Name George Claassen Role Reporter | Education University of Pretoria | |
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George claassen
George Claassen is a South African journalist.
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Claassen studied at the University of Pretoria and at University of South Africa. From 1974 he worked as a journalist at Beeld newspaper in various positions as general, political, arts, science and sports reporter. After four years as sociolinguistics researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council, he joined the Department of Journalism at the Technikon in Pretoria (now the Tshwane University of Technology), where he was Head of the Department from 1989 until 1992. Between October 1993 and the end of January 2001 he was Professor and Head of the postgraduate Department of Journalism at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape. There he established the first course in science and technology journalism at an African university and continues to teach the course. Claassen is the director of the Centre for Science and Technology Mass Communication (CENSCOM) at the University of Stellenbosch. Claassen has presented numerous courses in science and technology journalism for UNESCO in Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Pretoria and at Stellenbosch. In 2013, he designed a course in Science and Technology Journalism at the request of UNESCO, a course used worldwide.
Until August 2008, Claassen was the Science editor at the Afrikaans daily paper Die Burger, published in Cape Town, where he wrote a weekly column on science, "Wetenskap vandag" (Science Today). His review of Leon Rousseau's Die Groot Avontuur, a book on evolution, sparked an intense debate in Afrikaans newspapers for his criticism of the eminent evolutionary scientist, Prof. Phillip Tobias, for writing an "Avant Propos" for Rousseau's book. Claassen's main criticism of the book was that it supported the idea of evolution by Intelligent Design. Tobias later recanted and distanced himself unequivocally from the Intelligent Design parts of the book in a letter published in Die Burger.
Claassen's book, Geloof, Bygeloof en Ander Wensdenkery - Perspektiewe oor Ontdekkings en Irrasionaliteite was published by Protea Boekhuis in July 2007. It became an immediate bestseller and in February 2008 went into a second printing. In 2014, his book on quackery, Kwakke, Kwinte & Kwale: Hoe 'n Onsinverklikker Jou Lewe Kan Red, also became an Afrikaans bestseller.
In 2003, Claassen became the ombudsman of the Afrikaans daily newspaper published in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, Die Burger and since 2008 he is the ombudsman of Media24's Community Press. He has served as a board member of the international Organisation of Newsombudsmen and Reader's Editors since 2011.
In May 2007 Claassen was the first winner of the SAASTA South African Science Communicator of the Year Award, presented by the National Science and Technology Forum. In July 2008, Claassen left the newspaper, now following a career as science journalist. He still teaches science journalism at Stellenbosch University, and presents an annual course in Science Communication to scientists at various universities. He is also the organiser of the regular Science meets the Media in Stellenbosch workshops where scientists and journalists exchange ideas on how to report on science.