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Academic Freedom and the Decolonisation of Knowledge : Curriculum Transformation in South Africa from a UNESCO Perspective

Olsson, Erik J LU (2023) In Studies in Higher Education 48(8). p.1172-1182
Abstract
Decolonisation aims at exposing the ills of colonialism in an attempt to undo their long-standing effects. Important criticism of curriculum decolonisation has focused on potential conflicts with academic freedom. However, this criticism has to some extent suffered from a perceived lack of agreement on the concept and status of academic freedom itself. The present study views decolonisation in South Africa from the perspective of the international standard afforded by the UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of higher-education teaching personnel (1997). It is argued that, whereas some conceptions of decolonisation are intrinsically in conflict with the recommendation, compliance depends in other cases on implementational details.... (More)
Decolonisation aims at exposing the ills of colonialism in an attempt to undo their long-standing effects. Important criticism of curriculum decolonisation has focused on potential conflicts with academic freedom. However, this criticism has to some extent suffered from a perceived lack of agreement on the concept and status of academic freedom itself. The present study views decolonisation in South Africa from the perspective of the international standard afforded by the UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of higher-education teaching personnel (1997). It is argued that, whereas some conceptions of decolonisation are intrinsically in conflict with the recommendation, compliance depends in other cases on implementational details. Moreover, regarding several conceptions, furthering decolonisation and implementing the UNESCO recommendation go hand in hand. In a case study, the Nelson Mandela University Transformation Plan 2018–2020 is critically examined. Finally, it is suggested that there may be considerable benefits associated with using the UNESCO recommendation as a guide in and throughout curriculum transformation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Academic freedom, decolonisation, curriculum, transformation, South Africa, unesco
in
Studies in Higher Education
volume
48
issue
8
pages
11 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85150788871
ISSN
0307-5079
DOI
10.1080/03075079.2023.2186389
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
24241f2d-12c0-4253-bd78-d94df57e6cbc
date added to LUP
2023-02-26 12:38:24
date last changed
2023-10-26 14:50:31
@article{24241f2d-12c0-4253-bd78-d94df57e6cbc,
  abstract     = {{Decolonisation aims at exposing the ills of colonialism in an attempt to undo their long-standing effects. Important criticism of curriculum decolonisation has focused on potential conflicts with academic freedom. However, this criticism has to some extent suffered from a perceived lack of agreement on the concept and status of academic freedom itself. The present study views decolonisation in South Africa from the perspective of the international standard afforded by the UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of higher-education teaching personnel (1997). It is argued that, whereas some conceptions of decolonisation are intrinsically in conflict with the recommendation, compliance depends in other cases on implementational details. Moreover, regarding several conceptions, furthering decolonisation and implementing the UNESCO recommendation go hand in hand. In a case study, the Nelson Mandela University Transformation Plan 2018–2020 is critically examined. Finally, it is suggested that there may be considerable benefits associated with using the UNESCO recommendation as a guide in and throughout curriculum transformation.}},
  author       = {{Olsson, Erik J}},
  issn         = {{0307-5079}},
  keywords     = {{Academic freedom; decolonisation; curriculum; transformation; South Africa; unesco}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{1172--1182}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Studies in Higher Education}},
  title        = {{Academic Freedom and the Decolonisation of Knowledge : Curriculum Transformation in South Africa from a UNESCO Perspective}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2186389}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/03075079.2023.2186389}},
  volume       = {{48}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}