Story: Athi Goya

From 27 to 29 August 2024 scholars, thought leaders, and students gathered in Bloemfontein – both in person and virtually – for a thought-provoking colloquium under the theme, 'Decolonising Knowledge Production in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts (HSSA). The event, organised by the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS) at the University of the Free State (UFS), marked the tenth anniversary of the Charter for Humanities and Social Sciences. It provided a vital platform for reimagining and reinvigorating these disciplines, making them relevant for the 21st century.

Opening remarks

The colloquium was launched by Dr Munyaradzi Mushonga, Programme Director for Africa Studies at CGAS, who also served as Master of Ceremonies. Dr Mushonga recounted how the idea for the colloquium originated in a CGAS WhatsApp group and was later embraced by the Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities, who secured funding from the Mellon Foundation. Dr Mushonga posed a profound question from a 2022 presentation by Elisio Macamo at the University of Bayreuth’s Africa Multiple Cluster of Excellence:  

If the very idea of the ‘Social’ and the ‘Human’ was conceived in modernity against what was deemed ‘non-social’ and ‘non-human’ – in other words, what was considered ‘native’ and ‘black’- how do we then resort to ‘Social Sciences’ and ‘Humanities’  to make sense of those they initially excluded?  

This question, along with other critical and unsettling inquiries, set the tone for the discussions that followed. Dr Grey Magaiza, Acting Director for CGAS, expressed heartfelt thanks to the Dean’s Office and the Mellon Foundation for making the colloquium possible. He also acknowledged the contributions of Prof Henning Melber and Prof Colin Chasi’s Unit for Institutional Change.  

A call to action for the Humanities

Prof Malesela Masoga, Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities, officially welcomed attendees, both physical and virtual. He highlighted the urgency of reinvigorating the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts. Reflecting on the 2011 Charter for Humanities and Social Sciences,  he noted that many of the critical questions raised by Dr B.E. Nzimande, then Minister of Higher Education and Training, remain unanswered. These include the role of the humanities in post-apartheid South Africa, the impact of globalisation on countries in the South, and the persistent inequalities in higher education.

Prof Masoga also contextualised the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall movements, which sparked essential conversations about university transformation. He argued that this colloquium was a timely opportunity to reassess the purpose of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts. He posed critical questions: What role do these fields in the modern world? Whose voices are being amplified in knowledge production?

In his speech, Prof Masoga emphasised the disproportionate attention given to STEM disciplines at the expense of the Humanities, urging participants to rise to the challenge of balancing efforts in knowledge generation. He also called on attendees to reflect on the broader role of higher education, warning against the commercialisation of universities. Instead, he emphasised that universities should focus on producing well-rounded individuals equipped to address the social, political, and ethical challenges of our time.

Reflections on knowledge decolonisation

Prof Anthea Rhoda, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UFS, officially opened the colloquium, echoing the sentiments of Prof Masoga. She reiterated the significance of reflecting on knowledge production in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Arts, referring once again to the 2011 Charter. Prof Rhoda stressed that the decolonisation of knowledge is a crucial issue that needs to be addressed by academia, linking this to the UFS Vision 130, which seeks to renew and reimagine education for greater impact.

She encouraged attendees to use the colloquium as an opportunity to advance this vision, emphasising that the decolonisation of knowledge production is integral to the broader reimagining of education.

Keynote speakers and special roundtable

• Prof Francis Nyamnjoh (University of Cape Town)
• Prof Peter Vale (CGAS Extraordinary Professor)
• Prof Helene Strauss (UFS Department of English)
• Prof Henning Melber (Nordic Africa Institute & CGAS Extraordinary Professor)
• Dr Savo Heleta (Research Fellow, Durban University of Technology)
• Prof Pamila Gupta (CGAS Research Professor, UFS)
• Dr Godwin Murunga (Executive Secretary, CODESRIA)

A special roundtable featured former University of Cape Town students who were key drivers of the Rhodes Must Fall movement, including Wandile Kasibe, Chumani Maxwele, and Lindokuhle Patiwe. 

Conclusion

The Centre for Gender and Africa Studies (CGAS), along with the Faculty of the Humanities, is commended for organising such a successful and impactful event. The colloquium’s outputs will include two special journal issues and an edited book, further contributing to the ongoing conversation around decolonising knowledge production.