My mandate at North West is to develop a top postgraduate program in anthropology. I am working closely with colleagues and the CTL to do this, and of course our remarkable MA students. A weekly seminar series, regular workshops and a virtual community are all part of this process.
PhD Anthropology, Stanford University 2017
MSc Forced Migration, Oxford University 2010
BSocSci (Hons) University of Cape Town 2008
I currently teach and support at all levels of the undergraduate curriculum. My goal is to bring a distinctly non-South African orientation into the department, and expose students to new perspectives.
One of my primary research focus areas at present is an ethnographic study of undersea internet cables in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean Region through WiSER's 'Regions2050: Mobile Spaces, Porous Borders, and Pathways of Regionalisation'.
In recognition of the carbon my academic training has cost the word, I work with the Great Labyrinth of Africa Initaitve in planting and maintaining spekboom trees.
Jahaj is the Hindi word for boat. It is also what happens when my own initials are placed next to those of my life partner. Using the word in this way, I acknowledge that my work takes place within the family, nourished by home, relationality and care. (On a practical level, the text is pointed here from jessauerbach.net).
Senior Lecturer in Anthropology
North West University
Research Affiliate
Centre for Research in Higher Education, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
Curtin University, Mauritius
Universidade Katyavala Bwila, Angola
Research Areas: Angola, South Atlantic, Mauritius, Indian Ocean,
Curriculum Studies
Research Thematics: class, aesthetics, science and technology studies, decoloniality, 21st century pedagogy, multinodal ethnography.
jess.auerbach@nwu.ac.za