The Nelson Mandela Education Legacy Lecture

2024

The South African Education Research Association (SAERA) annually hosts a feature lecture the considers some of the inspirations arising out of Nelson Mandela – his endurance, his presence his writings and his being as a South African and global icon – and what these inspirations would mean for education in South Africa and beyond.  Over the years of SAERA’s existence, distinguished scholars, including Prof Crain Soudien, Prof Jonathan Jansen, Prof Catherine Odora Hoppers, Prof Ihron Rensburg, Dr Marie Elena Torrie, Prof Puleng Segalo, Prof Relebohile Moletsane, Prof Pam Christie, Prof Jill Adler, Prof Salim Vally and Prof Saleem Badat had presented this annual calendar event of SAERA. 

The lecture chooses a compelling speaker to address the following questions: What does Nelson Mandela mean for the great task of education? What might one take away from a study of his writing, speeches and actions? Appropriated often as he is behind the cause of education, there is not, as yet, in seeking an immediate answer to the question, a serious corpus of writing from which one can extract what one might call a Mandela approach to education.

Most uses of Mandela in education are invocational. One frequently-cited example is the comment he makes in Long Walk to Freedom that “(e)ducation is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor; that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”

Open to deconstruction as quotes such as these might be, particularly his statement about ‘what we make out of what we have’, there is nothing in the quite substantial collection of what he himself has written or in the growing literature around him on education. This lecture discusses how Mr Mandela’s legacy might be drawn on for having an educational discussion.

We ask the speaker to consider what would make Mandela educational as opposed to simply or just inspirational? What would make an engagement with him one from which one can progress or move from one position to another which is better? How, to put it more starkly, does one make Mandela a catalyst for the surfacing of contradiction in one’s and in our general thinking rather than the tranquilising balm for which he is used? How does one draw on him to incite contradiction, to stimulate conflict, and to locate him as a site of provocation for thinking, thinking about oneself, thinking about self-in-the-world? How, against the cult of piety being constructed around him, does one rescue him for the purpose of education? How does one say the name Mandela and in it find the stepping-off points for questions about the things that matter in our lives, individually, in the solidarities which we make and in our relationship with the wider universe?

Lectures

Accordion Content

Commodification, Corporatization, Complicity and Crisis: The University in Contemporary South Africa.

Mandela, Education and the Indignity of these times

Thinking-with-Mandela on levering educational change

Mandela’s legacy: After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb

Rethinking Legacies in the Midst of the War on Women’s Bodies: A Feminist ‘Ghost Dance’ with Mandela

Epistemic Justice in the Academy: Decolonizing Power, Knowledge and Being through Critical and Participatory Research

The meaning of decolonising knowledge and universities – problems and opportunities

Transforming and Decolonising Higher Education in South Africa: Towards Cognitive Justice and Restorative Action

The provocation of Nelson Mandela

Dear SAERA Members

You are welcome to the official website of the South African Educational Research Association (SAERA). This platform serves as a central hub where one can stay informed and be kept abreast of the latest news and developments about events like seminars, symposiums, workshops, conferences organized by SAERA.

SAERA is a community of like-minded scholars who are passionate and dedicated to active and result-oriented educational research capable of solving the challenge confronting teaching and learning. SAERA was founded with a fundamental aim of enhancing educational research in South Africa and beyond. As a learned association, SAERA aim to foster collaboration among researchers, educators, and policymakers, to create an environment where theory and practice converge meaningfully. Our association aspires to bridge the gaps that often exist between academic research and practical implementation, a gap that, if left unaddressed, can stifle our efforts towards educational transformation. A central tenet of our mission is to promote rigorous research quality. In an age where information overload has become a norm, it is important that we not only produce research but ensure that our researches are of quality and highest standard. Our commitment to research integrity is unwavering, and we strive to cultivate an atmosphere where scholarly work is not only respected but also valued for its impact on educational practices. We believe that through high-quality research, we can influence policies that will make a tangible difference in the education sector.

Over the years, paucity of quality research outputs has been a daunting stumbling block to research frontiers in Africa and the rest of the world. As we forge ahead in this 21st century, it is crucial to devote particular attention to developing the next generation of researchers. It is important to note that investing in young researchers is not merely a gentle encouragement; it is a necessity. They are our torchbearers in the relentless quest for knowledge and innovation. To achieve this, we offer mentorship programmes, workshops, and resources aimed explicitly at equipping young researchers with the skills and knowledge they require to succeed. By nurturing these talents, we ensure that the field of educational research remains dynamic, robust, and responsive to the ever-evolving educational landscape to meet the need of the modern society.

Our vision is not defined by individual achievements but by the establishment of a cohesive, coherent, and inclusive academic and research identity within the education sector. We seek to create vigorous and responsive epistemic communities that foster collaboration, dialogue, and innovation. These will serve as platforms for sharing best practices, discussing challenges, and brainstorming solutions to common issues in educational research. Moreover, we recognize the importance of interaction with national and provincial education departments and research agencies. These relationships are vital as they pave the way for informed policy-making backed by solid research evidence. We will actively seek to engage these stakeholders, ensuring our research informs their initiatives. This collaboration enables us not only to advocate for the importance of educational research but also to influence policy decisions that will lead to improved educational outcomes for all South Africans.

As we strive for local impact, we must also set our sights on the global stage. The world is becoming increasingly interconnected, and our efforts should reflect that reality. Therefore, SAERA is committed to establishing links with international educational research organizations and similar entities across Southern Africa and the broader African continent. Together, we can share insights, learn from one another, and contribute to a unified body of knowledge that serves our collective goals. These collaborations will enrich our understanding and elevate our standing in the global academic community, allowing us to contribute actively to international discourses on education.

Yours in scholarship.

 Prof. Melanie B. Luckay.