Faeeza Ballim

Faeeza Ballim serves as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Historical Studies within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg. Her scholarly work bridges Science and Technology Studies with African historical analysis, examining how technological systems intersect with state power and societal structures in South Africa.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in History from the University of Witwatersrand (2017)
• MSc from Oxford University (2011)
• B.A. from the University of Witwatersrand (2008)

Ballim's research centers on the historical dynamics between government authority and technological infrastructure, particularly through her analysis of Eskom (South Africa's national electricity provider) during apartheid and democratic eras. She demonstrates how state corporations frequently operated with autonomy that complicated governmental policy implementation. Her current work investigates artificial intelligence development across Africa, assessing its implications for governance and democratic processes. Key publications include the monograph Apartheid’s Leviathan (2023) and the edited series Translating Technology in Africa (2024).

Her publication trajectory reveals an evolving focus from agricultural cooperatives and urban segregation to energy infrastructure and now AI, consistently highlighting how technological systems in Africa both shape and are shaped by political contexts. This progression underscores her contribution to understanding technology as a lens for analyzing power dynamics in postcolonial states.