JIAS - A Home of Ideas
Nestled in the heart of Johannesburg, the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study is a Global South hub for experimental, groundbreaking, transdisciplinary inquiry and creative practice informed by a commitment to theoretical innovation, social justice, decoloniality, and transformative praxis.
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The Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS) is committed to fostering artistic creation, cultural critique, and interdisciplinary collaboration. By supporting research, JIAS advocates for the role of art in shaping society, challenging perspectives, and advancing knowledge. JIAS believes in the power of art to inspire change.
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The Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS) is dedicated to advancing critical scholarship in the social sciences, with a focus on decolonial thought, Global South epistemologies, and the pursuit of epistemic justice. The institute supports scholars, activists, and practitioners in reimagining equitable frameworks for education, research, and social transformation. Committed to inclusivity and intellectual rigor, JIAS serves as a hub for rethinking power, knowledge, and justice from African and Southern perspectives.
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JIAS interrogates the transformative potential of digital technologies as tools for liberation. Grounded in the realities of the Global South, JIAS fosters the development of community-rooted technologies that prioritize local knowledge and participatory design to promote frameworks that serve justice, ecological consciousness, and collective well-being. Through collaborative experimentation JIAS aims to empower communities to harness technology as a force for systemic change.
Host Your Event at JIAS
We offer our unique, intellectually vibrant micro-campus as a destination for workshops, seminars, conferences, book launches, and keynotes. By booking our venues and ensuite accommodation, you become part of a living community dedicated to theoretical innovation, social justice, and transformative praxis. Our facilities are designed to foster the kind of groundbreaking, transdisciplinary inquiry JIAS is known for. They provide the perfect environment for gatherings that aim to challenge perspectives, advance knowledge, and inspire change.
UPCOMING EVENTS
At JIAS, our events bring together leading scholars, researchers, artists, and public intellectuals to engage with pressing issues shaping society today. Through seminars, lectures, dialogues, and public conversations, we create spaces for critical reflection, interdisciplinary exchange, and the exploration of new ideas. Join us at our upcoming events as we continue to foster meaningful discussion and intellectual engagement within South Africa and beyond.
The Sociology of Biography – Theory and Method
The Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS) warmly invites you to a seminar presented by Prof. Xolela Mangcu.
About the Seminar.
Drawing on his extensive scholarship and experience as a biographer, Prof. Xolela Mangcu reflects on the theory and method of biography and its value as a tool for understanding social and political life. The seminar explores how biography can illuminate leadership, historical change, identity, and the relationship between individuals and society. The presentation will be followed by a short conversation and audience discussion.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, 18 June 2026
Time: 17:30 for 18:00
Venue: Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS), 1 Tolip Street, Westdene
Format: Hybrid (In-person and Zoom)
RSVP
Register to attend here:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/Pcx4QbWe08?origin=lprLink
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93976846103?pwd=SUEyPDjARLYshSUbvq03UEkzatjRrB.1
Meeting ID: 994 0563 7803
Passcode: 924764
JIAS GALLERY
A visual journey through the events, seminars, and scholarly engagements that define life at JIAS. Explore moments of dialogue, discovery, and collaboration within our academic community..
