Siraj Jardine

MPhil (Sustainable Development), School of Public Leadership


siraj.jardine@gmail.com

Supervisors: Prof. Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs, Prof. Rika Preiser

Field of research

  • Social-ecological systems and resilience
  • Ecomusicology

Profile

Siraj is currently studying toward his MPhil in Sustainable Development. He holds a BSc Eng (Chemical) from the University of KwaZulu Natal and a PGDip (Sustainable Development) (Cum Laude) from Stellenbosch University.

He has had a keen interest in music since his first few music lessons in 1990. After spending 10 years working as a chemical engineer in the petrochemical industry, Siraj has decided to incorporate his hobby into his MPhil research.

Description of research project:

Research project title: Exploring connections between music and social-ecological system resilience.

Siraj is exploring the role of music in sustainable development by investigating the fields of ecomusicology and social-ecological system resilience. Some of the questions he is addressing are: can music make you feel connected with home/nature/people? Can music motivate activism to oppose unsustainable behaviour? Can music promote innovative thinking in finding solutions to sustainability challenges?

The two bodies of literature have more in common than one would initially assume, and Siraj hopes to add to the connections at this art-science interface in the South African context.