possibly interesting cross-disciplinary topical references intended to inform and to inspire ideas for research.

Selected noteworthy days in July

Why do we mark International Days?

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances.

06 Jul     International Day of Cooperatives

Cooperatives Building a Better Future for All

This year on July 6, cooperatives around the world will celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives with the theme "Cooperatives Building a Better Future for All". Cooperatives will have the opportunity to showcase their current and historical contributions to building a sustainable future, accelerating efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. The theme aligns well with the objectives of the upcoming UN Summit of the Future whose theme is "Multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow".

07 Jul  World Kiswahili Language Day 

This year, World Kiswahili Language Day will be celebrated on 05 July 2024 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris under the theme "Kiswahili: Education and Culture of Peace".

The celebrations for the 3rd World Kiswahili Language Day, chaired by the Permanent Delegation of the Democratic Republic of Congo, will take place on 5 July 2024 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, under the theme: "Kiswahili: Education and Culture of Peace".

Kiswahili is one of the most widely used languages of the African family, and the most widely spoken in sub-Saharan Africa. It is among the 10 most widely spoken languages in the world, with more than 230 million speakers.

11 Jul   International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in   Srebrenica 

          World Population Day 

To Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone

Over the past three decades, societies around the world have made remarkable progress in improving population data gathering, analysis, and use. New population figures, disaggregated by age, ethnicity, gender, and other factors, now reflect the diversity of our societies more accurately.

12 Jul  International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms 

Some of the most intimidating sights in nature are rolling dark clouds of sand and dust that engulf everything in their path, a phenomenon that turns day into night and wreaks havoc everywhere from Northern China to sub-Saharan Africa.

15 Jul  World Youth Skills Day 

2024 Theme: Youth Skills for Peace and Development

Today, and every day, let’s work to transform education. And let’s ensure that youth have what they need to build skills for shaping a more peaceful, sustainable future for all” UN Secretary-General António Guterres

18 Jul   Nelson Mandela International Day 

It is easy to break down and destroy.
The heroes are those who make peace and build. 
 - Nelson Mandela

What is Mandela Day?

On 18 July every year, we invite you to mark Nelson Mandela International Day by making a difference in your communities. Everyone has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better! Mandela Day is an occasion for all to take action and inspire change.

20 Jul  International Moon Day 

           World Chess Day 

25 Jul  World Drowning Prevention Day 

28 Jul  World Hepatitis Day [WHO]

30 Jul  International Day of Friendship 

     Sharing the human spirit through friendship

Our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division — such as poverty, violence, and human rights abuses — among many others — that undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world's peoples.

To confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms — the simplest of which is friendship.

      World Day against Trafficking in Persons 

2023 Theme: Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind

Global crises, conflicts, and the climate emergency are escalating trafficking risks. Displacement and socio-economic inequalities are impacting millions of people worldwide, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers. Those who lack legal status, live in poverty, have limited access to education, healthcare, or decent work, face discrimination, violence, or abuse, or come from marginalized communities are often the primary targets of traffickers. 

 

In the media

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Catalytic niche areas

The university has identified ten (10) catalytic niches that will assist the institution in catalysing research, innovation and engaged scholarship These are as follows:

  • Marine studies,
  • Aviation and Aeronautical studies,
  • Automotive,
  • Energy,
  • Space study and Square Kilometer Array,
  • Fourth Industrial revolution and Digitalisation,
  • Natural Sciences (Biotechnological studies),
  • Health Studies/Medicine,
  • Feminist, Womanist, Bosadi Theorizations,
  • Student Support and Co-Curricular activities.

Click on the links below for information on Feminist, Womanist, Bosadi Theorizations.

 “Feminist”

“Womanist theory and research”

“Womanist”

“Bosadi Theorizations”

“Womanist AND feminism”

“Women leaders"

Golden oldie

Men as Students and Teachers of Feminist Scholarship

by Flood, Michael

Source: Men and Masculinities14(2), 2011, pp. 135-154.

DOI: https://0-doi-org.oasis.unisa.ac.za/10.1177/

1097184X114070

Abstract

When men participate as students in Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) classrooms, they undergo feminist change. They adopt more progressive understandings of gender, show greater support for feminism, and increase their involvement in anti-sexist activism. Male students in WGS classrooms benefit to the same degree as female students, showing similar levels of change, although they start with poorer attitudes and thus the gap between them and their female peers persists. At the same time, male students’ presence highlights critical challenges to feminist pedagogy: gendered patterns of interaction, resistance to feminist teaching, and limitations on women’s critical reflections on personal experience. When men teach WGS, typically they are ‘‘graded up’’—evaluated by students as less biased and more competent than female professors. Male professors face distinct dilemmas in teaching about gender inequality from a position of privilege. Yet, like male students, they can adopt traitorous and antipatriarchal social locations and standpoints, developing pedagogies for and by the privileged.

 

Further reading

Developing women leaders: The role of women's professional organizations.

by Steele, Clarissa R., Moake, Timothy R. and MedinaCraven, Michele N.

Source: Human resource development quarterly, 35 (1), 2023, pp. 41-65.

DOI: https://0-doi-org.oasis.unisa.ac.za/

10.1002/hrdq.21496

Abstract

Women face obstacles to leader development within their organizations. We investigate how women benefit from joining women's professional organizations (WPOs). We first conducted a pilot study in which we surveyed members of a WPO in the Southeastern United States to investigate whether women join these types of organizations for leader development, with results indicating that most members joined for leader development. We then interviewed members of this same organization to explore what leadership-related benefits they derive from their involvement. We found that experiences within this organization allowed members to hone their leadership abilities, network with other women, work directly with and observe women leaders, and receive support from others to take on leadership roles. In turn, these members had increased leadership aspirations, more confidence in their leadership capabilities, and a more expansive view of leadership within their careers. Overall, the findings from this exploratory study highlight the important role that WPOs can play in women's leader development.

Looking for upcoming conferences?

If you are looking for forthcoming conferences, the following websites are helpful:

Archive

Should you wish to read Current Awareness guides of previous years, please visit the archive:

2014-2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022