The Politicisation of the University in South Africa and Its Consequent Demise

Autor/in	Higgs, P.
Titel	The Politicisation of the University in South Africa and Its Consequent Demise
Quelle	In: South African Journal of Higher Education, 24 (2010) 2, S.367-372 (6 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1011-3487
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Higher Education; Campuses; Race; Racial Relations; Foreign Countries; Universities; Affirmative Action; Educationally Disadvantaged; Access to Education; Cultural Pluralism; Equal Education; Academic Discourse; Colleges; Ideology; South Africa + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Rasse; Abstammung; Ausland; University; Universität; Education; Access; Bildung; Zugang; Bildungszugang; Kulturpluralismus; Discourse; Diskurs; College; Hochschule; Fachhochschule; Ideologie; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik
Abstract	In the light of transformational discourses in higher education in South Africa, it has become necessary to pose the question--what is a university? Such a question requires that the idea of the university, as well as its role in society be reflected upon critically. This author contends that much of present day transformational discourse in higher education in South Africa is vulnerable to politically driven higher education practices concerned with issues such as race and the redress of historical imbalances, educational disadvantage, affirmative action, admission policies, diversity and, equity, and access. Present day educational discourse in higher education in South Africa no longer seems to see the need for interrogating the political context in which higher education functions. As a result, nearly all educational discourse in higher education is reduced to issues of political concern. In light of this, Higgs argues that what is needed today is the freeing of the university from its political chains and an awakening of its educational responsibility and role as a distinctive higher education institution in society. This is the challenge facing universities in South Africa today--a challenge somewhat different from those challenges articulated by democratic politics and taken up in issues such as race and the redress of historical imbalances, educational disadvantage, affirmative action, admission policies, diversity and, equity and access. And the question that finally needs to be asked: is there still a university that can take up such a challenge in South Africa? (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Unisa Press. Preller Street, P.O. Box 392, Muckleneuk, Pretoria 0003, South Africa. Tel: +27-24-298960; Fax: +27-24-293449; e-mail: sajhe@vodamail.co.za; Web site: http://www.sajhe.org.za
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10