Over the rainbow: the role of academics in a 'post-hope' South Africa Online publication date: Sun, 10-Sep-2017
by Nicole Dodd; Justin Van Der Merwe
International Journal of Education Economics and Development (IJEED), Vol. 8, No. 2/3, 2017
Abstract: The proponents of decolonisation in South Africa's higher education system have tended to overlook the usefulness of critical pragmatism as a guiding paradigm. This article explores the merits of critical pragmatism as a suitable research orientation to resolve the current impasse in South Africa's higher education system. While the arguments for decolonising curricula and academic spaces are valid and credible, promoting decolonisation in a blindly ideological manner, without a sound basis, could be impractical. This article argues that the adoption of critical pragmatism would allow for the achievement of a home-grown, credible research paradigm which encourages researchers to apply a context-specific orientation within developing environments. The article tentatively proposes that blending critical theory with pragmatism would support transformation and development while still maintaining scientific rigour.
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