Philip Bonner | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 24 September 2017 | (aged 72)
Academic background | |
Alma mater | SOAS University of London |
Academic work | |
Discipline | Historian |
Sub-discipline |
History of South Africa Social history Labour history |
Institutions | University of the Witwatersrand |
Philip Lewis Bonner (31 March 1945 – 24 September 2017) was a historian of South Africa. He was an Emeritus Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand with a focus on labour and urban history.
Bonner was hired in 1971 in the history department of the University of the Witwatersrand to establish African history as a scholarly field. [1] His early work was concerned with the Swazi Kingdom in the nineteenth century, [1] and resulted in his first monograph, based on his doctoral thesis, published in 1983. [2] [3] In 1977, following the Soweto uprising, [4] Bonner was involved in the founding of the History Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand, [5] and was its chair from 1987–2012. [1] Inspired by the History Workshop Journal at the University of Oxford, [4] the scholars at Witwatersrand championed local social history [6] and emphasised the use of oral testimonies. [7] He was chair of the group from 1987 until 2012. [1] From 1979, Bonner sat on the editorial board of the South African Labour Bulletin. [8] Between 1998 and 2003, he was head of the History Department at Witwatersrand. [5] In 2007, Bonner was awarded a National Research Foundation Chair in Local Histories and Present Realities, which he held until his retirement in 2012. [5]
Beyond academic writing, he was involved in the development of the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, [7] and was the historical consultant on a documentary series about Soweto. [9]
In addition to his academic activities, Bonner was involved in worker education and trade unions, [2] affiliated particularly with the ideology of 'workerism'. [10] In the 1980s, he served as the education officer for the Federation of South African Trade Unions. [5]
Philip Bonner | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 24 September 2017 | (aged 72)
Academic background | |
Alma mater | SOAS University of London |
Academic work | |
Discipline | Historian |
Sub-discipline |
History of South Africa Social history Labour history |
Institutions | University of the Witwatersrand |
Philip Lewis Bonner (31 March 1945 – 24 September 2017) was a historian of South Africa. He was an Emeritus Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand with a focus on labour and urban history.
Bonner was hired in 1971 in the history department of the University of the Witwatersrand to establish African history as a scholarly field. [1] His early work was concerned with the Swazi Kingdom in the nineteenth century, [1] and resulted in his first monograph, based on his doctoral thesis, published in 1983. [2] [3] In 1977, following the Soweto uprising, [4] Bonner was involved in the founding of the History Workshop at the University of the Witwatersrand, [5] and was its chair from 1987–2012. [1] Inspired by the History Workshop Journal at the University of Oxford, [4] the scholars at Witwatersrand championed local social history [6] and emphasised the use of oral testimonies. [7] He was chair of the group from 1987 until 2012. [1] From 1979, Bonner sat on the editorial board of the South African Labour Bulletin. [8] Between 1998 and 2003, he was head of the History Department at Witwatersrand. [5] In 2007, Bonner was awarded a National Research Foundation Chair in Local Histories and Present Realities, which he held until his retirement in 2012. [5]
Beyond academic writing, he was involved in the development of the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, [7] and was the historical consultant on a documentary series about Soweto. [9]
In addition to his academic activities, Bonner was involved in worker education and trade unions, [2] affiliated particularly with the ideology of 'workerism'. [10] In the 1980s, he served as the education officer for the Federation of South African Trade Unions. [5]