George Claassen

Who is George Claassen?

George Claassen studied at the University of Pretoria and at [UNISA]. From 1974 he worked as a journalist at Beeld in various positions as general, political, science and sports reporter. After four years as senior researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council, he joined the Department of Journalism at the Technikon in Pretoria, 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.Here he established the first course in science and technology journalism at an African university.

Until August 2006, he was the Science editor at the Afrikaans daily paper Die Burger, published in Cape Town, where he wrote the controversial weekly column "Wetenskap vandag". Claassen is known for his anti-Intelligent Design opinions and is often criticized by religious groups as being biased in his articles published in Die Burger. In August 2006, there were renewed criticism over his controversial review of "Die Groot Avontuur: Wondere Van Die Lewe Op Aarde", by Leon Rousseau.