UCT Law's Centre for Rhetoric Studies secures major Mellon Foundation grant

The Centre for Rhetoric Studies (CRhS), based in the Faculty of Law at the University of Cape Town, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant of R2,2million by the A W Mellon Foundation of New York. The grant is for Masters and PhD scholarships and Postdoctoral Fellowships in Rhetoric Studies. This grant, which runs until end-2022, is the second such Mellon grant awarded to CRhS. 

This great news comes on the heels of the recent re-launch of CRhS as a Law Faculty research unit, and the recognition of the M and PhD in Rhetoric Studies as degrees in our Faculty. The Centre’s location is in keeping with practice elsewhere, which sees advanced-level Rhetoric studies based in law schools. CRhS is affiliated to the Department of Private Law.

Founded in 1995 by the then Dean of Arts and current Director, Philippe-Joseph Salazar, as a URC centre, CRhS has since been re-accredited at each mandatory URC review. Recognised as unique on the continent - where it has pioneered the emergence of Rhetoric Studies (see Blackwell’s International Encyclopaedia of Communication) – CRhS has since 2000 been graduating M and PhD students in the field. Past graduates are employed in civil service across Southern Africa or hold academic positions in South Africa, Ghana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. 

CRhS is focused on multidisciplinary research in public rhetoric, deliberative democracy and argumentative culture. In addition to research projects, CRhS engages in three main activities:

• hosting research fellows
• organising academic conferences
• supervising postgraduate students (Masters and PhD).

Starting this year, CRhS offers an LLB elective course on Law, Rhetoric and Society (RDL4604S) as part of Private Law’s offerings in the LLB. CRhS also offers supervision by the director and co-director (Professor of Jurisprudence A J Barnard-Naudé) of LLB Independent Research Papers on appropriate topics related to law’s rhetoric as well as rhetoric at large. The Master of Laws in Rhetoric Studies and the Doctorate of Philosophy in Rhetoric Studies are already on offer and have registered students. 

The Centre is delighted to have this new Mellon grant to attract and retain the best Rhetoric Studies postgraduates.

More information about CRhS’s work can be found at www.rhetoricafrica.org . CRhS also publishes many of its findings through the open access journal African Yearbook of Rhetoric and encourages publications by graduates (http://africanrhetoric.org/).