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29 May 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Pexels
Prof Melanie Walker
Fostering human capabilities in universities may potentially transform education, says Prof Melanie Walker.

Education is at the centre of human life, and has the potential to be a crucial support for democratic life. Prof Melanie Walker’s recent research paper strikes a balance in dealing with people, education and the implications for democracy through the lens of human capabilities theory and practice and her own research.

People and papers

In her capacity as the SARChI Chair in the Higher Education and Human Development Research Programme at the University of the Free State (UFS), Prof Walker recently published a paper titled: Defending the Need for a Foundational Epistemic Capability in Education. It appeared in the special issue of the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities in honour of renowned Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen’s 85th birthday.

Nurturing epistemic justice

Within the context of existing literature such as that of Sen’s concern with the value of education on the one hand, and public reasoning on the other, Prof Walker argues for a foundational epistemic capability to shape the formal education landscape – as well as quality in education – by fostering inclusive public reasoning (including critical thinking) in all students. It would contribute to what Sen calls the ‘protective power of democracy’ and shared democratic rights, which, he argues, are strongly missed when most needed.

“Sen’s approach asks us to build democratic practices in our university and in our society in ways which create capabilities for everyone. If our students learn public reasoning in all sorts of spaces in university, including the pedagogical, they may carry this into and back to society,” she said.

Educating for equality

Empowering society and fighting for justice are some of the crucial contributions made possible through fostering the epistemic capability of all students. “The capability requires that each student is recognised as both a knower and teller, a receiver and a contributor in critical meaning and knowledge, and an epistemic agent in processes of learning and critical thinking,” states Prof Walker.

In a young democracy like South Africa’s, inclusive public reasoning becomes all the more essential in order to achieve equality, uphold rights and sustain democracy as enshrined in the constitution, thereby improving people’s lives. 

News Archive

Senior professor launches new book in London
2013-05-13

 

Alejandra Boni (left) is an associate professor at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia in Spain and Melanie Walker is a Senior Research Professor and Director of the Centre for Higher Education and Capabilities Research (CHECaR) at UFS.
13 May 2013

Melanie Walker and Alejandra Boni (Eds.) were hosted by the Institute of Education at the University of London, in April to launch the publication of their new book, titled: Human Development and Capabilities: Re-imagining the university of the twenty-first century (Routlege).

In the face of reductionist and “thin” human capital approaches to higher education globally, the book imaginatively applies a theoretical framework to universities as institutions and social practices from human development and the capability approach. The book attempts to show how universities might advance equalities rather than necessarily widen them, and how they can contribute to a sustainable and democratic society.

Picking through the capability approach for human development, in relation to universities, this book highlights and explores three main ideas:

  • theoretical insights to advance thinking about human development and higher education
  • policy implications for the responsibilities and potential contributions of universities in a period of significant global change and
  • operationalising a New Imaginary

The book is available for purchase online and will be added to the library collection soon.

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