This website offers a comprehensive view of the work of Dr Gavin Williams, BA (Stellenbosch), M Phil (Oxon.), D Litt (Rhodes). It includes links to a brief outline of his academic career; lists in date order, all his publications, by kind, and by theme; and his teaching, examining, and other university activities.

He retired in 2010 as a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Oxford, and is an Emeritus Fellow of St Peter’s College, Oxford. He is interested in social theories and the empirical study of the politics, political economy, and societies and histories. He is now engaged in studying the history of the Cape wine industry.  He is committed to the promotion of the values of socialism and to critical inquiry and the academic vocation, and to their defence against the powers that be.

Interview with the Rhodes Trust

This interview with Gavin Williams, recorded for the Rhodes Trust Oral History Project, reflects on his life, work, and experiences as a Rhodes Scholar and academic. The interview combines a written conversation with a short film, offering a thoughtful account of his intellectual journey, teaching, and research across different places and contexts.

Click the image to read and watch the interview on the Rhodes Trust website.