Transformation and Legitimation in Post-apartheid Universities: Reading Discourses from ‘Reitz’

J.C. van der Merwe, Dionne van Reenen

Description

Two decades after the democratic transition, South African universities are in turmoil. Whilst the old is slowly becoming unhinged, reimagining the new is protracted and contested. The challenges ahead, including a funding crunch, are formidable and bear the imprint of South African postcolonial specificities and global transformations in higher education. At this moment, critical and engaged socio-historical scholarship is indispensable. Transformation and Legitimation in Post-apartheid Universities: Reading discourses from Reitz is such a work. Revisiting the notorious Reitz incident of 2008, when a satirical video made by students from the University of the Free State (UFS) to register their resistance to the racial integration of black' students into historically white' residences became public, the text offers an analysis of the broader cultural and socio-political context that constituted the conditions of possibility for the incident and its aftermath. Attention is shifted from the principal actors in the original drama a handful of students and workers to a critical interrogation of the broader structures, positions, discourses and practices that fed into the Reitz incident', reaching into the present with violent and racially-charged student and worker protests in 2016. Van der Merwe and Van Reenen deliver a theoretically-rich analysis of the anatomy of current contestations about race and transformation in higher education in South Africa, the resultant legitimation crisis facing the UFS and South African universities more generally, as well as ways to restore institutional legitimacy and reputation, focusing on instituting deeper, more durable change that unlocks the promise of democracy. Dr Irma du Plessis University of Pretoria

Sujets

• Littérature Sud-Africaine
• Littérature sud-africaine
• Afrique du Sud
• Culture
• Tradition
• UFS
• Violence
• Transformation
• Authority
• Transition
• Légitimation
• Moral
• Crises
• Democracy
• Family
• Spaces
• Legacy
• Reitz
• Centre de recherches interdisciplinaires en sciences humaines et sociales
• Apartheid
• Disruption
• Higher education
• Racism
• Vandalism
• Reconciliation
• Student
• Retributive justice
• Reputation
• Political sociology
• Anti-racism
• Pragmatic
• Legitimation
• South Africa under apartheid
• University of the Free State
• South Africa
• University
• Family (May J. album)
• Sudáfrica
• Sistema heredado

Informations

• Publié par: UJ Press
• Date de parution: 01 juillet 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781920382612
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

Transformation and Legitimation in Post-apartheid Universities Reading Discourses from ‘Reitz’

JC van der Merwe & Dionne van Reenen

JC van der Merwe Dionne van Reenen

SERIES ON CRITICAL STUDIES IN

HIGHER EDUCATION TRANSFORMATION

Transformation and Legitimation in Post-apartheid Universities

Reading Discourses from ‘Reitz’

JC van der Merwe Dionne van Reenen

Transformation and Legitimation in Post-apartheid Universities: Reading Discourses

from ‘Reitz’

Published by Sun Media Bloemfontein (Pty) Ltd.

Imprint: SunBonani Scholar

All rights reserved

Copyright © 2016 Sun Media Bloemfontein and The Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice

This publication was subjected to an independent double-blind peer evaluation by the publisher.

The author and the publisher have made every eFort to obtain permission for and acknowledge the use of copyrighted material. Refer all inquiries to the publisher.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, photographic or mechanical means, including photocopying and recording on record, tape or laser disk, on microfilm, via the Internet, by e-mail, or by any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission by the publisher.

Views reLected in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher.

First edition 2016

ISBN: 978-1-920382-60-5 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-920382-61-2 (e-book) DOI: https://doi.org/10.18820/9781920382612

Set in Minion Pro 11.5/16 Cover design, typesetting and production by Sun Media Bloemfontein

Research, academic and reference works are published under this imprint in print and electronic format.

This printed copy can be ordered directly from: [e-mail] The e-book is available at the following link: https://doi.org/10.18820/9781920382612

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES

Series Title: Critical Studies in Higher Education Transformation

ManagingEditor: André Keet

ï îs wî grea excîemen and umîîy a we înroduce îs oo serîes under e auspîces o AFRïCAN SUN MeDïA and e ïnsîue or Reconcîîaîon and Socîa Jusîce (ïRSJ) a e Unîversîy o e Free Sae (UFS).

he îmîng o îs serîes îs îned o e swe în oca and goa demands over e pas ew years o quîcen e pace o îger educaîon ransormaîon înormed y înegraed and puraîs concepîons o jusîce. hîs juncure, îsorîcay produced y socîa, cuura, poîîca and economîc arrangemens and dynamîcs over a susaîned perîod o îme, as curreny ound expressîon în e anaomîes o proess and pracîces o dîssen among sudens, saf, organîsed socîa movemens and oer payers on e goa îger educaîon andscape. hese acs oresîsance agaîns srucuray-ancored orms o excusîon wîîn unîversîîes în Sou Arîca and esewere aso sugges, despîe our es efors, a e socîa srucure o e academy wî îs concomîan organîsaîon and egîîmaîon o nowedges and pedagogîca dîsposîîons, as remaîned more or ess înac over e pas severa decades.

An încreasîng numer o scoary wors on e ransormaîon o îger educaîon ave suraced on e naîona, regîona and goa scenes. hîs serîes uîds on ese îneecua conrîuîons roug e enses o e prîncîpes ocrîîqueandresîsance.hese prîncîpes are aîmed a acîîaîng producîvecrîîcapraxes. Ye, ecrîîcaîn îs serîes mus aso caenge e ‘se-ceraîny o e crîîcaaîude a conIdeny assumes a î îs

v

TRANSFORMATION AND LEGITIMATION IN POST-APARTHEID UNIVERSITIES

1 reay în e now’. hecrîîcaîs caed upon o conron îs own codes, dogmas and docrînes. he praxes and ransormaîve acîons a emerge rom ecrîîcamus ereore dîscard eîr own se-ceraîny so as o e se-crîîca, ‘reLec on [eîr] own conîngen cîrcumsances and conexua 2 îmîaîons’, and us, remaîn open o moderaîon and oer possîîîîes’.

Crîîque and resîsanceas e renewa o our cuura radîîons, însîuîons, nowedges and pracîces în mînd în a word în wîc srucura arrangemens ony urer serve o sysemîcay and sysemaîcay moor înequaîîes and excusîons. hîs posure woud requîre demandîng and courageous reLecîve processes o se-carîIcaîon wîîn e academy o engage wî our orms o îe, cuura radîîons, academîc dîsposîîons 3 and socîa pracîces . Ony on îs asîs can a acors wîîn îger educaîon însîuîons generae praxes a provîde reaîîaed meanîngs or e îger educaîon ransormaîon prîncîpes o equîy and redress; democraîsaîon; deveopmen; quaîy; efecîveness and eicîency; 4 academîc reedom; însîuîona auonomy; and puîc accounaîîy. ïn addîîon, demands or e ‘Arîcanîsaîon’ and ‘decoonîsaîon’ o îger educaîon, vîrany arîcuaed y e ‘new’ suden socîa movemens, ave now suraced as poweru nodes ocrîîque andresîsanceSou în Arîca and esewere, însîsîng on îs owncrîîcaîy.

hecrîîcaîn îs serîes îs no înd o e consîderae compexîîes o îger educaîon în reaîon o ‘governance, managemen and eadersîp; e suden envîronmen – equîy, access and success; e saing envîronmen; e cuura and socîa envîronmen; researc and îneecua cuures; e roe o unîversîîes în socîey; însîuîona equîy and ransormaîon;

1

2 3

4

Hoy, D. C. 2004.Critical resistance: from poststructuralism to post-critique. Cambridge: MIT Press. p237. ibid. p238239. See Kompridis, N. 2006.Critique and disclosure: critical teory between past and future.Cambridge: MIT Press. p. 8. Department of Education, Wite Paper 3 on te Transformation of te Higer Education System, 1997.

vi

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES

e undîng o îger educaîon; dîferenîaîon; and îger educaîon 5 ocaîon’s wîîn e roader pos-scoo sysem’. Raer, î îs precîsey ased wî generaîng sopîsîcaed înerpreîve scemes or socîa jusîce praxes o engage producîvey wî goaîsîng orces, înernaîonaîsaîon and dîversîIcaîon processes; e massîIcaîon o îger educaîon; and e împac o ecnoogîes and dîgîîsaîon o unîversîîes. SîgnîIcany, e crîîcaîn îs serîes îs aso peîîoned o engage anayîcay wî e Unîed 6 Naîons 2030 Susaînae Deveopmen Goas and e Word Decaraîon on Hîger Educaîon or e Tweny-Fîrs Cenury.

ïn îne wî îs reasonîng, we învîe proposas and suggesîons or monograps and edîed compîaîons o orîgîna scoarsîp a crîîcay anayse paerns oîncusîonandexcusîonand conIguraîons orecognîîonsandmîsrecognîîonswîîn îger educaîon apropos: e socîa srucure o e academy, e power-reaîons emedded wîîn e organîsaîon o nowedge, îs dîscîpînes and dîscîpes; e mecanîcs o auorîy and power wîîn nowedge generaîon processes, researc sujecs, ojecs, opîcs and rends; e poîîcs o nowedge and academîc puîsîng; pedagogîca ypoogîes; e consrucîon o proessîona and suden îdenîîes; e reguaîon o suden îe and voîce; suden and saf acîvîsms, saf and suden access and success; e înerpay eween pedagogy, researc and însîuîona cuure; e poîîca economy o îger educaîon; and e connecîonîs dynamîcs eween îger educaîon and e sae, prîvae secor, îneres groups, pressure ormaîons and e roader socîey.

5

6

Universities Sout Africa. 2015 Reflections on Higer Education Transformation: Discussion paper prepared for te second national Higer Education Transformation Summit, Durban, Sout Africa. hese are no poverty; no unger; good ealt; quality education; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; renewable energy; good jobs and economic growt; innovation and infrastructure; reduced inequalities; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption; climate actions; life below water; life on land; peace and justice; and partnersips for te goals. See te full document at ttp://www.un.org/ ga/searc/view_doc.asp? symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E. [Accessed 17 June 2016].

vii

TRANSFORMATION AND LEGITIMATION IN POST-APARTHEID UNIVERSITIES

he serîes ocuses on a road audîence y wîc puîc îneecua deaes can conrîue o dynamîcpraxesîn servîce o e deep cange wîîn unîversîîes commanded y oca and goa democraîc and socîa-jusîce aspîraîons. ïner-însîuîona coaoraîons around îs serîes may emerge wî, or însance, e panned Cenre or Crîîca Sudîes în Hîger Educaîon Transormaîon a e Neson Mandea Meropoîan Unîversîy (NMMU) and oer ouIs. We wî wecome suggesîons and approaces în îs regard o uîd a newor ocrîîcaand engaged scoars across e îger educaîon andscape. André Keet Dîrecor ïnsîue or Reconcîîaîon and Socîa Jusîce Unîversîy o e Free Sae

June 2016

viii

PREFACE

hîs îs a rave oo wrîen wî deep undersandîng and moduaed mora anger. ïn crîîcay ocusîng on a momen în e îsory o e Unîversîy o e Free Sae – e înamous Reîz even – JC van der Merwe and Dîonne van Reenen enae us o undersand e dep and emedded naure o racîsm în our îger educaîon însîuîons.

Despîe e rapîd and dramaîc canges în e demograpîc maeup o mos îger educaîon însîuîons, e growîng parîcîpaîon raes o ac sudens a unîversîîes and împoran poîcy canges usered în y e democraîc governmen pos 1994, our îger educaîon însîuîons conînue o srugge wî e caenges o racîsm and socîa jusîce.

he essons a emerge o prîor o and ater e vîdeo ecame puîc (26 Feruary 2008) are sîgnîIcan – no jus o e Unîversîy o e Free Sae în efors o address e caenges o însîuîona racîsm, u aso o e îger educaîon secor în genera. Peraps e mos eîng esson a e experîences o e unîversîy as or us îes în e roe o mora courage în eadîng a reeness srugge agaîns racîsm – o a our însîuîons o îger earnîng and our counry a arge. he very naure o racîsm îs suc a î pervades and enveopes every aspec o our îves. ïn însîuîons suc as unîversîîes, were radîîon, nowedge, scoarsîp and cuure pay suc a cenra roe, î îs quîe seducîve o e par o wa ecomes vîewed as an îndîspensae ‘cuure erîage’ o unîversîîes. he cuura aggage a surrounds our unîversîîes îs oten rooed în acors suc as cass, gender and race.

ï îs o dîicu and demandîng o possess e mora courage o recognîse and gîve cenraîy o e naure o e srugge we need o engage în î we wan o advance agaîns racîsm în our însîuîons o îger educaîon. ïn addîîon o mora courage, e srugge agaîns racîsm requîres a reeness momenum a mus e maînaîned on a daîy asîs. One o e essons

ix

TRANSFORMATION AND LEGITIMATION IN POST-APARTHEID UNIVERSITIES

a our srugge agaîns racîsm as sown us îs a racîsm reaces deep îno our socîey, and as a resu î îs very easy o sîp ac and ose any gaîns we mîg ave made. We need o progress, no ony wî e îgger îssues, u aso în our daîy pracîces and across a aspecs o unîversîy îe.

We need o înegrae e srugge agaîns racîsm în our unîversîîes îno e mîssîons o our unîversîîes. he pracîce o reaîng îs îssue as separae rom e oer wor o unîversîîes îs peraps one o e reasons wy progress and advances ave een sow. he pursuî o academîc exceence canno appen în îsoaîon o e wîder socîa caenges a conron us as a naîon. hîs caenge îs o compex and demandîng as î requîres a new and dîferen way o înîng aou e roe o unîversîîes and oer însîuîons o îger educaîon în 21s cenury Sou Arîca.

here îs no eer îme an e presen or cear and vîsîonary eadersîp în e îger educaîon secor. As par o îs crîîca urnîng poîn we need e courage o as deep and undamena quesîons aou wa we eac, ow we eac, ow we govern, e înes o accounaîîy, e ocî and uncîonîng o power and conro, meanîngu parîcîpaîon în crîîca aspecs o e îe o e unîversîy, e roe o sudens eyond orma represenaîon, and e dîferen modes and srucures o communîcaîon.

Wîe our unîversîîes mus accep e responsîîîy or gîvîng meanîng o our consîuîon în e academîc erraîn, we need o remînd ourseves a îs caenge canno occur în îsoaîon rom e roader caenges o uîdîng and srengenîng our democraîc socîey. No eer îssue serves o îusrae îs an e manner în wîc we dea wî racîsm as a naîon. Our approac seems o e caracerîsed y a serîes o Is and sars, generay promped y e socîa medîa and e newspapers or a ew days, oowed y a reurn o a sae o compacency unî e nex appenîng. ï we aî as a naîon o dea efecîvey wî e caenges o racîsm, en our unîversîîes wî conînue o srugge o dea wî îs.

x