Guest Lectures

The International Human Rights Exchange (IHRE) regularly organizes guest lectures with the goal of building a vibrant human rights community at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Prominent academics, practitioners, and commentators are invited to deliver guest lectures that engage human rights topics using lenses that are innovative and thought-provoking. IHRE lectures are open to the general public and seek to stimulate debate on a range of topics related to human rights. 

Lecture topics have included:

• African Elections & Human Rights Challenges
• Non-Racialism & Human Rights
• Human Rights & U.S. Responses to 9/11
• Global Political Amnesia: Sweeping Human Rights Under Zimbabwe's Political Carpet
• Human Rights in the 20th Century
• Human Rights in Africa: Perspectives from Western and Southern Africa
• Hannah Arendt's New Law on Earth
• Material Ghosts: Photography and the City
• After the TRC: Legacies and Unfinished Business
• Land Rights in Southern Africa

Recent guest lecturers include:

Roy Bennett

Movement for Democratic Change, Zimbabwe

George Bizos

Human Rights Advocate and Nelson Mandela's Counsel at the Rivonia Treason Trial

Justice Richard Goldstone

International Criminal Court

• Listen to Justice Richard Goldstone's IHRE lecture, "The Future of International Criminal Justice":  PART ONE -- PART TWO

Ahmed Kathrada

Anti-Apartheid Activist and Advocate of Non-Racialism

Justice Johan Kriegler

IEC Chair and Head of Investigation, 2007 Elections in Kenya

Eusebius McKaiser

Wits Centre for Ethics  and Contributing Editor, Business Day

Hiroko Miyamura

United Nations Political Affairs Section

Andile Mngxitama

Landless People's Movement, South Africa

Njabulo Ndebele

South African Writer and Former Vice-Chancellor University of Cape Town

Andrew Passen

US Consul General to South Africa and Former Team Leader of Baghdad Provincial Reconstruction Team, Iraq

Paula Roque

South African Institute of International Affairs

Eleanor Sisulu

Zimbabwean-South African Human Rights Activist and Writer

Yasmin Sooka

Foundation for Human Rights, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Tseliso Thipanyane

South African Human Rights Commission