Showing papers in "International Journal of African Renaissance Studies - Multi-, Inter- and Transdisciplinarity in 2015"

A stand-alone, blended or restructured indigenisation approach to curriculum? a critical perspective

Abstract: Please access the full text of the article via the DOI link under URI at the top of this record.

African Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Human Rights: Implications for Higher Education, Based on the South African Experience

Abstract: Africa has rich traditions and knowledge systems founded on the principles of caring for one another and the spirit of mutual support embedded in the African philosophy of Ubuntu. These collective values tend to be marginalised in international human rights standards built on western values. The standards were developed without broad-based consultation of the different value systems in Africa. Therefore, in order to inspire sustainable implementation among diverse cultures, dialogue to develop universal human rights and obligations based on the diversity of cultures and ways of knowing is needed. Using South Africa's experience at two universities, the extent to which these institutions have attempted to incorporate African indigenous knowledge systems (AIKS) and human rights into the higher education curriculum is investigated. The implications for higher education and the human rights and development paradigms built on western knowledge systems are investigated. North-West University has been th...

Pan-Africanism, knowledge production and the third liberation of Africa

Abstract: Pan-Africanism as an ideological and philosophical force has defined the struggle to ensure the collective realisation of the destiny of the Black race across the Atlantic by political and intellectual leaders of African descent both at home and in the Diaspora. The struggle has passed through several phases such as ending obnoxious trade in human beings, colonialism and re-assertion of African identity and sense of being. The epistemological hegemony of the West on knowledge production in African studies and their Eurocentric view of what constitutes the history of Africa as well as what are the appropriate development strategies for the continent constitute another area of struggle for emancipation. Some have argued that a combination of Western reactionary and intellectual forces has kept Africa in chains of poverty and underdevelopment for decades. A counter argument is that Africa is her own worst enemy.The need for intellectual, socio-economic and political liberation of the continent is com...

Justice for all? Accountable translations of texts on indigenous law

Abstract: This article addresses challenges arising from the guarantee in South Africa's Constitution (1996) of continued use of indigenous law. This law has been handed down in oral form, but increasingly, written sources are needed when cases relating to indigenous law are heard in South Africa's higher courts. Although access to this kind of information is vital to empowerment and justice in Africa, wider access is hampered by different literacy levels and language differences. This article examines accountable translation into English of legal anthropological texts, referring to a case study on law practised among the Nkuna of Ritavi to demonstrate some of the complexities. The article considers the Anglo-American translation tradition's preference for idiomatic translation (paraphrasis) rather than word-for-word faithfulness (metaphrasis). It advocates focusing on the Skopos (purpose) of texts negotiated with the author. It also proposes foregrounding the hermeneutic engagement of translators as reader...

China's Foreign Policy Shift in Africa: From Non-Interference to Preponderance

Abstract: The penetration of Beijing into the African continent is radically changing the economic landscape of the region. The non-interference policy states that China does not meddle in the internal affairs of other nations and this is a core part of the five principles of peaceful coexistence; others include mutual respect for a nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, equality based on mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence. Furthermore, there has been no corresponding change in Beijing's foreign policy in terms of ambitions, alliances and interests. The Asian power is following the same foreign policy it has pursued since 1954: a policy of non-interference. The article argues that the non-interference policy has outlived its usefulness; Beijing needs to revisit this policy of non-interference in order to guard its economic investments and political interests, which have grown and come under threat recently. The research concludes that the policy of non-interference can b...

The end of politics by theyouth? higher education, youth identity and recession ofpolitical participation by south africa's ‘born-frees’:1 the case of undergraduate students at a public university

Abstract: The aim of the study is to examine the effects of political socialisation by the family and significant others on the political participation by South Africa's born-frees using a sample of undergraduate students at a public university in a metropolitan area. Overall, political participation is relatively low among the born-frees even though political awareness is very high. Political socialisation in the form of discussion of politics with parents, other relatives and peers is found to be an important predictor of youth participation in political activities. The youth of mothers with school leaving certificates or undergraduate education are more likely to be politically engaged compared to those of mothers with either no education or postgraduate education. Finally, older youth are more likely than younger ones to be politically engaged.

South Sudan and the East African Community: Common Market, Citizenship, and Political Federation

Abstract: This article analyses South Sudan's political and economic challenges as it seeks to become a member of the East African Community (EAC). The first section presents a brief profile of South Sudan, its development challenges, the land tenure system and legal framework governing access to and disposal of land. The second section presents an exposition on the challenges facing the EAC as it seeks to build a monetary union and a political federation. The article critically examines the EAC protocol regarding the monetary union, political federation, the land tenure system in East Africa and its plan for a common citizenship. It reviews and analyses EAC policies such as the elimination of trade barriers such as tariff, non-tariff and other technical barriers, harmonisation of labour policies, programmes, legislation, and social services throughout members’ states. The article concludes that the biggest challenge facing the EAC is how

African Customary Law and Common Law in South Africa: Reconciling Contending Legal Systems

Abstract: The multicultural fabric of contemporary South African society is the result of the interaction between various and differing historical narratives, each with their own knowledge system, which led ...

Understanding the Journey to Reconciliation in Transitional Societies: Using the Metaphor of a Motor Vehicle Road Trip to Understand South Africa's Path (Process) to Political Reconciliation

Abstract: This article, using the metaphor of a motor vehicle road trip, explores South Africa's much-lauded and deftly exported transitional experiment. It explores how the journey, and process of reconciliation, was a prominent feature of the post-1994 transition. It is argued that the journey did not begin in 1994. It began way before. While the main journey began after the democratic elections, many preparations were done before that. Thus, the time period, the route chosen, those in the vehicle, those on the pavement and their role as well as issues such as places visited, the way the journey was eventually accepted, and how various people and institutions, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, assisted in the process will be examined. The article argues that nation building and reconciliation in South Africa were processes or journeys; not events. The journey had many facets, all of whic contributed to the project as a whole.

Issues of race, ethnicity, socio-economic position and spatial acknowledgement in south africa: how spatial access and expression still perpetuate notions of difference, separation and uncertainty amongst the south african coloured1 population

Abstract: While the Native Land Act [Act 27 of 1913] and the Native Trust and Land Act [Act 18 of 1936] dispossessed black South Africans of their land physically, the insidious Group Areas Act [Act 41 of 1950] and the Population Registration Act [Act 30 of 1950] reified perceptions of race and ethnicity in the context of phenotype, culture, language and even religion. Although these Acts were repealed the legacy remains part of the South African psyche still. Such perceptions are evident in the Coloured communities where the Population Registration Act classified and defined the group as a singular unit while the Group Areas Act segregated and confined them, and restricted their association within the group almost exclusively. This meant that education, access to information, socialising, and religious assembly and to a limited extent employment were restricted mostly to these designated segregated areas. Limited interaction between various legislated groups, even within the Coloured group itself reinforce...

Towards a vibrant african languages industry in the era of the african renaissance

Abstract: To some people, African languages are insufficiently valued or good for nothing. Such people do not find any economic value in African languages. However, the African renaissance can inject a new lease of life into African languages. The African linguistic renaissance implies uplifting the status and use of African languages. It also means taking African languages into domains where their economic value will rise. This requires a drastic change in how African languages are perceived and treated. This article argues that, as part of the African renaissance, African languages should become income generators or job-creating entities. There is great potential for African languages to attain such economically rewarding status. African languages have slept for so long that they can now be compared to devalued currencies. The article suggests some ways through which a vibrant African languages industry can be developed and sustained.

Towards a Model for International Collaboration and Partnerships in Teacher Education in Africa: Education for Sustainable Development in South Africa

Abstract: Education for sustainable development allows all to acquire the skills, attitudes, knowledge and values essential for a sustainable future. This article argues that there is an urgent need to include sustainable development aspects in teaching and learning at all levels of education. Implementing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) poses a new challenge for teachers and teacher educators. The role of international collaboration, partnerships and networking is increasingly becoming important in creating sustainable solutions towards green economies and programmes. The post-2015 global agenda for sustainable development should recognise the need for regional and international collaborations in forging lasting strategies for a sustainable future where education for all is relevant, reliable and accessible.This article proposes a model for collaboration based on analyses conducted on a project on education for sustainable development programme involving key success factors for collaboration an...

African renaissance and negotiation of yoruba identity in the diaspora: a case study of nigerian students in cape town

Abstract: Drawing on poststructuralist discourse analysis and Hall's (1990) notion of diaspora cultural identities, this article explores the discontinuation and maintenance of Yoruba identity options by students at three Western Cape Province universities. Interviews and observations data are used to consider how different forms of representations and cultural practices associated with Yoruba in Nigeria lead to equally fragmented and hybrid lifestyles and identity options in the Diaspora due to the changed socio-cultural conditions. The argument shows the ruptures and fragmentation of Yoruba cultural elements as students try to fit into the South African socio-cultural contexts while trying to live ‘home’ life away from home. It also shows cultural appropriation by local South Africans who claim Nigerian [Yoruba] affiliation through wearing Yoruba attire and partaking in Nigerian [Yoruba] cuisine. The authors argue that identities are produced across national and ethnic boundaries not only through language...

Of fire and rejuvenation: in search of the 'post' in 'post-apartheid'

Abstract: In the novels, Scatter the ashes and go (Ravan 2002) and Rumours (Jacana Media 2013), Mongane Wally Serote depicts post-apartheid through a leitmotif central to which the soldier of the African National Congress military wing, ‘Umkhonto We Sizwe’ (MK), is ostensibly caught in an interrupted odyssey. In Scatter the Ashes and go, this soldier has returned from exile in various Southern African countries to a South Africa that is on the threshold of the post-apartheid era. By contrast, in Rumours, the soldier, having arrived from exile in 1990, then goes away to Mali in search of a solution for his post-traumatic stress disorder. The article imputes these disruptions on to the failure to ‘properly’ mourn the victims of apartheid's extra-judicial killing squads, and goes on to note that, as a result of Serote's attention to the subsequent angst, post-apartheid appears as a continuum of trauma. The discussion then proceeds to posit that the resolutions to these diversions are hinted at in these novels’...

Constructing Nationalist Masculine Identities: Heroism and Legitimacy in Joshua Nkomo's The Story of my Life

Abstract: The aim of this article is to use the issues of legitimacy and heroic identities as a focus to demonstrate the inextricability of the form and content of a text. First, the article briefly outlines Joshua Nkomo's biography, then it examines the self-narration in his memoir, The story of my life (2001). To a lesser extent and for comparative purposes, Edgar Tekere's, A lifetime of struggle (2007) is discussed. Both writers were instrumental in building an independent Africa. In this article, the interplay between the imagination of the public and the imagination of the narrators, resulting in complicity with or rejection of the masculine identity created in the narration, is interrogated. Secondly, the workings and role of memory in life narratives are analysed. Characterisation in autobiography is also examined by interrogating motives in political action and self-report, setting, relationships, embodiment, genealogy and heredity, socio- economic background and historical forces, educational backg...

Rethinking African sexualities in the context of HIV and AIDS: the life and death discourse of 'modernised polygamy' in Sue Nyathi's The polygamist

Abstract: This article is a study of Sue Nyathi's novel The Polygamist as a cultural production dealing with African modern polygamy1 in the context of HIV and AIDS. What is termed ‘modern polygamy’ in this article is a practice where men have several ‘wives’ but not in the African traditional sense, especially within the Shona culture, but in the sense of what is popularised as a ‘small house’ phenomenon. Nyathi's novel is discussed within the following frameworks corresponding to the three distinct parts of the article. In the first part of the discussion, the dichotomy between economic/ social status and ‘modern polygamy’ is explored. The second part of the discussion is a gendered perspective of ‘modern’ polygamy and particularly highlights gender constructions in Nyathi's representation of ‘modern’ polygamy. In the last section, multiple sexual relations and HIV and AIDS are discussed. Significantly, the article demonstrates that imaginative literature is a cultural site that can help us understand hum...

Heightening Leadership Effectiveness in Local Governments of Uganda: ‘Challenge the Process’ for Organisational Support

Abstract: Leadership effectiveness is an enviable characteristic in public as well as in private organisations. This article presents a discussion of the leadership practice known as ‘Challenge the Process’; within the context of Bushenyi district local government administration in Uganda. The discussion reveals that the leadership practice of ‘challenge the process’ influences the organisational climate and can be influential in generating change within an organisation. The study also demonstrates that Bushenyi district employees associate the behaviour patterns of their leaders and supervisors with the organisation. Based on data collected, the argument is that the leadership practice of ‘challenge the process’ positively influences employees’ perceived organisational support in Bushenyi local government of Uganda. The conclusions are in agreement with Kouzes and Posner (2002) that leaders who ‘challenge the process’ can achieve extraordinary results and improve employees’ perceived organisational support...

Land Reform: Unfulfilled Obligation in Southern Africa and Beyond

Abstract: Land reform remains a relevant but contentious issue in southern Africa. It nearly caused the collapse the Southern African Development Community (SADC) after its tribunal ruled against the Zimbabwe land reform programme (which resulted in the removal of white settlers from land they had occupied for decades and, in some cases, for over a century). The major challenge for southern Africa and most of the African continent is to untangle itself from the provocative and salient legacy of social, economic and psychological apartheid on its territory for almost a century without disrupting development endeavours (Chigara 2012). This article exposes the theoretical foundations influencing the powers at play that compromise most of the efforts that have been directed at trying to facilitate transitions from colonialism and its legacies to societies egalitarian. Land rights have suddenly become very important and it appears that these rights only apply to those whose ownership of land has been legitimised...

Hearted efforts by the mogogelo community to protect traditional sites by means of public participation forums: a review report

Abstract: Traditional values, especially those regarding ancestral graves, crafts, beliefs, songs, dances and languages, are part of Africa's oldest heritage. These existed prior to knowledge of sustainable development or any legal framework to enforce conservation. Development was, in the past, community-centred without constraints to these antiquities. Current legislation acknowledges the necessity of stakeholders’ consent, that is, the consent of community residents. This was the case with the development of a photovoltaic solar energy project in the Mogogelo community in the North West province in South Africa, where environmental practitioners were required as legislated to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Among these specialist studies was the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). This article is based on the interest shown by the community and the standoff that arose over the allocation of the project site and the conservation of traditional values. Using a public participation process a...

The Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) - Pharmaceuticals Transitional Period: Can it Help Build Capacity in African Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?

Abstract: African least developed countries LDCs face unique challenges in the implementation of minimum standards for the protection of IPRs, most poignantly illustrated in the field of pharmaceuticals. This was to an extent recognised by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in providing a transitional period during which LDCs are not obliged to implement the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement in order to afford them an opportunity to develop a viable technological base in the pharmaceutical sector before being required to provide patent protection for pharmaceuticals. This article explores some options available to African least developed countries LDCs to use the transitional period in a manner that could help develop their pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. Rwanda has already shown itself to be a pioneer in the use of policy flexibility available in the TRIPS Agreement and related instruments to fulfil the country's demand for essential pharmaceutical products. The...

The renaissance factor in south africa and the changing landscape of african regional governance (1999-2008)

Abstract: This article examines a likely South African hegemony in Africa between 1999 and 2008. Hegemony is admittedly difficult to define in African regionalism studies, as it is counter intuitive to Pan-Africanism discourse. However, this article aims to show that hegemony can be a credible argument in explaining the South African driven changes that occurred in African regionalism between 1999 and 2008. The article locates key characteristics which underpin arguments of South African hegemony during the study timeline. It argues that Thabo Mbeki's governance philosophy of African renaissance was the central piece of South African Africa foreign policy that distinguishes this period from any other before or after it. By establishing hegemonic credibility in South Africa's interaction with Africa in this period, the article demonstrates how South Africa was able to contribute to transformational governance changes in Africa. This also holds lessons for South African regional ascendancy in the future.

The zambian copperbelt: the need for international regulation

Abstract: Natural resources in Africa have increasingly become a cause for concern. Not only do natural resources and the extractive industry need to be wary of conflicts which arise from their production processes, but the need for regulation becomes crucial. As one of the biggest producers of copper in the world, Zambia announced its decision to suspend the renewal of copper mining licences, and so the need for regulation of the industry became more important. Consequently, there is a need to examine the immediate effect of copper mining. Ultimately, the need to examine the possibility of regulating the copper industry which may have lessons in other extractive industries is proactively equally important. Thus, this article discusses the Zambian Copperbelt, copper mining in and its impact for Zambia as a case study to illustrate the need for an international regulatory framework. Finally, the article examines best practices which have been utilised in the diamond industry in the hopes of using these best ...