Dr Setlhabi Strengthens UB’s Global Academic Presence Through Cultural Advocacy
University of Botswana (UB) Senior Lecturer in Archaeology, Dr Keletso Setlhabi, has reinforced the institution's global academic standing through her active participation in two major international events in Johannesburg, South Africa. Dr Setlhabi presented groundbreaking research and engaged in cultural advocacy at the Annual Anthropology Southern Africa (ASnA) Conference and the World Anthropology Union (WAU) Congress held in November 2024.
Her presentation at the ASnA Conference, hosted by the University of Witwatersrand from 6th to 9th November 2024, focused on how anthropology can mend fractured values and relationships between museums and their communities. This aligns with the movement towards decolonising museums and heritage. Her paper specifically advocated for the restitution of cultural artifacts, including her PhD research subject, moropa wa bojale, from the Botswana National Museum to the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela community.
The ideas were in line with the conference themes, "Repair, Restoration, and Reparation" and "Reimagining Anthropological Knowledge: Perspectives, Practices, and Power."
Dr Setlhabi's academic contributions continued at the WAU Congress hosted at Misty Hills, Johannesburg the 11th of November 2024. Her impactful involvement led to her nomination as an Ordinary Member of the ASnA Executive Council for the 2024–2026 term.
Beyond her presentations, Dr Setlhabi collaborated with the Cultural Heritage Committee of the UNA Europa Network - an alliance of eleven (11) European universities - to convene three (3) events as part of the two (2) conferences under the theme “Making and Remaking Heritage in a Global Context.” They included a graduate workshop at the ASnA Conference, a WAU Congress panel featuring 11 paper presentations and a WAU Congress roundtable where Dr Setlhabi served as one of the discussants.
Reflecting on her participation, Dr Setlhabi emphasised the importance of UB forging international collaborations as it transitions into a High-Performance Organisation. “Impactful contributions to global academic discourses are vital for advancing UB’s interdisciplinary vision,” she said.
She explained that her international engagement would support the development of envisioned programmes such as Anthropology within the Sociology Department. Over the past two academic years, Dr Setlhabi has been teaching Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology alongside her primary Archaeology courses, reflecting her interdisciplinary expertise and commitment to UB’s growth.