Carolyn Hamilton (historian) facts for kids

Carolyn Hamilton is a South African anthropologist and historian. She is an expert in the history and uses of archives. Archives are collections of historical documents or records. She holds an important position at the University of Cape Town. There, she is the National Research Foundation chair in archive and public culture.

Carolyn Hamilton's Career

Carolyn Hamilton has had an impressive career. She was a professor of anthropology. This was at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.

Working with Important Groups

She was part of the board for the South African History Archive. This group helps keep important historical records safe. She also served on the first Council of Robben Island. This island is famous for its prison, where many political prisoners were held.

Starting New Projects

Carolyn Hamilton helped start the Gay and Lesbian Archive. This archive collects and preserves the history of LGBTQ+ people. She also worked as a speech-writer for Nelson Mandela. He was a very important leader in South Africa. In 2015, she joined the board of trustees for the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Current Role

Today, Professor Hamilton is a leading expert. She works at the University of Cape Town. She holds a special chair in archive and public culture. This means she leads research and teaching about how archives connect with public life.

Research on Archives

Carolyn Hamilton's research focuses on archives. She became interested in this during her studies in the 1980s. She noticed that historical records might not always be complete or fair.

Understanding Archival Sources

Her work looks at how reliable archives are. She explores if they tell the whole story. She also checks if they are objective, meaning they show things without bias. This research helps us understand history better. It makes sure we can trust the information we find in old documents.

Writing and Publications

Carolyn Hamilton has written and edited many important books. These books share her knowledge about history and archives.

Books by Carolyn Hamilton

One of her well-known books is Terrific Majesty. It was published in 1998. This book explores the history of Shaka Zulu. He was a powerful leader in South Africa. The book looks at how his story has been told over time.

She also helped edit a major history book. This was the first volume of The Cambridge History of South Africa. It was published in 2009. She worked with Bernard K. Mbenga and Robert Rossof on this project. This book covers South African history from early times up to 1885.

See also

In Spanish: Carolyn Hamilton para niños

• Club of Rome