Vidhya Bhula in the spotlight
Isaac Themba Mnguni interviews Vidhya Bhula about the ins and outs of her research on media, race, gender and the Caster Semenya saga.
ITM: What are you currently studying?
VB: MA in Media Studies.
ITM: What is your research topic?
VB: Questioning Gender: The representation of race and gender in global and local print media responses of the Caster Semenya Saga.
ITM: What have been the challenges that you have so far faced in your research?
VB: Mostly getting over the writer’s block! But I also have problems accessing the print media articles/pictures both locally and internationally.
ITM: You are coordinating tutorials, studying and involved with a local NGO. That is a hectic schedule – what is your survival guide?
VB: My diary – on most days… Sometimes it’s hard to keep up but by writing things down and trying to keep stuff as neat and organized as possible I try to keep my head above water.
ITM: What advice do you have for emerging researchers?
VB: Be sure about what you want to research. It must be something that interests you and that you are extremely passionate about. If you don’t like your research, you will be stuck with work you don’t like for an entire year or two years… It will drive you INSANE!
ITM: Do you have any tips about managing your relationship with your supervisor?
VB: Take his/her advice. Supervisors too, have been where we are now and they are experts in their respective fields. They have the tools to help us survive the research… We just need to use these tools.
ITM: What are your views on the right to protest on campus and the charges laid by the senate on SRC members for the strike in 2008/9?
VB: I think everyone has the right to protest and make their voices heard. But these should not hinder others’ rights to learn.. So as long as it’s kept clean and limited to those who want to participate in the protests then it should be allowed. However, the charges against SRC members are valid and the course of action, the disciplinary hearings and whatever gets decided thereafter, should be allowed to continue, with no hindrance. These systems are put into place for a reason – to ensure that Wits remains a place of learning where students’ development should not be obstructed in any way.
ITM: What are your future plans?
VB: In the short term… Find a job!!! And I am planning a “Big Fat Indian Wedding”. My long term goal is to establish myself within a reputable company and work in marketing, PR and communications.
ITM: What is your favorite quote?
VB: I don’t know who said it but “A diamond is a piece of coal that handled stress exceptionally well”. I want to be a diamond.