100 Years of the Colonial University in Africa?
In the aftermath of the fanfare of the Wits centenary celebrations, SWOP is continuing to reflect on the moments of challenge, contestation and contradiction that have shaped the university over time. The ‘100 Years of the Colonial University in Africa’ programme aims to cultivate a space for critical reflections on the different ways in which the university has functioned, been experienced, and been responded to in a changing society. This, we hope, will allow us to continue to imagine and relate to the university as a place of critique, contestation, struggle and dissent.
The concepts of coloniality and decolonisation were central to the #FeesMustFall and #OutsourcingMustFall protests that rocked the university system in 2015 and 2016. Today, as the dust settles on yet another cycle of student protests driven by financial exclusions and accommodation issues, and in the context of ongoing strikes by university workers, SWOP invites you revisit the concept of coloniality with us.
Discussion with Moshibudi Motimele (University of the Free State), Paul Maluleka (University of the Witwatersrand)and Prishani Naidoo (SWOP), where we will be thinking about the nature of the university, considering the root causes of its persistent exclusions and oppressions and exploring the possibilities and limits for decolonisation.
Thursday 30 March 2023 6pm – 9pm Wits Origins Centre, Tapestry Room