History, Internationalism and Intellectuals: The Case of Harold Wolpe (1) (Debate) (Biography‪)‬

I thought that something biographical might make this lecture more accessible. An obvious choice would then have been South Africa's most famous sociologist, its first professor of sociology, but that was none other than Hendrik Verwoerd, and I felt that, perhaps, it would be better to leave him to someone else. My choice of Harold Wolpe was not difficult. First, he is probably the country's second most significant sociologist. As the historian Dan O'Meara concludes, his 'work and actions played a fundamental role in revolutionising the way that social scientists and activists ... understood ... the workings of South African society and the appropriate ways to change it.' (2) Secondly, I can empathise with him rather well, because, like him, I was an activist, and later became a sociologist without having any degrees in the subject. (3) It is not my intention to present Harold's biography, nor even a balanced assessment of his work. Time is short and I have elected to limit myself to three critical comments. My desire is to clamber on to his shoulders in the hope that we might see more of our social world, for, if Harold was not quite a giant, he was certainly 'a tall man'. (4) I begin with a brief sketch of his life, then make my three points and, finally, conclude by rooting my argument in contemporary soil. My thesis will be that a critical assessment of Harold's scholarship can lay a solid foundation for seminal advances in sociology.