X-twitter Facebook-square Youtube Instagram Rss

School of Arts

Nkululeko Motha

Nkululeko Motha

Lecturer

Leadership RoleDL: Developmental Modules

DisciplineAfrican Languages and Literature

EmailMothaN@ukzn.ac.za

CampusHoward College Campus and Westville Campus

Office AddressMTB East wing in the Linguistics Department in room F243

Currently current registration

  • PhD in English Studies (Literature), University of KwaZulu-Natal — in progress (commenced)

Degrees Held

  • Master of Arts in English Studies (Literature), University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2020
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours in English Studies (Literature), University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2018
  • Bachelor of Arts in English Studies and Legal Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2018

Research Interests

  • Linguistics, Grammar, and Academic Literacy research.
  • Developing systems for Technological and Innovation within higher learning.
  • African Literature and Afrodiasporic Literature: identity, land and ethical African accountability
  • African Consciousness: the contested identities of Africanness and Blackness in translational identity — Exile-African, Migration-African and Otheredness
  • American Literature: oppression and translational identities, Africanism and Islamic identities
  • Black Consciousness and Decoloniality
  • Comparative Literature: founding, colonial and postmodern literatures read through Ethical Literary Theory
  • Arabic Literature: African and Middle Eastern feminist solidarities against patriarchy
  • Childrenism: the agency of the child within patriarchally controlled family structures
  • Chinese Literature: dynastic-era literatures read through an Ethical Consciousness framework
  • Ethical Literary Criticism
  • Gender and Gendered Identity
  • Logic and Literature
  • Psychoanalysis in Literature
  • Literary Theory

Teaching Interests

  • English Language Development and Academic Literacy in English
  • Curriculum design and development
  • Postcolonial and colonial African-Black literatures
  • Research methodology and postgraduate writing support

Research Record / Selected Publications

Community Involvement

  • (2026), World Poetry Championship — Semi-Final Jury, Served as an adjudicator (judge) on the semi-final jury of the World Poetry Championship.
  • (2026), UKZN School of Arts Guest Talk, Organised and coordinated the hosting of international scholar Dr Lindokuhle Shabane (postdoctoral researcher in Philosophy, University of Bremen, Germany) for the public talk ‘Talks within the Ambivalence of Africa, Her Languages and Philosophising in isiZulu – An Outside Perspective’ (13 March 2026, Shepstone SH16, UKZN Howard Campus).
  • (2025–Present), DHET ROSS, Editor for the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Research Output Submission System (ROSS) creative outputs.
  • (2025), Social Sciences & Humanities Open, Editorial Manager for online submissions and a peer-review tracking guide.
  • (2024), ALASA Conference, Abstract reviewer.
  • (2023–2024), Postgraduate Forum, Committee member.
  • (2024), Seminar Organisation Committee, Member.
  • (2025), Postgraduate Mentorship, Mentored three honours students and four Masters students.
  • (2024), Postgraduate Mentorship, Mentored five honours students, two of whom graduated cum laude.

Teaching Expertise

  • English Language Development (Mainstream and BSS4)
  • Academic Literacy in English
  • Curriculum design and development
  • Course coordination and moderation (ACLT, ELDV, Linguistics 101)
  • Assessment design and examination moderation
  • Supervision of honours and postgraduate research

Student Supervision