Insights on student leadership using social dream drawing: Six propositions for the transformation role of South African student leaders

Abstract

Background: Student leadership is central to the South African transformation agenda in higher education. Even so the understanding of student leadership, especially regarding its purpose and its implementation varies across contexts.Aim: This article aims to present propositions for student leadership practice considering the current diverse and often fragmented understanding of student leadership. Such propositions should aid the formation of a streamlined multi-levelled and systemic co-curriculum for student leadership that equips student leaders for their significant transformation task.Setting: The study was conducted in a South African higher education institution within the associated Student Affairs department. The university where data was collected is referred to as a historically White university.Methods: Social dream drawing was utilised to elicit data that enabled insights into student leadership. The data was analysed by pluralistically fusing discourse analysis with a psychodynamic interpretation.Results: The findings reveal a preoccupation in student leadership with South African historical narratives and the implications thereof for the present, and future, of the country. Additionally, student leaders indicated that there are complex psychological implications that result from their leadership experiences. Six propositions for student leadership are presented.Conclusion: The insights gained from the research study have the potential to contribute positively to higher education legislation and student development practice, particularly regarding the psychological conflicts that student leaders experience, and to the possible ways to resolve these. Because student leaders are key to the transformation agenda in South Africa, these insights can contribute directly towards their suitability in fulfilling this role.

South African student leaders' role experience through social dream drawing: A driver of compassion

“…Recently, a new form of student leadership emerged through the #Fallist movements such as #Fees Must Fall and #Rhodes Must Fall, which resulted in other protests or activism regarding fees, the university language of instruction, issues of access, and so on. These student leaders are called activists or non-positional leaders and usually lead justice movements or protests; they receive attention from university management and impact university policies without being linked to any formal leadership role within the university itself (Pule and May, 2021 ).…”

“…The primary task is the one thing the organization must do to survive (Lawrence, 2005 ). The primary task for student leaders involves attending to South African transformation and decolonization imperatives (Pule and May, 2021 ). As this primary task involves work beyond the university, it places student leaders as important players within the greater society (Bazana and Mogotsi, 2017 ).…”

Compassion: From Neuroscience to New Horizons and Innovative, Inclusive Research Agendas

“…In addition, South African universities sought to invest in the development of students' graduate attributes and employability through student leadership development. Thus, various leadership programs such as the South African Washington International Program (SAWIP), the University of the Free State Leadership for Change Program, the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute at the University of South Africa (UNISA), the Future Health Leaders Program of the University of Cape Town, and others, became avenues for student leadership development (Getz and Roy, 2013;Pule, 2017). Students who partake in these programs are referred to as student leaders as they represent universities' efforts toward hands-on leadership and skills development that students can apply to universities' extracurricular agendas.…”

“…Recently, a new form of student leadership emerged through the #Fallist movements such as #Fees Must Fall and #Rhodes Must Fall, which resulted in other protests or activism regarding fees, the university language of instruction, issues of access, and so on. These student leaders are called activists or nonpositional leaders and usually lead justice movements or protests; they receive attention from university management and impact university policies without being linked to any formal leadership role within the university itself (Pule and May, 2021).…”

“…The primary task is the one thing the organization must do to survive (Lawrence, 2005). The primary task for student leaders involves attending to South African transformation and decolonization imperatives (Pule and May, 2021). As this primary task involves work beyond the university, it places student leaders as important players within the greater society (Bazana and Mogotsi, 2017).…”