Another One for the Books
Prof Nelson Mlambo has rejoined NUST, although he is no stranger to the institution, having served during its Polytechnic days. Now back home, he brings his expertise as a Professor of Literature, Communication, and Applied Linguistics in the Department of Communication and Languages. He recently published a new book titled Narrating Africa – Narrating a Multifaceted Approach.
The book is the result of an international collaborative project that brought together partners from across the globe. Reflecting on its purpose, Prof Mlambo explained that the book is a culmination of, and a demonstration of the internationalisation of higher education. “Our mantra was one of collaboration, co-research, co-mentoring, and co-publishing. To seal off the project, we had to concretise our findings by making the knowledge appear to wider audiences through the book format for lasting impact,” he elaborated.
Prof Mlambo emphasised that books remain an essential part of scholarly communication, even in the age of social media and podcasts. “Presenting information in the form of a book holds an enviable demonstration of knowledge for the serious reader,” he said. He added that his fellowships at Oxford University and Leeds University exposed him to the “world of books” where writing, publishing, and celebrating books remain central to academia.
Donating a copy of his book to the NUST Library, Prof Mlambo noted that Namibia needs to continue producing knowledge that shapes narratives. “There is this positive anger that makes me want to write a lot more… because the Namibian story needs to be shared and heard. Narratives are powerful; they change perspectives, and they centre humanity and the earth we live in,” he said.
Looking ahead, Prof Mlambo is already working on new projects. These include Writing Namibia: Coming Home (Volume Three), Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Namibia (forthcoming with Springer Nature), and a book on the genocide with Routledge. “With the excellent support that NUST offers to me, it is indeed my life mandate to execute research and its dissemination thereof with utmost conviction and pride,” he concluded.
