Jan Bouws and the Instituut vir Volksmusiek (1960-1972) at Stellenbosch University

The proposed project looks into the activities of the Instituut vir Volksmusiek at Stellenbosch University. The institute was set up in 1960 at Jan Bouws’ arrival in South Africa and was abandoned on his retirement in 1972. A research lacuna exists in the historical investigation and critical evaluation of institutions and academics that shaped musicological research in South Africa before 1994. While the writings emanating from Bouws often provide the only sources in many areas of research, they need to be critically assessed in order to interrogate how ideology shaped musicological research. The project aims to start with an investigation in a well circumscribed area – the Instituut vir Volksmusiek at Stellenbosch University.