{"id":6659,"date":"2025-06-22T20:33:31","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T17:33:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chuss.mak.ac.ug\/en\/?p=6659"},"modified":"2025-07-24T15:51:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T12:51:19","slug":"chuss-graduate-symposium-2025-kicks-off-at-makerere-university-phd-students-urged-to-embrace-active-critical-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chuss.mak.ac.ug\/en\/chuss-graduate-symposium-2025-kicks-off-at-makerere-university-phd-students-urged-to-embrace-active-critical-reading\/","title":{"rendered":"CHUSS Graduate Symposium 2025 Kicks Off at Makerere University: PhD Students Urged to Embrace Active, Critical Reading"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Jane Anyango<\/strong>
Makerere University, Kampala | June 19, 2025<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2025 College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS) Graduate Symposium officially commenced at Makerere University\u2019s Main Hall, marking a significant milestone in the university\u2019s academic calendar. The three day \u00a0event, running from June 19 to 21 2025, brings together over 80 Graduate \u00a0students from Uganda and various partner institutions across Africa under the PANGeA Network, to strengthen scholarly writing and research in the humanities and social sciences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing an audience of mainly PhD students, Prof. Musila, a prominent academic and literary scholar, urged scholars to rethink reading as more than a box-ticking academic chore. \u201cReading should be more than just eye service to supervisors. It\u2019s the gateway to understanding, critiquing, and eventually shaping the scholarly conversation in your field,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Musila warned against the instrumental view of doctoral studies as mere qualification-chasing, saying, \u201cIf you’re doing this for a piece of paper, you\u2019re missing the point. The doctorate is not just about a title\u2014it\u2019s about contributing to the knowledge production project, both locally and continentally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reading as Conversation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a practical advice and personal reflection, Musila likened scholarly reading to an ongoing conversation\u2014one where students must actively engage. \u201cIf someone walks into a room where a conversation has been going on, they can\u2019t act like nothing has been said. The same is true for research. Reading lets you locate the current state of discourse so you can contribute meaningfully,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She emphasized the value of \u201cactive reading,\u201d where students critically engage with texts, synthesize debates, and identify gaps in scholarship. \u201cYou’re not a passive recipient of ideas. You\u2019re reading to dialogue, to critique, to interrupt\u2014just as you would in a real conversation,\u201d Musila said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AI Tools: Use with Caution<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Musila also weighed in on the contentious role of AI in academia, cautioning students against relying on generative AI tools for summarizing academic texts. \u201cAI looks like a time-saver, but it steals your opportunity to think. The process of reading and summarizing is where much of the intellectual labor happens,\u201d she argued, warning that academic publishers are increasingly rejecting content suspected of being AI-generated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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She acknowledged that some AI tools are now embedded in research workflows\u2014like search and organizational features\u2014but emphasized that critical engagement cannot be automated. \u201cOur concern is not AI per se, but the loss of rigor that comes when students abdicate thinking to a machine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musila also spoke on scholarly integrity, emphasizing careful citation, avoiding plagiarism, and understanding when to paraphrase versus when to quote. She decried the misuse of online summaries and platforms like Wikipedia, likening low-quality sources to \u201cjunk food\u201d for the academic mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She encouraged students to see themselves as part of a broader continental mission. \u201cWe are training people who will be better than us\u2014who will take the project of knowledge further than we have,\u201d she said<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musila introduced a concept she calls \u201cX-ray reading\u201d\u2014a technique for analyzing not just content but also the structural and rhetorical techniques used in academic writing. \u201cDon\u2019t just read what the author is saying\u2014observe how they say it, how they structure their argument. That\u2019s where you learn how to shape your own scholarly voice,\u201d she advised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also stressed the importance of note-taking, calling it \u201cthe foundation of all good scholarship,\u201d and encouraged students to read with curiosity, make multilingual notes if needed, and always trace the genealogy of ideas in their field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Deputy Principal of CHUSS, Assoc. Prof.Eric Awich Ochen, in his welcoming remarks, emphasized the vital role of academic gatherings like the symposium in shaping strong research foundations. He cited real-life examples of students who struggled due to lack of exposure to such scholarly platforms. \u201cLearning never ends, especially for academics. Attending conferences and symposiums is not just about presenting; it\u2019s about building competence and developing your research,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Awich also expressed concern over low local student participation in recent academic events despite strong international interest. \u201cOur recent international social work conference had over 465 delegates from more than 25 countries, yet very few of our own graduate students attended. That is a missed opportunity for learning,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s symposium stands out in its structure and thematic focus. It has been specially curated for over 80 fellows from Uganda and affiliated universities in countries including Kenya, Botswana, Cameroon, and Senegal. The sessions will focus on practical aspects of academic writing, such as how to publish, work with data, choose journals, and respond to peer reviews. Participants will also explore the deeper philosophical tensions in African scholarship, including balancing recognition and relevance in global academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conference convener \u00a0Dr. Zaidi Sekito emphasized the importance of the symposium in nurturing the next generation of African scholars. \u201cThe aim of this symposium is to give graduate students a space to develop their academic and professional writing skills. We hope you find this an exciting journey towards writing and publishing your work before you finish your studies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflecting on the evolution of the symposium since its inception in 2018, Dr. Sekito highlighted its foundational impact. \u201cThe success of the 2018 symposium gave birth to a tradition, helping us cultivate a culture of research-led learning in CHUSS,\u201d he noted, also expressing gratitude to funders such as the Lisa Maskell Foundation, Gerda Henkel, and the Mellon Foundation for their sustained financial support. According to Dr. Sekito, more than 70 students have been funded since 2017, with 31 completing their studies to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the 2025 CHUSS Graduate symposium<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHUSS), with funding from Lisa Maskell, is hosting its first C scheduled June 19-21, 2025 at Makerere University Main Hall. This is in recognition of the Graduate Schools\u2019 accomplishments in training the next generation of African scholars in Historical Humanities and Humanistic Social Sciences. The 2025 edition is interested in curating works drawn from research proposals, draft theses, or research articles for presentation from the fellows’ ongoing projects. In addition to presenting their work in progress and gaining the academic and professional skills necessary for 21st century Humanities and Social Sciences academics, this will bring fellows together in an interactive and networking collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The symposium attracted national and regional instructors covering different aspect of graduate research including reading practice, writing publishable article, working with and writing theory, looking for and writing data and creative synerg with literature and writers voice. Other aspects\u00a0 included methodological and theoretical issues, mechanics of writing, choosing the right journal reviewing and responding to the reviewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day one facilitators included Prof. Grace Musila, Dr. Zaidi Sekito, Dr. Amon Ashaba Mwine, Dr. Peter Wekesa and Dr. Isaac Tibasiima among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n