Yusef Waghid - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Yusef Waghid
South African Journal of Higher Education, 2018
Birthdays are joyfully relative events, which, at times, become more about reflection, and at tim... more Birthdays are joyfully relative events, which, at times, become more about reflection, and at times, regret, with each passing year. As Stellenbosch University embarks on its 100 th year, celebrations and commemorations have adopted tentative nuances and burdens of heavily-laden legacies of wrongs and ills, which stand to be corrected. Much has been said, and rightly so, of assuming responsibility for questionable roles in highly divisive and harmful practices. In turn, much is envisaged for future actions of remedy and redress -particularly in relation to social responsibility and community interaction. In considering the role and responsibility of a university, many would agree that if the core of higher education is its epistemological contribution, then its impact is determined by its social worth. In this sense, any teaching and learning should not only be cognisant of its social context, but teaching and learning should always be both responsible and responsive to the world which it encounters. Yet, a university's responsibilities can, and should never be at the expense, or risk of research. As will be discussed in this article, prioritising higher education means prefacing, and giving precedence to research. Prioritising higher education through research creates the spaces necessary for a philosophy of dialogue. Moreover, research is indispensable to meaningful teaching and learning. Put differently, it is with research that a university sustains and advances its intellectual, social and ethical project into the realm of the public. And, this implies a renewed look at the university with an ecological parlance of inquiry that accounts for the university on the basis of assemblages, engagements, reflections and sightings -whether smooth and or striated.
Democratic Education and Muslim Philosophy, 2019
In this chapter, we focus on Benhabib's (The Rights of Others: Aliens, Residents and Citizens, Ca... more In this chapter, we focus on Benhabib's (The Rights of Others: Aliens, Residents and Citizens, Cambridge University Press, 2004) conception of democratic iteration, as being at the core of democratic education. We posit that the premise of democratic iterations is not to alter the normative validity of practical discourses, but to determine the legitimacy of particular processes of opinion and will formation. In this regard, we focus on two examples: one commonly referred to as the French scarf affair and the other involving the prohibition of 'black languages and hair' in South African schools. We argue that it would be unjustifiable to delink democratic education from rational articulations and rearticulations and emotional will formation.
Citizenship Teaching & Learning, 2021
bution to educational theory and practice. The book covers a broad range of topical and exciting ... more bution to educational theory and practice. The book covers a broad range of topical and exciting issues as diverse as faith, hope, wonder, imagination and posthuman ethics of care in teaching and learning. It does so with poetic elegance as well as argumentative rigour. It combines critical edge with an affirmative stance towards pedagogical possibility, steering clear from drastic choices and dichotomous thinking. The book’s captivating metaphors and its valuable insights will be of lasting significance for a variety of fields that intersect in their commitment to an innovative and transformative pedagogy. Marianna Papastephanou, Department of Education, University of Cyprus
The legislation of several policy documents in relation to schooling over the past few years-of w... more The legislation of several policy documents in relation to schooling over the past few years-of which the Norms and Standards for Educators (2000) appears to be the most significant-has brought into focus a renewed emphasis on improving schooling. The by now well-known outcomes-based model, which focuses on learner-centredness, team work, creative design of learning programmes, learner outcomes and flexible time frames to allow learners to work at their own pace, presents a major challenge to schools to cooperate and find common ground for effecting good education. In as much as policy urges schools to become better achievers by improving and developing teacher competences, organisational culture, learning programmes, leadership and community involvement in school governance, it seems that scant attention has been given to the question of inter-school relations vis-à-vis under-performing and high-performing schools. These schools, as I shall report and argue with reference to a case study in the Northern Cape province, continue to function mutually exclusively and independently of each other, thus posing a major threat to the notion of deliberative schooling. In this article, I argue that atomistic (independent) inter-school relations are pernicious and far too restrictive in cultivating genuine deliberative schooling, more specifically inter-school teacher interaction. I contend that deliberative inter-school relations must confirm the value of "interactionism", whereby under-performing and high-performing schools can learn about each another and from each other, thus improving possibilities for teacher engagement and the establishment of inter-school collaboration in some rural areas. I argue that interactionism invokes the idea of deliberation, whereby teachers do not have to function in isolation from one another but rather as deliberators within a set of inter-school relationships with others. The idea of deliberation brings into question mere acceptance of a lack of serious engagement among teachers at under-performing (historically disadvantaged schools) and high-performing schools (historically advantaged schools).
Ethical Dimensions of Muslim Education, 2016
We argued previously that a conception of Muslim cannot just be instrumentally tied to an individ... more We argued previously that a conception of Muslim cannot just be instrumentally tied to an individual’s confessional stance, but rather, that as an ethical being, a Muslim is one who surrenders to a higher being by cultivating harmonious and balanced relationships between him/herself and others. Building on this particular understanding of Muslim, we also argued that a conception of ummah, as a collective marker of belonging to humankind, would need to embody and manifest itself through ethical practices and ways of being, since such an ummah would be unencumbered by religious, cultural, economic or political limitations. In the previous chapter, we concluded that those who lay claim to accepting the message of Islam, as articulated through the Qurān and made visible through the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, have a responsibility to act and speak out against all forms of dystopias. It seems appropriate, therefore, in the concluding chapter of this book, to give due consideration to the instances and patterns of stereotypes, marginalisation and exclusion that invariably contribute to the world in which we find ourselves.
Ethical Dimensions of Muslim Education, 2016
We concluded the previous chapter with the argument that being Muslim cannot just be instrumental... more We concluded the previous chapter with the argument that being Muslim cannot just be instrumentally tied to the identity of a person who professes his/her allegiance to the Qurān and Sunnah, since such a view of Muslim merely confirms an individual’s confessional stance. Instead, we proffered that there is another way through which a person’s identity can become manifest—the way the individual enacts his/her responsibility to Allah (God). In this regard, in terms of Qurānic exegesis, the highest responsibility afforded to humankind is to act as a trustee of Allah on earth (khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard). But to act as a trustee, or vicegerent of Allah, requires a particular understanding and knowledge of Allah—that is, one cannot enact or manifest the trust of another being without having some understanding of, and belief in, what that trust might entail or desire. This idea means that conceptions of khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard are embedded in both knowledge and comprehension of Allah. In this chapter, then, we explore what it means, ethically, to have knowledge and be educated—in other words, when is one educated? We also ask what is the hermeneutical connection between knowledge, education and an individual’s relationship with Allah that yields to our argument that knowledge of Allah is an enunciation of education?
South African Journal of Higher Education, 2006
In this article, we offer four arguments against excessive state involvement in, and regulation o... more In this article, we offer four arguments against excessive state involvement in, and regulation of, higher education institutions in South Africa. We argue, firstly, that state 'regulation' is inextricably connected with the practice of exercising 'power-over' institutions, a trend which could undermine institutional autonomy and academic freedom. Secondly, we maintain that higher education institutions lack autonomy since they are controlled by the state through subsidies. Such funding provisions for higher education institutions in effect place a significant limit on professional judgement and the pursuit of standards of excellence in academic work. Thirdly, we point out why excessive state regulation could catastrophically harm free scientific inquiry. And finally, we contend that excessive or intrusive state regulation can result in a kind of laissez faire situation characterized by a passive or cynical compliance vis-a-vis performativity. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 19(6) 2005: 1177-1185
Ethical Dimensions of Muslim Education, 2016
In the previous chapter, we argued that an ethical community should be held accountable through d... more In the previous chapter, we argued that an ethical community should be held accountable through disruptive speech acts that can address the community’s ethical concerns. Implicit in such an argument is the profound responsibility afforded human beings in ensuring their conduct not only in relation to themselves, but also in relation to others, as constituted through communities. And yet, there is another responsibility, embodied in the conceptualisation of vicegerency; that is, as a trustee of Allah on earth (khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard). Embedded in these two responsibilities—one to the social and the other to the Creator—is the duality of humankind. On the one hand, human beings are considered in relation to their corporeal existence. On the other hand, because of the responsibility as khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard, humankind and their actions cannot be limited to the physical spheres of their world. Hence, the corporeal dimension of what it means to be human must be considered in relation to the incorporeal or metaphysical scope of what it means to act as a trustee of Allah on earth. In this chapter, we look at how the Qurān conceives of being human and what distinguishes humankind from other forms of existence. We explore what is commonly considered the duality of humankind, that is, as being simultaneously physical and spiritual, or secular and transcendent. And, while it is argued that even though humans, in terms of Qurānic exegeses, are both mortal (as a physical body) and immortal (as resurrection), the corporeality and transcendence of humankind can be realised through an ethical enactment of what it means to be human—that is, to be just to oneself and to others because of, and in response to, the enactment of khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard. Such an argument considers that inasmuch as humankind needs Allah—in terms of surrendering to an innate state of surrendering to his will—humankind needs others to be human, so that the act of vicegerency or khalīfatullāh fī al-ard might be fulfilled.
SpringerBriefs in Education, 2020
Engaging Higher Education Curricula - A critical citizenship perspective, 2015
Undoubtedly, this volume offers a cogent and coherent account of citizenship education commensura... more Undoubtedly, this volume offers a cogent and coherent account of citizenship education commensurate with critical curriculum inquiry at universities. Using social transformation in South Africa as a backdrop, Costandius and Bitzer posit that university education ought to be framed according to theories and practices of critical citizenship education that can hopefully engender more inclusive pedagogical practices, in reference to teaching, learning, policy changes and research. Their understanding of critical citizenship education, as aptly articulated in the first chapter, is couched within the parameters of a transformative pedagogy that accentuates the importance of critical reflection, imagination, human coexistence in the face of diversity and the cultivation of social justice. Moreover, in Chapter 2, by drawing on the seminal thoughts of an illustrious scholar of critical pedagogy, Henry Giroux, they contend that the domination, exclusion and marginalisation of students in and through university curricula should be counteracted, and that appropriate epistemological, conceptual, structural, narratival and paradigmatic changes should be enacted so that higher education discourses might be attenuated more towards spaces of democratic action. In Chapter 3, by referring to specific examples of how some South African universities have integrated notions of critical citizenship education into their curricula, they intimate that there is not a singular understanding of critical citizenship that underscores university curricula, and perhaps rightly so. In Chapter 4, they specifically connect critical citizenship education to multi-various forms of learning in order to show that the former ought to be at the forefront of students' pedagogical activities. In Chapter 5, they use an example of how critical citizenship education can engage students and
Higher Education in South Africa - A scholarly look behind the scenes, 2009
One of the most significant contributions to the advancement of modern higher education is found ... more One of the most significant contributions to the advancement of modern higher education is found in the work of Frank and Meyer (2007:290) who argue that the public mission of the contemporary university is to assist in addressing great social problems such as improving business organisation and capital investment, protecting the natural environment, preserving human rights and cultural diversity, resolving crises of governance and promoting democracy-all aspects that constitute what can be referred to as the public goods of higher education. In order to foreground the public mission of the modern (African) university more clearly, I offer an account of higher education as a public good which ought to build on conceptions of democratic deliberation, compassionate imagining and cosmopolitan justice.
Higher Teaching and Learning for Alternative Futures, 2021
South African journal of higher education, 2009
In this article we argue for a conception of learning to be connected to the achievement of cosmo... more In this article we argue for a conception of learning to be connected to the achievement of cosmopolitan norms and virtues which need to influence the way we understand and undertake learning and teaching in higher education in Africa. Our contention is that learning in universities on the African continent can more appropriately respond to some of the societal and political challenges Africa faces if it were to be connected to the appropriation of virtues such as democratic iterations, hospitality and collegiality. Making a case for learning and cosmopolitanism, we are mindful of the idea that African higher education systems are characterized by a history of colonisations and the fight for liberation / independence. Both these influences have resulted in remodelling and reconfiguring higher education rather than transforming it. In contrast, this article indicates a way forward by proposing a cosmopolitan approach as one that is best suited to moving higher education to greater he...
Traditionally, educational theory has been couched as modes of human action through concepts such... more Traditionally, educational theory has been couched as modes of human action through concepts such as poiesis and praxis. Inasmuch as poiesis and praxis have significantly shaped educational theory, we argue that such modes of action – if considered as mutually exclusive – do not sufficiently explain the interrelationship between educational theory and practice. Firstly, we extend the notion of action as explained by Arendt. Next, we offer an account of Agamben’s ‘opening of rhythm’, which integrates the notions of poiesis and praxis to pave the way for an understanding of educational theory as creative will that moves human action from enacting the unexpected into ‘an increasingly free and rarified atmosphere’. Secondly, in re-examining the Aristotelian concepts of poiesis and praxis, we argue that Agamben’s ‘opening of rhythm’ extends the Arendtian notion of action to perform the unexpected, and offers an as yet unexplored lens through which to understand the nexus between educatio...
Un certain nombre de concepts cles ont ete identifies qui pourraient constituer un systeme effica... more Un certain nombre de concepts cles ont ete identifies qui pourraient constituer un systeme efficace d'evaluation des enseignants en Afrique du sud en proie a de grands bouleversements. Ce systeme doit prendre en compte les notions d'intersubjectivite et de collectivite. L'A explique ce que ces deux notions peuvent apporter au systeme d'evaluation. De plus, dans cet article le concept d'intersubjectivite est etroitement lie aux notions de liberte, de pouvoir, d'autorite, et de participation ; tout cela constituant un systeme intersubjectif d'evaluation des enseignants
Practices of university teaching and learning have long been associated with interrelated human e... more Practices of university teaching and learning have long been associated with interrelated human experiences. A teacher teaches, and students learn. However, over the last three decades, since the post-critical turn, teaching and learning have been considered as interrelated human actions in the sense that, as a teacher performs the act of teaching, so he or she equally learns. Similarly, as students learn what they are taught, so they too become inclined towards teaching. In other words, it is not simply a matter of a teacher performing an act of teaching, and alternatively, a student learning. Rather, both teaching and learning have become intertwined activities in the sense that teaching–learning exists together. For purposes of this book, I refer to such an interrelationship of teaching–learning, a pedagogical encounter. By implication, pedagogical encounters constitute interrelated and inclusive human experiences of teaching and learning.
South African Journal of Higher Education, 2018
Birthdays are joyfully relative events, which, at times, become more about reflection, and at tim... more Birthdays are joyfully relative events, which, at times, become more about reflection, and at times, regret, with each passing year. As Stellenbosch University embarks on its 100 th year, celebrations and commemorations have adopted tentative nuances and burdens of heavily-laden legacies of wrongs and ills, which stand to be corrected. Much has been said, and rightly so, of assuming responsibility for questionable roles in highly divisive and harmful practices. In turn, much is envisaged for future actions of remedy and redress -particularly in relation to social responsibility and community interaction. In considering the role and responsibility of a university, many would agree that if the core of higher education is its epistemological contribution, then its impact is determined by its social worth. In this sense, any teaching and learning should not only be cognisant of its social context, but teaching and learning should always be both responsible and responsive to the world which it encounters. Yet, a university's responsibilities can, and should never be at the expense, or risk of research. As will be discussed in this article, prioritising higher education means prefacing, and giving precedence to research. Prioritising higher education through research creates the spaces necessary for a philosophy of dialogue. Moreover, research is indispensable to meaningful teaching and learning. Put differently, it is with research that a university sustains and advances its intellectual, social and ethical project into the realm of the public. And, this implies a renewed look at the university with an ecological parlance of inquiry that accounts for the university on the basis of assemblages, engagements, reflections and sightings -whether smooth and or striated.
Democratic Education and Muslim Philosophy, 2019
In this chapter, we focus on Benhabib's (The Rights of Others: Aliens, Residents and Citizens, Ca... more In this chapter, we focus on Benhabib's (The Rights of Others: Aliens, Residents and Citizens, Cambridge University Press, 2004) conception of democratic iteration, as being at the core of democratic education. We posit that the premise of democratic iterations is not to alter the normative validity of practical discourses, but to determine the legitimacy of particular processes of opinion and will formation. In this regard, we focus on two examples: one commonly referred to as the French scarf affair and the other involving the prohibition of 'black languages and hair' in South African schools. We argue that it would be unjustifiable to delink democratic education from rational articulations and rearticulations and emotional will formation.
Citizenship Teaching & Learning, 2021
bution to educational theory and practice. The book covers a broad range of topical and exciting ... more bution to educational theory and practice. The book covers a broad range of topical and exciting issues as diverse as faith, hope, wonder, imagination and posthuman ethics of care in teaching and learning. It does so with poetic elegance as well as argumentative rigour. It combines critical edge with an affirmative stance towards pedagogical possibility, steering clear from drastic choices and dichotomous thinking. The book’s captivating metaphors and its valuable insights will be of lasting significance for a variety of fields that intersect in their commitment to an innovative and transformative pedagogy. Marianna Papastephanou, Department of Education, University of Cyprus
The legislation of several policy documents in relation to schooling over the past few years-of w... more The legislation of several policy documents in relation to schooling over the past few years-of which the Norms and Standards for Educators (2000) appears to be the most significant-has brought into focus a renewed emphasis on improving schooling. The by now well-known outcomes-based model, which focuses on learner-centredness, team work, creative design of learning programmes, learner outcomes and flexible time frames to allow learners to work at their own pace, presents a major challenge to schools to cooperate and find common ground for effecting good education. In as much as policy urges schools to become better achievers by improving and developing teacher competences, organisational culture, learning programmes, leadership and community involvement in school governance, it seems that scant attention has been given to the question of inter-school relations vis-à-vis under-performing and high-performing schools. These schools, as I shall report and argue with reference to a case study in the Northern Cape province, continue to function mutually exclusively and independently of each other, thus posing a major threat to the notion of deliberative schooling. In this article, I argue that atomistic (independent) inter-school relations are pernicious and far too restrictive in cultivating genuine deliberative schooling, more specifically inter-school teacher interaction. I contend that deliberative inter-school relations must confirm the value of "interactionism", whereby under-performing and high-performing schools can learn about each another and from each other, thus improving possibilities for teacher engagement and the establishment of inter-school collaboration in some rural areas. I argue that interactionism invokes the idea of deliberation, whereby teachers do not have to function in isolation from one another but rather as deliberators within a set of inter-school relationships with others. The idea of deliberation brings into question mere acceptance of a lack of serious engagement among teachers at under-performing (historically disadvantaged schools) and high-performing schools (historically advantaged schools).
Ethical Dimensions of Muslim Education, 2016
We argued previously that a conception of Muslim cannot just be instrumentally tied to an individ... more We argued previously that a conception of Muslim cannot just be instrumentally tied to an individual’s confessional stance, but rather, that as an ethical being, a Muslim is one who surrenders to a higher being by cultivating harmonious and balanced relationships between him/herself and others. Building on this particular understanding of Muslim, we also argued that a conception of ummah, as a collective marker of belonging to humankind, would need to embody and manifest itself through ethical practices and ways of being, since such an ummah would be unencumbered by religious, cultural, economic or political limitations. In the previous chapter, we concluded that those who lay claim to accepting the message of Islam, as articulated through the Qurān and made visible through the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, have a responsibility to act and speak out against all forms of dystopias. It seems appropriate, therefore, in the concluding chapter of this book, to give due consideration to the instances and patterns of stereotypes, marginalisation and exclusion that invariably contribute to the world in which we find ourselves.
Ethical Dimensions of Muslim Education, 2016
We concluded the previous chapter with the argument that being Muslim cannot just be instrumental... more We concluded the previous chapter with the argument that being Muslim cannot just be instrumentally tied to the identity of a person who professes his/her allegiance to the Qurān and Sunnah, since such a view of Muslim merely confirms an individual’s confessional stance. Instead, we proffered that there is another way through which a person’s identity can become manifest—the way the individual enacts his/her responsibility to Allah (God). In this regard, in terms of Qurānic exegesis, the highest responsibility afforded to humankind is to act as a trustee of Allah on earth (khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard). But to act as a trustee, or vicegerent of Allah, requires a particular understanding and knowledge of Allah—that is, one cannot enact or manifest the trust of another being without having some understanding of, and belief in, what that trust might entail or desire. This idea means that conceptions of khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard are embedded in both knowledge and comprehension of Allah. In this chapter, then, we explore what it means, ethically, to have knowledge and be educated—in other words, when is one educated? We also ask what is the hermeneutical connection between knowledge, education and an individual’s relationship with Allah that yields to our argument that knowledge of Allah is an enunciation of education?
South African Journal of Higher Education, 2006
In this article, we offer four arguments against excessive state involvement in, and regulation o... more In this article, we offer four arguments against excessive state involvement in, and regulation of, higher education institutions in South Africa. We argue, firstly, that state 'regulation' is inextricably connected with the practice of exercising 'power-over' institutions, a trend which could undermine institutional autonomy and academic freedom. Secondly, we maintain that higher education institutions lack autonomy since they are controlled by the state through subsidies. Such funding provisions for higher education institutions in effect place a significant limit on professional judgement and the pursuit of standards of excellence in academic work. Thirdly, we point out why excessive state regulation could catastrophically harm free scientific inquiry. And finally, we contend that excessive or intrusive state regulation can result in a kind of laissez faire situation characterized by a passive or cynical compliance vis-a-vis performativity. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 19(6) 2005: 1177-1185
Ethical Dimensions of Muslim Education, 2016
In the previous chapter, we argued that an ethical community should be held accountable through d... more In the previous chapter, we argued that an ethical community should be held accountable through disruptive speech acts that can address the community’s ethical concerns. Implicit in such an argument is the profound responsibility afforded human beings in ensuring their conduct not only in relation to themselves, but also in relation to others, as constituted through communities. And yet, there is another responsibility, embodied in the conceptualisation of vicegerency; that is, as a trustee of Allah on earth (khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard). Embedded in these two responsibilities—one to the social and the other to the Creator—is the duality of humankind. On the one hand, human beings are considered in relation to their corporeal existence. On the other hand, because of the responsibility as khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard, humankind and their actions cannot be limited to the physical spheres of their world. Hence, the corporeal dimension of what it means to be human must be considered in relation to the incorporeal or metaphysical scope of what it means to act as a trustee of Allah on earth. In this chapter, we look at how the Qurān conceives of being human and what distinguishes humankind from other forms of existence. We explore what is commonly considered the duality of humankind, that is, as being simultaneously physical and spiritual, or secular and transcendent. And, while it is argued that even though humans, in terms of Qurānic exegeses, are both mortal (as a physical body) and immortal (as resurrection), the corporeality and transcendence of humankind can be realised through an ethical enactment of what it means to be human—that is, to be just to oneself and to others because of, and in response to, the enactment of khalīfatullāh fī al-‘ard. Such an argument considers that inasmuch as humankind needs Allah—in terms of surrendering to an innate state of surrendering to his will—humankind needs others to be human, so that the act of vicegerency or khalīfatullāh fī al-ard might be fulfilled.
SpringerBriefs in Education, 2020
Engaging Higher Education Curricula - A critical citizenship perspective, 2015
Undoubtedly, this volume offers a cogent and coherent account of citizenship education commensura... more Undoubtedly, this volume offers a cogent and coherent account of citizenship education commensurate with critical curriculum inquiry at universities. Using social transformation in South Africa as a backdrop, Costandius and Bitzer posit that university education ought to be framed according to theories and practices of critical citizenship education that can hopefully engender more inclusive pedagogical practices, in reference to teaching, learning, policy changes and research. Their understanding of critical citizenship education, as aptly articulated in the first chapter, is couched within the parameters of a transformative pedagogy that accentuates the importance of critical reflection, imagination, human coexistence in the face of diversity and the cultivation of social justice. Moreover, in Chapter 2, by drawing on the seminal thoughts of an illustrious scholar of critical pedagogy, Henry Giroux, they contend that the domination, exclusion and marginalisation of students in and through university curricula should be counteracted, and that appropriate epistemological, conceptual, structural, narratival and paradigmatic changes should be enacted so that higher education discourses might be attenuated more towards spaces of democratic action. In Chapter 3, by referring to specific examples of how some South African universities have integrated notions of critical citizenship education into their curricula, they intimate that there is not a singular understanding of critical citizenship that underscores university curricula, and perhaps rightly so. In Chapter 4, they specifically connect critical citizenship education to multi-various forms of learning in order to show that the former ought to be at the forefront of students' pedagogical activities. In Chapter 5, they use an example of how critical citizenship education can engage students and
Higher Education in South Africa - A scholarly look behind the scenes, 2009
One of the most significant contributions to the advancement of modern higher education is found ... more One of the most significant contributions to the advancement of modern higher education is found in the work of Frank and Meyer (2007:290) who argue that the public mission of the contemporary university is to assist in addressing great social problems such as improving business organisation and capital investment, protecting the natural environment, preserving human rights and cultural diversity, resolving crises of governance and promoting democracy-all aspects that constitute what can be referred to as the public goods of higher education. In order to foreground the public mission of the modern (African) university more clearly, I offer an account of higher education as a public good which ought to build on conceptions of democratic deliberation, compassionate imagining and cosmopolitan justice.
Higher Teaching and Learning for Alternative Futures, 2021
South African journal of higher education, 2009
In this article we argue for a conception of learning to be connected to the achievement of cosmo... more In this article we argue for a conception of learning to be connected to the achievement of cosmopolitan norms and virtues which need to influence the way we understand and undertake learning and teaching in higher education in Africa. Our contention is that learning in universities on the African continent can more appropriately respond to some of the societal and political challenges Africa faces if it were to be connected to the appropriation of virtues such as democratic iterations, hospitality and collegiality. Making a case for learning and cosmopolitanism, we are mindful of the idea that African higher education systems are characterized by a history of colonisations and the fight for liberation / independence. Both these influences have resulted in remodelling and reconfiguring higher education rather than transforming it. In contrast, this article indicates a way forward by proposing a cosmopolitan approach as one that is best suited to moving higher education to greater he...
Traditionally, educational theory has been couched as modes of human action through concepts such... more Traditionally, educational theory has been couched as modes of human action through concepts such as poiesis and praxis. Inasmuch as poiesis and praxis have significantly shaped educational theory, we argue that such modes of action – if considered as mutually exclusive – do not sufficiently explain the interrelationship between educational theory and practice. Firstly, we extend the notion of action as explained by Arendt. Next, we offer an account of Agamben’s ‘opening of rhythm’, which integrates the notions of poiesis and praxis to pave the way for an understanding of educational theory as creative will that moves human action from enacting the unexpected into ‘an increasingly free and rarified atmosphere’. Secondly, in re-examining the Aristotelian concepts of poiesis and praxis, we argue that Agamben’s ‘opening of rhythm’ extends the Arendtian notion of action to perform the unexpected, and offers an as yet unexplored lens through which to understand the nexus between educatio...
Un certain nombre de concepts cles ont ete identifies qui pourraient constituer un systeme effica... more Un certain nombre de concepts cles ont ete identifies qui pourraient constituer un systeme efficace d'evaluation des enseignants en Afrique du sud en proie a de grands bouleversements. Ce systeme doit prendre en compte les notions d'intersubjectivite et de collectivite. L'A explique ce que ces deux notions peuvent apporter au systeme d'evaluation. De plus, dans cet article le concept d'intersubjectivite est etroitement lie aux notions de liberte, de pouvoir, d'autorite, et de participation ; tout cela constituant un systeme intersubjectif d'evaluation des enseignants
Practices of university teaching and learning have long been associated with interrelated human e... more Practices of university teaching and learning have long been associated with interrelated human experiences. A teacher teaches, and students learn. However, over the last three decades, since the post-critical turn, teaching and learning have been considered as interrelated human actions in the sense that, as a teacher performs the act of teaching, so he or she equally learns. Similarly, as students learn what they are taught, so they too become inclined towards teaching. In other words, it is not simply a matter of a teacher performing an act of teaching, and alternatively, a student learning. Rather, both teaching and learning have become intertwined activities in the sense that teaching–learning exists together. For purposes of this book, I refer to such an interrelationship of teaching–learning, a pedagogical encounter. By implication, pedagogical encounters constitute interrelated and inclusive human experiences of teaching and learning.