The 4IR and the Humanities in South Africa: Perspectives on innovation, power and potentialities is an open-access book published by AOSIS.

The world is at a cross-roads because of industrial change, compounded by a global pandemic. Humanities and social science education is grappling with the meaning of this change, to the effect that there have been some anxieties and misguided perceptions about the irrelevance of the humanities in this emerging new world. With the emergence of new technologies, this book highlights the indespensible centrality of humanity and the humanities going forward. The book will provide a reference point for new and innovative approaches to the humanities in the 4IR in South Africa and Africa. Its diverse content means that it will be of use across the spectrum of humanities and social science.

Copyright (c) 2024 Bhaso Ndzendze, Asheel Singh, Suzall Timm (Volume editor)

This book’s leading treatise is that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is not only a commercial development but also one with implications and impact on what the humanities and social sciences study and how they go about studying it. It argues that the 4IR is not a wholly negative phenomenon, as it represents the amalgamation of transformative tools reshaping society, facilitating its examination through humanities and social sciences methodologies. In contrast to previous studies focusing solely on specific inquiries, this scholarly book offers a comprehensive exploration of the broader implications of the 4IR on entire academic disciplines. The rigorously collected empirical research sheds light on how the 4IR impacts anthropology, cultural studies, development studies, gender studies, media studies, political science, international relations, sociology, and social work. The chapters delve deep into the multifaceted effects of the 4IR on society, from uncovering the gender disparities perpetuated by the 4IR to examining the role of algorithms in cultural artefacts, from analysing the erosion of trust in digital news sources to exploring the evolving landscape of democratic politics. The authors underscore the urgent need for collaboration among academia, industry, and government to address global inequalities. Furthermore, the book concludes by reflecting on the necessity for increased collaboration and partnership among universities, businesses and government entities in South Africa to reverse inequalities within and between countries globally. The 4IR and the Humanities in South Africa: Perspectives on innovation, power and potentialities not only contributes methodologically to the understanding of big data and media trust in the 4IR era but also advances the scholarship of teaching and learning across various humanities and social science disciplines.