Applied Storytelling as community autoethnography in applied heritage: a resource for spiritual wellbeing. Mary Lange initiated the project at CCMS, UKZN, as lead researcher, in collaboration with heritage sites in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Ireland. An output of this project in 2025–the Geomotional project, funded by NAC and the Kingdom of the Netherlands SA. Project in collaboration with South Roots Int and the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, South Africa, resulting in an installation attended by schools and the general public and a book (see applied culture and heritage projects and research publications). 2024 – ongoing. Photos: Mary E. Lange and F.J. Lange.
REACT project: Reimagining Activism, Communication and Trajectories of Participation in the Global South
The South African site, of the REACT project, is led by Professor Lauren Dyll, together with Research Associate Dr Mary Lange, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Professor Thomas Tufte of Loughborough University, United Kingdom, conceived and leads this five-year Horizon Europe-funded research project (2026-2030). The other sister sites in the project are in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and India. REACT explores how young people in cities of the Global South participate in “everyday activism” –the often less visible practices of lifestyle choices, ethics of care, solidarity and community concern that sit alongside more traditional forms such as protest and boycott. In Durban our central research question is how the subjectivities fo urban youth are articulated in collective processes of change, and how these processes foster what we call global critical hope. The project aims to trace young people’s trajectories of participation, to build inclusive and pluriversal knowledge with them, and to co-create pedagogical and artistic actions and interventions alongside youth, artists and organisations working on political, economic and identity issues in the city. Organisations, and institutions with which REACT in Durban will collaborate include KCAP: Ekhaya Multi-arts Centre, Amehlo Productions and Ewok, groundWork, Litterboom, eThekwini Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation; Durban Local History Museums and ICON, DUT.
Marking Memories: Mashishing rock engraving interpretation project. Mary Lange coordinated the project for CCMS, University of KwaZulu-Natal, under the research leadership of Prof. Lauren Dyll. Devising research, proposal writing and project co-ordination, including report writing, co-authoring the museum educational booklet and tourist brochure and advising on an educational video about the site. 2019-2023. https://communityengagement.ukzn.ac.za/project/community-engagement-in-south-african-heritage-the-mashishing-marking-memories-project/ Photos: J.P. Celliers.
Stories of Pain and Hope: Museums in South Africa and Ireland manuscript development. NIHSS Working Groups Programme Funding. Mary Lange was responsible for the research design, conducting individual face-to-face interviews of museum staff, analysis, and writing up in the form of a book manuscript (see publications). The project was in collaboration with Prof. Ruth Teer-Tomaselli, CCMS, UKZN. 2018-2019. Photos: R. Teer-Tomaselli; F.J. Lange and M.E. Lange.
Biesje Poort Northern Cape rock engraving recording project and subsequent book (see publications). Mary Lange wrote the funding proposal for the project and managed it for CCMS at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Prof. Keyan Tomaselli was the lead researcher, and the projects were funded by the National Heritage Council of South Africa. 2010-2013. (Photos L. Dyll).
ARROW (Art a Resource for Reconciliation Over the World) South African hub. Mary Lange coordinated this outreach project for CCMS at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. This international arts for peace programme was founded by David Oddie of St Marjon College, Plymouth, UK, and was DFID-funded. Mary Lange identified a relevant school, Bechet High, coordinated the project and wrote reports. The South African hub worked in affiliation with ARROW hubs from Bethlehem, Palestine; Pristina, Kosovo; Plymouth, UK and Derry, Northern Ireland. 2004-2006. (Mary Lange and colleagues, at the request of the school, continued the programme when the funding project was completed after registering ARROWSA as a non-profit organisation, and post-graduate students from CCMS, UKZN, conducted participatory action research on the project, supervised by Mary Lange–see applied arts, culture and heritage projects and publications).
