Oct 26, 2016
A reminder.
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A reminder.
Student thoughts: Decolonising education discussions #2
19 October 2016
I write to you in order to share good news - a light bulb has exploded in my head in regards understanding what might be meant by the term “decolonised education”. This is based on an article by Joel Modiri, sent out by Geoff Bick today. It is a magnificent piece, which I have attached (below). And I agree on the majority of Mr Modiri’s points.
I can’t help but favour the term “post-colonised education”, as opposed to decolonised, as we can’t undo colonisation in Africa any more than the British can undo their colonisation by the Romans.
As I understand Joel’s article, he points to the fact that we should critically analyse the western theories/doctrines/bodies of knowledge (my words), then throw out the stuff that does not help us, and add our theories/doctrines/bodies of knowledge to that, to come up with a more inclusive humanist view on all matters and subjects. He advocates that we do this through being informed, well read and critical - but not destructive.
~ written by a fellow student in response to decolonising education discussions initiated at GSB
The article referred to above: http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2016-10-16-in-the-fall-decolonisation-and-the-rejuvenation-of-the-academic-project-in-south-africa/
Washing one's hands' of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral
Paulo Friere
Not to see another person, or to see her or him as a non-person, is the most extreme manifestation of power-over.
Power & Love, Adam Kahane
Some responses from people in the GSB community to our open engagement invitations. We invite more people to share their thoughts about their experiences at GSB and possibilities for action!
Thoughts from the GSB Assembly: Decolonising education discussions #1
2PM, Exhibition Hall, UCT Graduate School of Business, Cape Town.
On Wednesday 19th August 2016, a group of about 60 members of staff, students and faculty of the GSB settled down into rounded tables. A sense of geniality was in the air: if you are going to have an honest, self-critical conversation, its best to start with a smile.
GSB management had invited a celebrated facilitator to coordinate the discussions, Ilze Olckers, who has extensive experience in facilitation at tertiary institutions. In the invitation circulated to the GSB community, “The objective of the assembly will be to highlight some of the challenges facing UCT and the GSB, and for different stakeholders to be able to express their opinions on these issues and develop a potential way forward. While some of the issues may be national and out of our control, this does present an opportunity for everyone to identify the key issues that the GSB can focus on, and to set some plans for going forward.”
Three discussion themes were circulated in advance and would serve as the topics of the day, with conversations to be organised into approximately 20-minute sessions under the world café method.
From this particular participant’s experience, conversations were candid; students, staff, faculty members demonstrated great empathy and made themselves vulnerable about their thoughts, ideas, personal experiences, fears, joys and hopes, not just for the GSB, but for South Africa and Africa as a whole. Some of the issues that came up repeatedly and were discussed at length were the current #FeesMustFall movement, great economic inequality in South Africa, social cohesion, the role and relevance of the GSB in South Africa and Africa, a sense of lethargy within the institution to change expressed in several remarks to the effect of “we keep having these conversations but nothing ever changes.” At the end of the conversation, the mood had (naturally) changed, a little less perky and a lot more peevish.
The Acting GSB Director assured that the salient issues that emerged from the conversations would be addressed and encouraged dialogue to continue.
#GSBvoices collective 2nd open engagement. We showed clips and discussed alternative narratives around what is happening on other campuses across UCT. Beautiful thoughts shared. And a yearning for more in-depth discussions (and actions) towards decolonisation at GSB, what this means and what we can do to get it going...