Sociology in practice: H.W. van der Merwe’s contribution to conflict resolution and mediation in South Africa

Liebenberg, Ian2016-06-132016-06-132011Liebenberg, I. (2011). Sociology in practice: HW van der Merwe's contribution to conflict resolution and mediation in South Africa. Acta Academica, 43(1), 1-38.0587-2405 (print)2415-0479 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/11660/2803English: Conflict, repression and resistance had an alienating effect on a micro- and macro-level in apartheid South Africa. This brings to mind Hendrik Willem van der Merwe as a person who united South Africa’s enemies. This article explores auto-ethnographic insights in a discussion of his approach to mediation, involvement with the Centre for Intergroup Studies and his establishing of the South African Association for Conflict Intervention (SAACI). His approach differed from others at the time such as the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA). The value of his work is noted and further research advised. The article suggests that scholarly activism (or the activist scholar) is again needed to build peace and justice in the context of South Africa and our continent.Afrikaans: Konflik op mikro- en makrovlak het vervreemdende gevolge in apartheid Suid-Afrika gehad. Hendrik W van der Merwe is in die media beskryf as die man wat Suid-Afrikaanse vyande bymekaar bring. In hierdie verkenning word gebruik gemaak van kwalitatiewe auto-etnografiese momente om Van der Merwe se benadering en sy betrokkenheid by die Sentrum vir Intergroepstudies en die stigting van die Suid-Afrikaanse Assosiasie vir Konflik Intervensie (SAAKI) na te speur. Sy styl ten opsigte van mediasie en intervensie het gekontrasteer met byvoorbeeld die Instituut vir Demokrasie in Suid-Afrika (IDASA). Die artikel verwys na die waarde van sy werk en suggereer ten slotte dat sodanige akademiese aktivisme kan bydra tot vrede- en geregtigheidsbou in Suid Afrika en elders op ons kontinent.enVan der Merwe, Hendrik WillemInstitute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA)Conflict resolutionMediationCentre for Intergroup StudiesSouth African Association for Conflict InterventionAuto-ethnographic insightSociology in practice: H.W. van der Merwe’s contribution to conflict resolution and mediation in South AfricaArticleUniversity of the Free State