Cheryl de la Rey Vice-Chancellor and Principal Collection (2009 - 2018)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/14027

CV - PROF CHERYL DE LA REY

Prof Cheryl Merle de la Rey was born and raised in Durban. She completed her schooling at Parkhill Senior Secondary School in 1979 and completed her BA at the former University of Natal with distinction in Psychology in 1983. The following year she completed her Honours degree (cum laude) and in 1986 her Masters degree (with distinction).

In 1999 she was awarded a PhD by the University of Cape Town (UCT) after completing her dissertation which focussed on the career narratives of women professors.

She began her professional career as a teacher, initially at Parkhill Senior Secondary School and then at Marianridge Senior Secondary School. In 1987 she accepted an academic position in the Psychology Department at the former University of Durban-Westville (UDW).

In 1995 she joined the Psychology Department at the University of Cape Town (UCT), initially as a lecturer, moving up the ranks to senior lecturer in 1997 and to associate professor in 2001. While at UCT Prof de la Rey was seconded to the National Research Foundation (NRF) where she served as Executive Director: Research Promotion until her appointment as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Psychology at UCT in 2002.

In 2008 she took office as Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and in July 2009 she was appointed as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria.

Prof de la Rey has a notable publication record, having authored several journal articles, books and book chapters in her discipline, Psychology. Over the years, Prof de la Rey has played a key role in several education policy- and research-related committees. She is currently a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation, the National Human Resource Development Council, the Council of the Botswana University of Science and Technology and the Planning and Review Committee of the International Council for Science. She is registered as a Psychologist by the Health Professions Council of South Africa; is a fellow of the Psychological Association of South Africa and a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa.

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Memorial Service in Honour of Nelson Mandela
(2014-02-05) De la Rey, Cheryl
The speech of Prof Cheryl De la Rey, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the memorial of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, 11 December 2013.
Shifting the publications game : the case of a textbook project at a historically black university
(Faculty of Education, University of the Free State, 1998) Van Niekerk, Ashley; Diedricks, Margaret-Ann; Shefer, Tamara; Duncan, Norman; De la Rey, Cheryl
During 1995 a small group of psychologists initiated a writing project which has culminated in the publication of a textbook for South African students. This paper describes the conditions and factors which motivated the project and contributed to its success. The data for this paper comprises themes which emerged from the transcripts of interviews conducted with members of the editorial collective and several contributors to the textbook. The objective in doing this is to stimulate similiar initiatives in other contexts.
Societal transformation : gender, feminism and psychology in South Africa
(Sage, 1999) De la Rey, Cheryl; Kottler, Amanda
"Our focus is twofold: first, we use gender as a category of analysis to present a broad overview of societal transformation in South Africa since the first democratic elections in April 1994; second we review some of the changes in psychology since the launch of the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) at the beginning of 1994."
Structural asymmetries and peace : hope or despair?
(Taylor & Francis, 2000) De la Rey, Cheryl
This article suggests that where one is positioned in the current geopolitical system is likely to have an influence on whether one feels hope or despair. In this respect material asymmetry as a divisive influence is noted and it is argued that poverty reduction is a crucial component in defining a culture of peace. The need for sharing of resources as envisioned in the definition offered by Boulding is endorsed. Although the reduction of material asymmetry is seen as crucial, it is however, not seen as sufficient for the attainment of a peace culture. Redressing other power differentials such as gender is also viewed as crucial. The insights offered by Elise Boulding on the role of nongovernmental organizations are highlighted but the need to examine civil society more widely is also noted. In particular, the question of the meaning of citizenship is emphasized. In conclusion, the importance of developing a holistic, interdisciplinary approach that draws on cooperation and interdependence is affirmed and it is argued that there is sufficient reason for hope.
Perceptions of psychosocial healing and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa
(Taylor & Francis, 1998) De la Rey, Cheryl; Owens, Ingrid
Like many other societies that have dealt with the question of how to achieve closure of a past of oppression while simultaneously working toward national reconstruction and reconciliation, South Africa turned to the concept of a truth commission. Public testimony constitutes the central mechanism in the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) process. Through the use of social constructionism as a broad framework in which the testimony method may be located, this descriptive study examines various narratives to uncover understandings of healing and the modes of healing invoked by both victims and those facilitating the healing process. Two data sources were used: testimony transcripts from public hearings of the TRC and transcripts from interviews with key players in the process. Thematic analysis revealed that there are multiple understandings of healing but overall, the narratives affirmed the therapeutic value of the testimony method. The central issue under discussion in the article is the connectedness between individual healing and national reconciliation.
Women's meanings of peacebuilding in post-apartheid South Africa
(Taylor & Francis, 2001) McKay, Susan; De la Rey, Cheryl
Although women’s instrumentality in peacebuilding is internationally recognized, gendered meanings of peacebuilding are poorly understood. Our study was conducted to learn from a diverse group of South African women what peacebuilding means to them. Sixteen women gathered in Cape Town for a 2-day workshop that used feminist participatory methods to gather data about women’s meanings of peacebuilding. All talk was audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed for content pertaining to research questions and to identify thematic strands. For these workshop participants, peacebuilding is a process, relationship building is crucial to its effectiveness, and meeting basic human needs underlies its success. Women recognized their active involvement in peacemaking and peacebuilding and, occasionally, in peacekeeping and peace enforcing activities. They viewed their approaches often to be distinct from men’s and believed the significance of their peacebuilding work is not adequately recognized within South African patriarchal society.
Black scholarship : doing something active and positive about academic racism
(South African Journal of Psychology, 1997) Seedat, M.; Gobodo-Madikizela, P.; Simbayi, L.C.; Bhana, A.; Duncan, Norman; Van Niekerk, A.; De la Rey, Cheryl
This 'article' serves as introduction to the Special Issue: black scholarship. As such, it outlines the various articles contained in, as well as the rationale for the issue. In this article the authors argue that programmatic anti-racist interventions such as this Special Issue are crucial to the process of redressing the 'racialised' patterns of research and authorship characterising mainstream psychology journals.
Peace as a gendered process : perspectives of women doing peacebuilding in South Africa
(International Journal of Peace Studies, 2002) De la Rey, Cheryl; McKay, Susan
This study builds on the pioneering work by feminists such as Birgit Brock-Utne (1985, 1990) and Betty Reardon (1985, 1990) in attempting to disrupt the male bias in peace research by examining the meaning of peace through the perspective of women directly engaged in peacebuilding activities.
Women's leadership programs in South Africa : a strategy for community intervention
(Routledge, 2003) De la Rey, Cheryl; Jankelowitz, Gia; Suffla, Shahaaz
A central premise of this paper is that the training of women for leadership roles is a critical component of the development of communities as a whole. This was the central point of departure for a study that aimed to review women’s leadership training programs in South Africa. This paper reports on this study in which 38 organizations from across the country participated. Three main data sources were used: Organizational materials, interviews and questionnaires. The analysis examined the following key features: Motivation for leadership training, approaches to leadership, understandings of gender difference, training techniques and strategies and outcomes. The findings revealed trends that may have implications for best practice frameworks in interventions targeted at leadership, gender and development.
Work-family interaction strain : coping strategies used by successful women in the public, corporate and self-employed sectors of the economy
(Psychological Society of South Africa, 2001) Brink, Beatrix; De la Rey, Cheryl
The main objective of this study was to identify the coping strategies used by successful South African women of all races in dealing with work-family interaction strain. Using a transactional approach, the study also investigated cognitive appraisal as a key antecedent of coping with work-family interaction strain. A survey was conducted with a sample comprising 110 women in the public, corporate and self-employed sectors of the economy. All the participants were married with at least one child of pre-school or school going age. The women worked in positions from middle management and higher in corporate or public sector organisations or were business owners with at least four employees. Quantitative and qualitative data were obtained by means of a self-report questionnaire. The main finding of the study showed that the participants used both emotional and problem focused coping strategies to deal with the hypothetical work-family interaction strain situation. These strategies were positive reappraisal, planful problem solving, self-controlling and seeking social support. Not one of these coping strategies was significantly favoured above the others. The study did not find evidence of a relationship between the participants’ cognitive appraisal of the hypothetical situation and their choice of coping strategy, except with regard to cognitive appraisal, control and the coping strategy, escape avoidance; the higher the participant scored on cognitive appraisal, control, the less likely they were to choose escape-avoidance as a coping strategy in dealing with the situation. The article discusses these findings in relation to past studies in other countries and suggestions for further research are presented.
South African feminism, race and racism
(Agenda Feminist Media, 1997) De la Rey, Cheryl
Cheryl de la Rey critically discusses the shifting understandings of race and difference. She frames the possibility that even if anti-racism is made central to feminism, the idea of unity may be misplaced.
Intragroup accounts of teenage motherhood : a community based psychological perspective
(Psychological Society of South Africa, 1997) Parekh, Angina; De la Rey, Cheryl
Using community based and women-centred perspectives, this study explored experiences of unplanned motherhood during adolescence. Ten African teenage mothers from a semi-rural area in KwaZulu-Natal volunteered to meet once a week for eight weeks to discuss their experiences of pregnancy and motherhood. The findings are discussed in the context of the effect of teenage motherhood on self, on family and peer relationships, traditional Zulu customs, and community support. Current relationships with partners and concerns about the future are also reported. The results indicate the need for school-based programmes and parent groups for adolescent mothers that will enhance their ability to examine options with a view to establishing a trajectory towards better life outcomes. Community health workers were also identified as resource personnel for enabling teenage mothers in rural and semi-rural areas to cope with their concerns and develop a way of understanding them.
Culture, tradition and gender : let's talk about it
(Agenda Feminist Media, 1992) De la Rey, Cheryl
"South Africans often speak about traditional African cultures, Indian culture and Western culture placing emphasis on the differences and distinctions. There is indeed diversity, but during our workshop we observed that we share several cultural similarities with regard to gender-related beliefs and roles. While there are differences in the specific practices, there are gender related features thatour backgrounds have in common; for example, the evidence that women are undervalued and anything associated with women seems to be evaluated negatively. Another common theme is that from an early age women are held responsible for child-rearing and household work."
Race and gender constraints in SA road running
(Agenda Feminist Media, 1993) Paruk, Zubeda; De la Rey, Cheryl
"Constraints on women that have emerged in other studies on gender and sport were all applicable to the runners in our research; black South African women, however, appear to face additional limitations to their participation in running. Further research could provide a broader analysis of the influence of structural factors like class and culture, in addition to race and gender, on women's running."
The call for relevance : South African psychology ten years into democracy
(Psychological Society of South Africa, 2004) De la Rey, Cheryl; Ipser, Jonathan
A number of scholars during the 1980s and early 1990s questioned the relevance of psychology in South Africa. In this paper we characterise the nature of what became known as the ‘relevance debate’, and then investigate whether South African psychology has become more relevant during the nation’s first ten years of democracy. Themes which are identified with respect to this issue include the apparent increasing representation of marginalised groups within South African psychology, the conscious responsiveness of psychologists to post-apartheid policy imperatives and issues, their alignment with international theoretical trends, and finally, an increasing recognition of the political nature of South African psychology. The authors conclude that a more productive approach within future debates regarding relevance in psychology would be to examine the nature of knowledge production within the discipline.
Woman abuse : the construction of gender in women and men's narratives of violence
(Psychological Society of South Africa, 2004) Boonzaier, Floretta; De la Rey, Cheryl
Violence against women is a widespread social problem affecting millions of women. For more than three decades, researchers have explored the experiences of women in abusive relationships. Victims’ accounts have been the main focus, often deflecting attention away from men who are most frequently the perpetrators. Consequently, woman abuse has come to be regarded as a ‘woman’s problem’ – blaming women and rendering them responsible for change. The literature on perpetrators and victims of violence seems to be developing independently of each other and commonly provide one-sided accounts (mostly from victims and less often from perpetrators). This article reports on an ongoing research project that aims to explore how both partners in a violent heterosexual relationship understand and attach meanings to their experiences. In-depth interviews were conducted with five couples. An analysis of the narratives revealed that women's and men’s understandings of violence are both similar and different. They construct particular forms of gendered identities, which are sometimes contradictory and ambiguous. In their talk about violence and relationships, they ‘perform’ gender and enact hegemonic constructions of femininity and masculinity. The analysis also shows that women’s and men’s talk about violence is linked to broader socio-cultural mechanisms that construct woman abuse as a serious social problem in South Africa.
Inaugural speech
(2010-05-13T07:04:26Z) De la Rey, Cheryl
Preface -- Changing context -- UP strategy -- Quality of the student experience -- Diversity and transformation -- Postgraduate education and research -- Sustainability -- Conclusion

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