8 the state of science in south africa
H U M A N I T I E S A N D S O C I A L S C I E N C E S
isiXhosa which are linked to market-related elsewhere, and if Harpham (2005) is to be
requirements. These offer courses in trans- believed, these are merely reflections of the
lation studies, language and technology, never-ending perception that the humani-
language and society, language planning, ties are in crisis.
orthography and writing skills, communica-
tion and media studies, as well as the teach- The new energy in South Africa’s humani-
ing of literature as a discipline which is re- ties – whatever its funding or its institu-
lated to society. While the result has been tional base – has the single goal of bringing
an exponential growth in student numbers, a deeper understanding of the importance
the turn towards the market in this success of the humanities in a country in search of
story seems undeniable. self. Recognising this brings us to a deeper
explanation of the title of this chapter. From
More concerted efforts are underway to their commanding place in South Africa
mobilise support for the humanities by or- during the long struggle to end apartheid,
ganising across universities who are often the humanities have been orphaned by the
forced to compete for students and fund- rise of the ‘New South Africa’ and by the
ing. The deans of humanities faculties have country’s manufactured rejection of what
recently met and committed themselves the humanities can offer both the country
to the formation of an organisation called and humankind. The challenge now is to
the South African Humanities Deans Asso- find a way back – and to recognise, as the
ciation (SAHUDA). Whether these meetings South African writer André Brink has sug-
can lead to anything more substantial – or gested, that “reality only begins where in-
even an organised process of lobbying – is formation ends” (Brink, 2001:3-4).
still an open question. Perhaps, however,
the most interesting development was a de- This chapter – a mix of report and analysis
cision by the Academy of Science of South – has tried to convey the idea that the ‘New
Africa (ASSAf) to create a consensus panel
11
South Africa’ is not what it once promised.
on the state of the humanities in South Af- In the opening paragraphs it was sug-
rica. Driven by some of the concerns that gested that South Africa’s experience of
have been raised in these pages, the panel change adds empirical force to Max We-
hopes to deliver a report on ways to revive ber’s claim that revolutionary ideas are in-
the humanities within academe, and to ex- variably ‘disciplined’ by social and political
plore ideas to reassert the centrality of the processes. If the rationality which was first
humanities in South Africa’s national life. projected upon social science by Weber
Of course, similar exercises have been tried was even-handed, however, then the sense
11 The establishment of a consensus panel is an accepted practice to the investigation of an issue by ASSAf. The consensus panel on
the humanities was established in 2008 and will submit a report in 2010. It is chaired by ASSAf Vice-President Jonathan Jansen and the
author of this paper, Peter Vale.
234
TWAS book_Chap8.indd 234 2009/10/06 12:05:01 PM
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