Abstract
Ten years after the conclusion of World War II, the Department of Native Affairs of the National Party government of South Africa sponsored research into the selection of African civil servants. The study was conducted by Rae Sherwood, under the auspices of the National Social Research Council, and the National Institute for Personnel Research. In 1960, Sherwood submitted the work to the University of the Witwatersrand to obtain a PhD degree. Two government departments objected to the award of the degree. In this paper, I recount the history of the research, explaining that the acceleration of the apartheid project between 1948 and 1961 played a significant role in the controversy that developed. The paper furthermore illustrates the difficulties faced by social scientific research under repressive political conditions, and the need for a more nuanced view of the psychological research of the National Institute for Personnel Research in South Africa at the time.Significance: The history of South Africa’s research organisations has been of interest for a long time. This study recalls the history of an unknown chapter in the history of the National Institute for Personnel Research, based on a PhD submission kept under embargo in the archives of the University of the Witwatersrand. The study was methodologically sophisticated, rich in data, but controversial in its findings, at least as it reflected on the policies pursued by the apartheid government after World War II. It adds another contextual element to the type of work conducted by the Institute.
Highlights
In July 1960, Rae Sherwood submitted a PhD thesis, ‘The African Civil Servant – A Socio-Psychological Study’, to the University of the Witwatersrand.[1]
This study recalls the history of an unknown chapter in the history of the National Institute for Personnel Research, based on a PhD submission kept under embargo in the archives of the University of the Witwatersrand
The University records show that it was ‘based on a research project carried out in the National Institute for Personnel Research under the auspices of the National Council for Social Research’.14(p.1) In October 1960, the Secretary of the Department of Education, Arts and Science (DEAS) informed the Registrar of the University that it had come to their notice that Ms Sherwood had submitted a thesis for a PhD.[15]
Summary
In July 1960, Rae Sherwood submitted a PhD thesis, ‘The African Civil Servant – A Socio-Psychological Study’, to the University of the Witwatersrand.[1].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
