Nuraan Davids' journey as a Muslim 'coloured' woman in post-apartheid South Africa highlights her struggles with identity, citizenship, and belonging. The narrative delves into her experiences within her faith community and the challenges faced as an academic at a historically white university. This autoethnography serves as a personal reparation, offering profound insights into the complexities of race, religion, and academia in a transforming society.
Exploring the complexities of academic citizenship, this book challenges the notion of a uniform and inclusive academic community. It examines how personal identity markers shape academics' experiences of participation, recognition, and belonging, regardless of their professional status. By highlighting the contested nature of academic citizenship, the work emphasizes the importance of understanding the university's agonistic environment, which both perpetuates and gains from these tensions and vulnerabilities.
Focusing on the intersection of academic activism and higher education, this book explores how teaching and learning are influenced by external social, political, and cultural factors. It advocates for a dynamic philosophy of higher education that aligns with real-world actions and challenges existing norms. Emphasizing South African social justice education, the authors envision transformative pedagogical practices that promote renewal and contestation, ultimately redefining the role of academia in fostering social change.
Recognizing diversity is central to engaging with multiple perspectives and embracing various ways of being in the world. This book delves into how increased diversity fosters opportunities to connect with different life-worlds, ultimately helping to dismantle prejudices and challenge misinformed fears. Through the lens of democratic education, it advocates for inclusion as a means to enrich understanding and promote social cohesion.
Cultivating Faith, Hope and Imagination
The book emphasizes the necessity of continuous reflection and adaptation in teaching and learning within higher education to ensure it serves the public good. It explores the concept of pedagogic pilgrimage, highlighting the journey educators and students undertake to foster meaningful educational experiences. Through this lens, it advocates for innovative practices that respond to evolving societal needs and challenges in the educational landscape.
Focusing on the concept of philia, or love, this book explores its significance in democratic citizenship education within university settings. The authors advocate for educational encounters that foster humanity, emphasizing virtues that promote autonomous and responsible engagement. By shifting the discourse from purely rational interactions to include emotive aspects, the book aims to deepen understanding of how love can enhance human relations and enrich the educational experience, moving beyond traditional notions of citizenship and pedagogy.
Exploring the identity of educators, this book emphasizes the significance of understanding who teachers are beyond their instructional roles. It argues that effective teaching and learning are deeply influenced by teachers' identities and potential for growth. By examining the interplay between curriculum, policies, and personal development, the text highlights the importance of recognizing the multifaceted nature of teaching and the transformative journey of educators.
Focusing on the evolution of higher education, this book explores the concept of the university as a dynamic space for creativity and joy. It advocates for transforming traditional academic environments into playful institutions that foster innovative opportunities and enrich the experiences of both faculty and students. By emphasizing the importance of play in learning, it presents a vision for a more engaging and fulfilling academic landscape.