Heather Hughes

Heather Hughes is Professor of Southern African Studies at the University of Lincoln in the UK. Born and brought up in South Africa, she taught African Studies for many years at the University of Natal (which became the University of KwaZulu-Natal). Her biography of John Langalibalele Dube, First President: A Life of John L. Dube, Founding President of the ANC, was published by Jacana Media in 2011. Much of her research has focused on the making of national and ethnic identity in Southern Africa. In terms of representation, she has contributed a chapter (with Mwelela Cele) on the making of the Qadi in colonial Natal to the volume on untribing the archive, edited by Carolyn Hamilton and Nessa Liebhammer. She is currently exploring the various ways in which so-called ‘difficult heritage’ is represented in museums and interpretation centres.