Transformation, theology and the public university in South Africa

Venter, Rian

doi:10.4314/actat.v35i2.11

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(8 reference statements)

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“…A shift from 'crisis' in development rhetoric to the post-apartheid 'rainbow nation' dream (Lebeau and Mills 2008) of a non-racial and non-sexist HE, became entangled in the discourses of 'transformation' in the sector , which persists today (Venter 2015). How congruence is ascertained, between such espoused discourses and what is practiced and experienced, is an area of debate (Engelbrecht and Bhengy 2015).…”

Section: Academic Equality In South African Higher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Why mouth all the pieties?’ Black and women academics’ revelations about discourses of ‘transformation’ at an historically white South African university

Belluigi

Thondhlana

2019

High Educ

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With inequality persistent across geopolitical contexts, 'transformation' continues to be expediently cited in the rhetoric of higher education institutions. Illuminating alike issues worldwide, the paper critically examines race, inequality and oppression among the black and women academics who were selected as recipients of post-apartheid academic development programmes at an historically white institution in South Africa. Utilising a report-and-respond approach, participants initially responded in a questionnaire to definitions of notions of transformation espoused within The Integrated Transformation Plans of South African universities. This was followed by non-deterministic small group discussions of the researchers' interpretations of those responses. The recipients' lived experiences provide deep insights, from within, into the misalignment between those discourses espoused and those practiced, which have implications for transforming the institutional culture of the dominant in-group. Emerging ahead of the implementation of a self-regulatory tool for higher education institutions across that national context, many of the participants called for structural accountability mechanisms in the face of their frustration with current ineffectual approaches. A concern about institutional responsiveness to research findings of such critical studies is raised.

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Section: Academic Equality In South African Higher Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Why mouth all the pieties?’ Black and women academics’ revelations about discourses of ‘transformation’ at an historically white South African university

Belluigi

Thondhlana

2019

High Educ

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“…Since then, these suspicions were verbalised by a growing number of South African academics (Pillay 2015;Ramoupi 2014;Venter 2015Venter , 2016) and a progressively disgruntled student population, as seen in recurring student protests, calling on university management to 'call out the ghost of http://www.hts.org.za Open Access coloniality' (Lucket 2016:416). In some instances, the criticism was harsh, as the accusation was made that South Africa remained academically trapped in a Eurocentric and colonial paradigm (Heleta 2016):…”

Section: Colonialism and Practical Theology In South Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Selfishly backward’ or ‘selflessly forward?’: A white male’s insider perspective on a challenge and opportunity of decolonisation for practical theology in the South African context

Brunsdon

2019

HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies

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Depending on the Sitz im Leben of practical theologian, the issue of decolonisation will be a greater or lesser reality. For South Africans, decolonisation has become a part of their daily living. Decolonisation can be regarded as a second wave of liberation in the post-apartheid South Africa. Following on the first wave, or even the tsunami of transformation, is the urgent call for the decolonisation of colonial knowledge, structures and epistemologies that endured in the new dispensation. Squarely in the aim of decolonisation efforts are institutions of higher learning and by implication all disciplines taught there, including theology. The non-negotiability of the decolonisation of higher education is evident in the recurring violent protests and mass action, as expressed in different ‘#must-fall’ campaigns over the last few years. This article argues that the current decolonisation drive in South Africa is urging local practical theologians to make an important choice, namely to move ‘selfishly backward’ or ‘selflessly forward’. In other words, maintaining current practices or exploring alternatives in a new context. This choice is embedded in the reality that a significant number of practical theologians in South Africa are white males that may, from a decolonisation perspective, be deemed part of the colonisation legacy. Against this background, the article attempts to provide a reflective insider’s perspective on a challenge and opportunity this creates for practical theology.

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“…One could also refer to the human, the knowledge and the institutional dimensions. Some crucial attempts have already been made to theorise these deeper reaches of transformation (see Naude 2004;Venter & Tolmie 2012;Venter 2015). This line of exploration should be pursued.…”

Section: The Post-apartheid Condition: Embracing Transformationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Theology and the (post-)apartheid university: Mapping discourses, interrogating transformation

Venter¹

2016

THE

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This article examines the specific position of Theology at South African universities, following the recent developments on campuses that catapulted the urgency for greater commitment to radical transformation in higher education to public attention. A large corpus of material is generated on theological education as such, but the major question is rarely thematised as the transformation of Theology at public universities in (post-)apartheid South Africa. This article addresses the nature of the challenge by following a distinct approach. Ten major discourses in the wider reflection on theological education are identified and interpreted as avenues to achieve three aims: to convey the unique challenge for Theology, to give historical texture to issues conventionally addressed a-politically in Theology and to forward an interpretation of ‘transformation’ for Theology that emphasises its multi-layered nature

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Transformation, theology and the public university in South Africa

Cited by 10 publications

References 27 publications

‘Why mouth all the pieties?’ Black and women academics’ revelations about discourses of ‘transformation’ at an historically white South African university

‘Why mouth all the pieties?’ Black and women academics’ revelations about discourses of ‘transformation’ at an historically white South African university

‘Selfishly backward’ or ‘selflessly forward?’: A white male’s insider perspective on a challenge and opportunity of decolonisation for practical theology in the South African context

Theology and the (post-)apartheid university: Mapping discourses, interrogating transformation

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