Mentoring for Social Change: Challenges and Future Directions for PhD Mentoring in South Africa

Abstract

In this paper, I reflect on my experiences of mentoring within PhD programmes over the past 18 years. Drawing on autoethnographic methods, I aim to critically reflect on the challenges and opportunities of mentorship programmes in the South African context. I identify 5 areas of debate that are central to better understanding mentorship programmes. These are: the management of mentorship programmes, the mainstreaming of mentorship within PhD programmes, the relationship between mentorship and supervision, the relationship between mentorship and transformation and the risks inherent to mentorship programmes.  Based on these reflections I recommend a research agenda that can lead to more clearly conceptualised mentorship programmes and can better evaluate their impact both on PhD candidates and the broader transformation of the academy.