WESTVILLE resident Dr Devaksha Moodley graduated with a PhD in Drama and Performance Studies on Wednesday last week.

Moodley achieved both her undergraduate and honours degrees at UKZN’s Drama and Performance Studies Department where she felt nurtured by the lecturers and staff.

“I have deep respect and gratitude as they supported and developed my skills as an artist and researcher,” she said.
The title of Moodley’s research is ‘Mother, Daughter, Sister, Wife? Interrogating Constructions of South African Indian Women’s Identity – A Study of South African Indian Women Playwrights and Our Plays’.

Her thesis interrogates the gendered constructions of Indian South African women (ISAW), South African Indian women (SAIW) and/or South African women of Indian descent (SAWOID) – their identity through a study of such playwrights and their plays, including her own play, called Devi.

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She contends that the lives of ISAW, SAIW and/or SAWOID are critically affected by the roles they are expected to perform in their families, namely those of daughter, sister, wife and mother.

These women have been confined to the private domain as Krijay Govender asserted in her research over twenty years ago in South African Indian (SAI) communities and families for the purposes of patriarchal and cultural preservation.

Moodley affirms in her thesis that while there has certainly been change and progress in the public and private lives of ISAW, SAIW and/or SAWOID, the patriarchal stronghold of the private familial and cultural space remains.

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Relieved to have completed her PhD after a long and tough journey, she points out, however, that more than the degree, she is most happy and proud that her thesis and research on ISAW, SAIW and/or SAWOID identities and plays is complete and exists in the world.
Devi (2019), which she staged at UKZN’s Howard College Square Space Theatre in September 2019, was one of the highlights of her degree – allowing her to share her work with an audience who were receptive and engaging.

She was supervised by Dr Tamar Meskin and Dr Miranda Young-Jahangeer who both supported her throughout her PhD journey with invaluable, sage advice and guidance, for which she is grateful. She added, “Dr Meskin has been my mentor for over fifteen years. Her passion and immense knowledge continue to inspire me.”

Also rooting for her were close friends and family, especially her parents.

“My parents have always supported my dramatic arts passions and goals, providing me with every opportunity and resource I could ask for. This, I know, is a true blessing and privilege for which I am eternally grateful,” said Moodley.

She added that she was grateful for the scholarship she received from the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences in collaboration with the South African Humanities Deans Association (NIHSS-SAHUDA) which assisted her throughout her PhD studies.

She is currently supervising research work by the UKZN Honours Drama and Performance Studies students.

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