Dr XC Thani

Qualifications

• MA (cum laude) Public Administration
• Hons Public Governance (cum laude)
• BA Public Governance.

Currently teaching

• PUB2618
• HRPUB83

Fields of academic interests

• Xolile is passionate about the methodological preparedness of postgraduate students. She is currently working on her doctoral thesis focusing on the methodological preparedness of Public Administration doctoral candidates. She specialises in Public Administration research methodology and postgraduate research supervision. She has recently developed interest in interpretive phenomenological approach and believes that it is a useful approach that Public Administration researchers can employ when conducting their research projects.
• She is a co-editor of and contributor to two scholarly books: Reflective Public Administration: Context, Knowledge and Methods and Reflective Public Administration: Ethics (2014).

Field of Specialisation

• Research methodology (qualitative research), postgraduate supervision and research ethics

Books

• Research Methods in Public Administration. In Wessels, JS, Pauw, JC & Thani, XC. 2014. Reflective Public Administration: Context, Knowledge and Methods. Unisa Press. Pretoria. ISBN: 987-1-86888-705-7 (Co-authored JS Wessels)
• African Public Administration Scholarship: The state of the discipline. In Wessels, JS, Pauw, JC & Thani, XC. 2014. Reflective Public Administration: Ethics. Unisa Press. Pretoria. ISBN: 987-1-86888-712-5 (Co-authored KG Phago)

Journal articles

• Wessels, J.S. and Thani, X.C. 2014. Methodological preparation of Public Administration Scholars in South Africa. Administratio Publica, 22(1):47-65.
• Thani, XC.2012. Phenomenology as a research design in Public Administration: Fitness for purpose. Administration Publica Vol (20): 26-39.
• Thani, XC & Disoloane, VPP.2012. Determining the role of academics in teaching and improving of Public Administration in the 21st Century. Journal of Public Administration Vol 47(1):148-160.
• Thani,XC & Wessels, JS. 2011. Appropriate research methods for postgraduate research: a Public Administration case study. Politeia Vol (30):75-86.
• van Heerden, M & Thani, XC.2011. Scholarly research: some guidelines to ethically responsible decisions. Administratio Publica Vol19 (2):48-60.
• Thani,XC & Wessels, JS. 2011. Appropriate research methods for postgraduate research: a Public Administration case study. Politeia Vol (30):75-86.
• Wessels, JS, Pauw, JC and Thani, XC.2009. Taxonomies for the analysis of research designs in Public Administration. Administratio Publica Vol42 (5):200-211.

Paper presentations

Papers read at domestic conferences

• Thani, XC, Wessels, JS and Visagie, RG. 2017. The supervisor as a coastguard: a reflection on the role of the supervisor in the methodological preparedness of doctoral candidates. Paper read at the Postgraduate Supervision Conference. Spier Winelands, Cape Town.
• Thani, XC. 2016. Transforming Research Ethics Governance in Higher Education: a PhD Student’s Reflections. Panellist at the University of South Africa Research and Innovation Week. Unisa, Pretoria.
• Thani, XC & Disoloane, VPP. 2012. Determining the role of academics in teaching and improving of Public Administration in the 21st Century. Paper read at the SAAPAM Conference. University of Free State, Bloemfontein.
• Thani, XC. 2010. Scientific indicators in doctoral research theses in Public Administration and Management. Paper read at the Association of Southern African Schools and Departments of Public Administration and Management. Pretoria, South Africa, 27-29 September 2010.
• Naidoo, G. and Thani, XC. 2010. The critical need for effective leadership to promote good governance in the South African public service. Paper read at the First International Conference in Responsible Leadership, Pretoria, South Africa, and 18-20 May 2010.
• Wessels JS, Pauw JC, and Thani XC. 2008. Research by South African Public Administration Scholars: what are they analysing and how? Paper read on 18 April 2008 at the 11th International Winelands Conference on Public and Development Management. Stellenbosch, South Africa.
• Seemela, VPP and Mkhonto XC. 2007. Fundamentals for good governance in the public sector. Paper read at South African Association of Public Administration and Management 8th Annual Conference. Cape Town, South Africa, 1-2 November 2007.

Papers read at International Conference

• Van Heerden, M. and Thani, XC. 2010. Scholarly research: the nexus of ethical responsibility. Paper read at the Annual Conference of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Public Administration, Indonesia. 13-15 July 2010.