Department of Psychology

Prof Cyril Adonis

College of Human Sciences
School of Social Sciences
Department: Psychology
Associate Professor
Tel: +27 12 444 8805
E-mail: adonick@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • PhD – Conflict Resolution and Analysis (Nova Southeastern University)
  • MA – Research Psychology (Rhodes University)
  • BA Honours Psychology (UNISA)
  • BA/HDE (UWC)

Fields of academic interests

  • Peace and Political Psychology
  • Peace and Conflict Studies
  • Qualitative Research

Field of Specialisation

  • Intergenerational trauma and memory
  • Ex-combatant reintegration
  • Transitional justice

Books

Journal articles

  • Adonis, C.K. & Silinda, F. (2021). Institutional culture and transformation in higher education in post-1994 South Africa: A Critical Race Theory (CRT) perspective. Critical African Studies. DOI: 10.1080/21681392.2021.1911448
  •  Kanyane, M., Adonis, C., & Rule, S. (2020). Vuwani: Understanding the violent community response to municipal boundary re-demarcation. African Security Review. DOI: 10.1080/10246029.2020.1845760  
  • Adonis, C.K (2019). Bearing witness to suffering – A reflection on the personal impact of conducting research with children and grandchildren of apartheid-era gross human rights violations in South Africa. Social Epistemology, 34(1), 64-78. DOI:10.1080/02691728.2019.1681557.
  • Adonis, C.K. (2018). Generational victimhood and historical trauma: Perspectives of descendants of victims of Apartheid era gross human rights violations in South Africa. International Review of Victimology, 24(1), 47-65. DOI: 10.1177/0269758017732175.
  • Adonis, C.K. (2016). Exploring the salience of intergenerational trauma among children and grandchildren of Apartheid-era gross human rights violations. Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, 16(2), 1-17. DOI: 10.1080/20797222.2016.1184838.  
  • Adonis, C.K. (2015). Generational forgiveness and historical injustices: perspectives of descendants of victims of Apartheid-era gross human rights violations in South Africa. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 25(1), 6-14.
  • Adonis, C.K. (2014). Exploring interpersonal issues and challenges confronting non-statutory ex-combatant fathers and their sons in post-apartheid South Africa. South African Journal of Psychology, 44(1), 60–72.
  • Adonis, C.K. (2010). Review Article. The International Journal of Transitional Justice, 4, 509–518.
  • Adonis, C. (2009). An Evaluation of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation’s Ex-Combatant Policy Dialogue Project. Conflict Trends, 2, 17-23.
  • Burger, J., & Adonis, C. (2008). A watchdog without teeth? The Independent Complaints Directorate. South African Crime Quarterly, 24, 29-35.

Paper presentations

  • The 2018 Biannual Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Social Sciences Research Conference on “Social Innovation and the Promotion of Social Science Research” held at St George Hotel and Conference Centre in Pretoria, South Africa from 12 - 14 September 2018. Paper presented: An Evaluation of the 2015-2018 Innovation for Inclusive Development Seminar Series.

 

  • The 6th International Network of Genocide Scholars (INoGS) Conference on “Genocide and Mass Violence: diagnosis, treatment, and recovery?” held at the Medical Faculty of Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France from 4- 7 July 2018. Paper presented: Transitional justice in South Africa - perspectives of descendants of victims of Apartheid-era gross human rights violations.

 

  • Workshop on “Memory at the Intersection of Mass Violence and Socioeconomic Inequality” held at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada from 13-14 April 2018. Paper presented: “Getting the crown without the jewels”: Intergenerational memory and structural violence in post-Apartheid South Africa”

 

  • Discussant – Department of Science and Technology – Human and Social Dynamics Seminar Series – Intergenerational Memory and Trauma: Implications for Social Cohesion in post-apartheid South Africa, held on 31 March 2017 at Freedom Park, Pretoria.

 

  • Restitution: Something for Everyone Conference” held at the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, South Africa from 9-10 November 2016. Paper presented: Historical injustices, and intergenerational justice and equity: Perspectives of descendants of victims of apartheid era gross human rights violations

 

  • 9th International School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA – University of Pretoria) Conference held at Protea Hotel Centurion, Pretoria, South Africa from 26-27 October 2016. Paper presented: Demarcation for democracy or violence: Vuwani at glance.

 

  • “Regional Advisory Meeting of the Sesame Workshop/Lego Foundation Play Every Day Project”, Johannesburg, South Africa from 13-14 September 2016. Paper presented: Parents and children’s perception of play: A needs Assessment.

 

  • The 2016 Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) Social Sciences Research Conference: “Poverty and Inequality: Diagnosis, Prognosis, Responses” held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 22-23 September 2016. Paper presented: Discursive practices in the Sesotho mourning process and their pragmatic functions.

 

  • “Children and War: Past and Present Conference” held at the University of Salzburg, in Salzburg, Austria from 13-15 July 2016. Paper presented: Generational victimhood and historical trauma: Perspectives of descendants of victims of Apartheid era gross human rights violations in South Africa.

 

  • “Soul Wounds: Trauma and healing across generations conference” held at Stanford University in Stanford, United States from 4-6 June 2015. Title of presentation: Exploring the salience of intergenerational trauma in post-Apartheid South Africa.

 

  • “The International Journal of Arts and Sciences' (IJAS) International Conference for Academic Disciplines” held at the American University of Rome, in Rome, Italy, from 22-25 October 2013. Title of presentation: Generational forgiveness and historical trauma: Perspectives of children and grand-children of victims of Apartheid era gross human rights violations in South Africa.

 

  • “The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) workshop” - The role of memory as a process of transitional justice in contributing to a lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 4-6 August 2011. Title of presentation: CSVR’s memory work and the role and challenges of memory and memorialisation processes in South Africa.

 

  • “The Community Violence Dialogue” hosted by the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture, and the Institute for the Healing of Memories held in Cape Town, 04 December 2009. Title of presentation: Social injustice as trauma – intergenerational considerations.

 

  • City University of New York (CUNY) Program on States and Security Workshop: “Field Research and Ethics in post-conflict Environments” held at the CUNY Graduate Centre in New York, December 4-5, 2008. Title of presentation: Ethical dilemmas in conducting research with ex-combatants in post-apartheid South Africa.

 

  • International Peace Research Association Conference, “Building Sustainable Futures - Enacting Peace and Development”, held at the Catholic University of Leuven, in Leuven, Belgium, 15-19 July 2008. Title of presentation: Transgenerational Trauma and Humiliation, its Potential Implications for Political Forgiveness in Post-Apartheid South Africa.

 

  • 3rd International and Interdisciplinary Trauma Research Net conference on “Trauma – Stigma and Distinction: Social Ambivalences in the Face of Extreme Suffering”, held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, 14-17 September 2006. Title of presentation: Transgenerational transmission of trauma and its implications for sustained political forgiveness in post-apartheid South Africa.

 

  • Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Seminar South African Police Services (SAPS) compliance with recommendations made by the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD). Research paper presented on 02 April 2008, Pretoria, South Africa.

 

  • The Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA), held in Chicago, IL, 22-25 August 2002. Paper presented: Forgiveness among victims of political violence: Evidence from South Africa and its Truth and Reconciliation Commission process. (Sonis, J., van der Merwe, H., Adonis, C. K., Backer, D., & Masitha, H.).

 

  • “4TH Pacific Rim - First Year in Higher Education Conference” held at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia (5th-7th July 2000). Title of presentation: An evaluation of students’ perceptions of a multi-faceted support programme in a large, diverse first year class.

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

  • Fulbright Scholarship
  • NRF Doctoral studies Abroad Scholarship

Other

Conference Proceedings (Peer Reviewed)

  • Adonis, C.K. (2010). Ethical dilemmas in conducting research with ex-combatants in post-apartheid South Africa. In: Online Reader of City University of New York’s Program on States and Security, Field Research and Ethics in post-conflict Environments. See: http://www.statesandsecurity.org/field-research/online-reader
  • Adonis, C.K. (2000). An evaluation of students’ perceptions of a multi-faceted support programme in a large, diverse first year class. In: Proceedings of the 4TH Pacific Rim - First Year in Higher Education Conference: Creating futures for a new millennium. Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia.

Peer-Reviewed Policy Briefs

  • Kanyane, B., Rule, S., Wentzel, M., Viljoen, J., Adonis, C., Mdlongwa, T., Ngungu, M., Majikijela, Y., & Isaacs, N. (2020). Is political violence in local government a threat to South Africa’s democracy? Political Violence in Local Government. HSRC Policy Brief Series. Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Edelstein, I. & Adonis, C. (2019). The Youth Violence Potential Scale for practitioners. HSRC Policy Brief Series. Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Adonis, C. & Sobane, K. (2018). Caregiver perceptions of the value of play for early childhood development: Lessons from a needs assessment conducted in three low-income areas in Johannesburg. HSRC Policy Brief Series. Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Kanyane, M., Pophiwa, N., Raseala, P., Mdlongwa, T., Viljoen, J., Moolman, B., Adonis, C., Ramphalile, M., & Rule, S. (2018). Rethinking municipal boundary re-determination in South Africa: lessons from Vuwani. HSRC Policy Brief Series. Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Adonis, C.K. (2015). Discrimination and biases in textbooks used in South African public schools. HSRC Policy Brief Series, Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).

HSRC Review Articles

  • Adonis, C. (2019). Conducting research with traumatised populations: The cost of bearing witness. HSRC Review, 17(3), 26-27.
  • Adonis, C. (2018). A roadmap: Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. HSRC Review, 16(3), 23-24.
  • Adonis, C. (2017). How the past can make the present tense: Intergenerational trauma and implications for social cohesion in contemporary South Africa. HSRC Review 15(4), 36-37.
  • Adonis, C. & Sobane, K. (2017). Play for early childhood development. HSRC Review, 15(2), 26-27.

Research Reports & Other Policy Briefs

  • Rule, S., Adonis, C.K., & Houston, G. (2021). Military Veterans’ Needs Assessment Report - Phase One. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council.
  • Rule, S., Parker, S., Edelstein, I., Davids, Y.D., Houston, G., Majikijela, Y., Adonis, C.K., & Masilela, T. (2019). Report on Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey for the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa – Phase Two. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Sobane, K., Chiumbu, S., Adonis, C.K. & Bashonga, R. (2018). Needs assessment report: communication sharing practices and needs of people living with HIV: a case of Nkangala in Mpumalanga and Ekurhuleni in Gauteng. (Commissioned by the Centre for Communications Impact).
  • Rule, S., Edelstein, I., Davids, Y.D., Masiza, M., Adonis, C.K., Houston, G., & Masilela, T. (2018). Report on Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey for the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa - First Phase. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Kanyane, M., Pophiwa, N., Raseala, P., Mdlongwa, T., Viljoen, J., Moolman, B., Adonis, C.K., Ramphalile, M., & Rule, S. (2017). “We didn’t ask for a municipality” – Unintended consequences of municipal boundary re-determination: Vuwani at a glance - Research Report. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Rule, S., Yu, K., Adonis, C.K., Adams, R., Bitso, B., Edelstein, I., Masiza, M., Mokwele, T., & Shandu, B. (2017). The South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1) – 2012 Impact Assessment Report. Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Sobane, K., Adonis, C.K., Khuzwayo, Z., Magaya, I., Shandu, B., Mokwele, T. & van der Merwe, C. (2017). Final Report - The Lego Foundation Play Every Day Project Formative Research. Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Kanyane, M., Moolman, B., Adonis, C., Pophiwa, N., Viljoen, J., Mdlongwa, T. & Ramphalile, M. (2016). Demarcation for democracy or violence: Vuwani at glance: Vuwani rapid response/exploratory study: literature report. (Rapid research exploratory report, September). Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Adonis, C.K., Sobane, K., Khuzwayo, Z., Magaya, I., Shandu, B., Mokwele, T. & van der Merwe, C. (2016). Final Report – A needs assessment for The Lego Foundation Play Every Day Project. Pretoria: The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
  • Adonis, C.K. (2010). Xenophobic attacks against African refugees and migrants in South Africa: a civil society response. Horizons Briefing Series, Published by the Eldis Programme, Institute for Development Studies, University of Sussex.
  • Adonis, C.K. (February 2008). Post-Apartheid South Africa and the TRC: Socio-economic reflections. Just News - Bulletin of the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) Newsletter, p. 5. Dublin, Ireland.
  • Adonis, C.K. (2008). Memory priorities: A strategic assessment of memory and memorialisation in post-apartheid South Africa. Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.
  • Adonis, C.K. (2008). “We need to do it for ourselves” An Evaluation of the CSVR Ex-Combatant Policy Dialogue Project. Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. See: http://www.csvr.org.za/docs/evaluation1108.pdf