J.P. Smuts
J.P. Smuts (1934 – 2015) was an academic and literary critic.
Also known as Johan Smuts
Contents
Biography
He studied at the University of Stellenbosch completing BA (1955), BA (Hons) in History (1957), BEd (1959), BA (Hons) in Afrikaans and Dutch (1960), an MA (cum laude) (1968), D.Litt (1975).
He spent number of years as a teacher of Afrikaans, working for the Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal and the Faculty of Education at the University of Stellenbosch, before being appointed as a lecturer in the Departement Afrikaans en Nederlands ("Department of Afrikaans and Dutch department at the university in 1971. In 1986 he was made professor, serving as chair of the Department from 1989 to 1991, and retiring in 1994. He played an important role as a member and, for a while chairman, of the literary commission of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (1990 to 2007) and as a reader for a number of publishing houses.
In 2003 he was the recipient of the Gustav Preller-prize for literature and literary criticism from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns.
Contribution to South African drama, theatre and performance
An avid researcher, he wrote extensively on Afrikaans prose and drama. Of particular importance for theatre studies have been his many "dramakronieke" ("drama chronicles") in the Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe (The Journal of Humanities) and a contribution on the Afrikaans drama in Die Afrikaanse literatuur sedert sestig (1980), a literary history edited by T.T. Cloete.
His academic articles on dramas and radio plays during the period 1977-2006 appeared in Standpunte, Tydskrif vir letterkunde, Tydskrif vir geesteswetenskappe and South African Theatre Journal. A substantial number of reviews of new Afrikaans drama texts were published in Die Burger and broadcast in the radio programme Skrywers en Boeke.
A selection of his many reviews have been published in the book Burgerband (1985).
His publications also include the following books and sections of books on drama: the component on drama in Die Afrikaanse literatuur sedert sestig (ed. TT Cloete) 1980; Triptiek: tekste vir die verhoog, radio en televisie 1986; "Verby die woord: Nagspel as videodrama" in Spel en spieël (ed. Charles Malan) 1985; "Chris Barnard", in Perspektief en profiel 1 (ed. HP van Coller) 1999.
With his wife and colleague, Ria Smuts, he published a number of collections of short stories and dramas for school use.
JP SMUTS JP Smuts (1934 – 2015) was an academic and literary critic. He studied at the University of Stellenbosch completing BA (1955), HonsBA (History) (1957), BEd (1959), HonsBA (Afrikaans and Dutch) (1960), MA (cum laude) (1968), DLitt (1975). He was a lecturer and professor of literature in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch at the University of Stellenbosch from 1971 until 1994, specialising in prose and drama. In 2003 he was awarded the
http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0041-476X2015000200019
J.P. Smuts (1934?*-2015) was an academic, compiler of playtexts, and a theatre and drama critic.
Studied at the University of Stellenbosch completing BA (1950), BA Hons (1957) B.Ed. (1959), Hons BA (1960), MA 1968, D.Litt. (1975).
He was a lecturer and professor of Afrikaans literature at the University of Stellenbosch from 1971 tot 1994.
Contribution to South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance
His area of specialization was drama and he and his wife Ria Smuts (Ria Lessing) over the years reviewed, wrote on and compiled collections of plays for use by universities and schools. These include Triptiek: tekste vir die verhoog, radio en televisie published in 1986. He was a regular reviewer for Die Unie, Die Burger, and contributor to literary journals such as Tydskrif vir Letterkunde.
Sources
Matieland 2015, p. 35.
Stellenbosch University Library catalogue.
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