Working the ‘in-between-spaces’ for transformation within the academy

Shirley Walters

doi:10.15700/saje.v38n4a1700

Abstract

This paper considers the importance of ‘in-between spaces’ within the academy for challenging dominant institutional culture and hegemonic power relations towards a ‘de-colonised’ university. It questions ‘mainstreaming’ of transformational initiatives, as this can bring about regulation, rather than the turbulence that is often what is needed for substantive change to occur. I draw on a case study of the work of the Division for Lifelong Learning (DLL) at University of the Western Cape and in particular two examples of its marginal activities which were hosted regularly over a 10 year period. These are: the Vice-Chancellor’s Annual Julius Nyerere Lecture on Lifelong Learning and the cross-campus Annual Women’s Breakfast . I use documentary evidence and insider knowledge to reflect critically on the relevance of the spaces that were created for enacting such alternative institutional practices. I employ ‘knowledge democracy’ as a lens to bring the margins to the centre of the analysis. The argument is made that the work in the ‘in-between-spaces’ is a critical part of ‘decolonising education’ through disruptive, political, pedagogical, and organisational transformation. Keywords: decolonising education; feminist popular education; ‘in-between’ pedagogical spaces; knowledge democracy; lifelong learning; transformation

Highlights

On 14 December 2016, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) Council approved the following matter: The disestablishment of the Senate Lifelong Learning Committee (SLLC)
The functions of the SLLC will reside within the Senate Academic Planning Committee (SAP) and the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee (STLC). (UWC, 2016) This decision closed the chapter on the 17 years of the formal existence of the Division for Lifelong Learning (DLL)
I will address the work of the ‘in-between-spaces,’ which often disappear in processes of ‘mainstreaming.’ Two illustrations will be used to pry open this discussion in the context of the urgent calls to transform and ‘decolonise’ universities: they are the ViceChancellor’s Annual Julius Nyerere Lecture on Lifelong Learning and the Annual Women’s Breakfast, both co-hosted by DLL

Summary

Introduction

On 14 December 2016, the UWC Council approved the following matter: The disestablishment of the Senate Lifelong Learning Committee (SLLC). I will address the work of the ‘in-between-spaces,’ which often disappear in processes of ‘mainstreaming.’ Two illustrations will be used to pry open this discussion in the context of the urgent calls to transform and ‘decolonise’ universities: they are the ViceChancellor’s Annual Julius Nyerere Lecture on Lifelong Learning and the Annual Women’s Breakfast, both co-hosted by DLL.

Results

Conclusion