Siona O'Connell

Siona O’Connell (PhD) is a Professor in the University of Pretoria’s School of the Arts. Until recently, she was the NEH Professor of the Humanities in Africana and Latin American Studies, Art and Art History and Film and Media Studies at Colgate University in the USA. She has published widely, curated numerous exhibitions and directed and produced 7 films that considers ways of life after racial oppression in South Africa. These include two on forced removals and restitution, ‘An Impossible Return and ‘Uitgesmyt’ as well as a film on the African National Congress, ‘Promises and Lies: Fault Lines of the ANC’.

O’Connell co-edited “Hanging on a Wire: Photographs by Sophia Klaase” which won the 2018 Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Award for Best Non-Fiction Edited Volume.

Her work pivots on ideas of place, belonging and freedom with a specific focus on land restitution and restorative justice.

Education

• Master’s Degree University of Cape Town (2006 — 2008)
• Bachelor’s Degree University of Cape Town (2003 — 2006)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) UCT

Companies

• Research Associate The Centre for Curating the Archive, University of Cape Town (2017)
• Professor University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria (2016)
• NEH Distinguished Professor (Colgate University) Colgate University (2018 — 2019)
• Academic University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria (2017 — 2018)
• Director Centre for Curating the Archive University of Cape Town (2015 — 2016)
• Senior Lecturer University of Cape Town (2012 — 2016)
• Senior Lecturer University of Cape Town (2011 — 2016)