Rocklands: On Becoming the First Generation of Black Psychologists in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Liezille Jean Jacobs

In Rocklands, Liezille Jacobs reframes psychology not only as a profession, but as a profound calling that is intertwined with personal and societal evolution. Traversing her own personal journey from her adverse childhood experiences in Rocklands, Mitchell’s Plain, to being the first black Head of Department at Rhodes University in 120 years, Jacobs illuminates the interconnectedness of personal, professional and public roles, advocating for a shift from careerism to a movement grounded in shared values and principles.

At the same time, the book makes a brave and erudite scholarly contribution to the field of psychology. Its method is unconventional but carefully considered. Those who have provided comments on the manuscript unanimously concur – this book is essential reading for students and academics, families and patriarchs in equal measure.

The transformation imperative within psychology demands a stance of activism, if not revolution, against systems of oppression. This stance urges readers to view this book not only as an academic exercise but as a profound transformative exploration of “giving psychology away”; emphasising the idea of making psychological knowledge and expertise more accessible to the general public and sharing the benefits of psychological science with society to improve people’s lives.

When I first read the manuscript, I was excited and disturbed in equal measure.
– Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Stellenbosch University

Liezille Jacobs offers us a courageous and captivating read. This book is both inspired and inspiring.
– Prof. Norman Duncan, University of Pretoria

I read the manuscript four times, and I was triggered, troubled, traumatised and totally impressed by this scholarly work. I am not aware of any other South African scholarly work which recognises how a country’s political climate impacts individual, families, communities and then inserts the personal and, dare I say, the intimate, to produce an academic text of this stature.
– Prof. Cheryl Potgieter, Durban University of Technology