Kopano Ratele

Professor Kopano Ratele serves as Professor of Psychology at Stellenbosch University and heads the Stellenbosch Centre for Critical and Creative Thought, where he has established himself as a leading authority in decolonial psychology and critical men's studies. His academic journey includes serving as the former Director of the South African Medical Research Council Men, Injury and Violence Research Unit and Professor at the University of South Africa, where he led the Transdisciplinary African Psychologies Programme. His research focuses on two main areas: critical men and masculinity studies, and critical and cultural African psychological studies, with particular emphasis on boys, men and masculinities at the intersection with violence, race, sexuality, and culture. His significant contributions include numerous books such as "Why Men Hurt Women & Other Reflections on Love, Violence and Masculinity" (2022), "The World Looks Like This From Here: Thoughts on African Psychology" (2019), and "Liberating Masculinities" (2016). At Stellenbosch University, he teaches courses on decolonial/critical social psychology, Frantz Fanon, and personality psychology, while also leading the CIRCoRe workstream responsible for aligning the University's institutional culture with a democratic human rights ethos. His leadership roles have included serving as president of the Psychological Society of South Africa, chairperson of Sonke Gender Justice, and member of the Ministerial Committee on Transformation in South African Universities, while maintaining an active presence in public discourse through media contributions on masculinity, violence, and fatherhood.