Freedom of Speech, Academic Freedom, and Challenges to Universities in South Africa

Abstract

Freedom of speech and academic freedom are widely recognized prerequisites for the maintenance of national and international freedom to communicate with colleagues in the relentless, objective, scholarly pursuit of knowledge and the advancement of the human condition. The debate on freedom of speech and academic freedom at universities in South Africa is complicated by the cultural and ideological diversity that characterizes a society in which racial discrimination has been entrenched for so long (Benatar The Lancet 335, 1576- 1578 1990a). It is perhaps not surprising that in this context the ‘language’ used does not necessarily have the same meaning to all the participants in the debate. These differences in ‘realms of discourse’ which seem to threaten freedom of speech and academic freedom are in part a reflection of the different ideologies from which they arise and also highlight the challenge to universities in South Africa to become ‘Africanized’. This essay is an attempt to analyze and discuss some of the overt, covert and intertwined strands of thought and the different ‘realms of discourse’, woven into the debate on academic freedom (and academic boycott) with a view to identifying, and briefly describing, the various concepts which influence and determine differing positions and which in part derive from diametrically opposed ideological value systems. The complexity of the issues involved precludes provision of comprehensive arguments for or from each position. I shall endeavor to sketch the basis for conflicting opinions, and illustrate that the difficulty in reaching consensus on ‘rational’ grounds is hampered by the contrasting basic value systems from which reasoned debates may proceed. Without recognition and acknowledgement of these fundamental differences, it is difficult to understand discussions in which the same words are used to describe different concepts and values, or to embark on the de-alienation and negotiation processes required to peacefully reach compromise solutions to the complex challenges facing society and universities in South Africa.