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

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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.

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Notes

  1. Curwen, Song & Gordon 2015

  2. Fairbanks 2015

  3. BBC News 2015

  4. MacGregor K. 2016

  5. The Economist. 2016

  6. Harricombe and Lancaster, 1995

  7. Benatar 1991

  8. Du Toit 1988

  9. Faden & Beauchamp 1986

  10. Engelhardt 1986

  11. Faden & Beauchamp 1986

  12. Engelhardt 1986

  13. BBC 1984

  14. BBC 1984

  15. BBC 1984

  16. Stackhouse 1984

  17. McCluskey 1986

  18. The Open Universities of South Africa

  19. Wits speaks out 1988

  20. Shils 1977

  21. Benatar, 1990a, b

  22. Stackhouse 1984

  23. Navarro 1986

  24. Stackhouse 1984

  25. Halsey 1977

  26. Halsey 1977

  27. Halsey 1977

  28. Bloom 1987

  29. Halsey 1977

  30. Bloom 1987

  31. Murphree 1977

  32. Committee of University Principals 1987

  33. Benatar, 1990a, b

  34. Halsey 1977

  35. Murphree 1977

  36. Committee of University Principals 1987

  37. Leatt 1986

  38. Cherry 1988

  39. Lancet 1987

  40. Russell 1954

  41. Welsh & Savage 1977

  42. NAMDA 1989

  43. Benatar 1990a

  44. Benatar 1990b

  45. Murphree 1977

  46. Murphree 1977

  47. Murphree 1977

  48. Leatt 1986

  49. Campbell 1983

  50. Campbell 1983

  51. Du Toit 1988

  52. Leatt 1986

  53. Russell 1954

  54. The Open Universities

  55. Benatar 1990a

  56. Leatt 1986

  57. Wilson & Ramphele 1989

  58. Adam & Moodley 1986

  59. Berger & Godsell 1988

  60. Buller et al., 1987

  61. Schrire 1990

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Acknowledgments

Participation in the deliberations of the University of Cape Town Academic Freedom Committee has stimulated my thoughts and reading on academic freedom. I am indebted to Andre du Toit, Paul Taylor and Denise Myerson for critical comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript.

Postscript

Since this article was accepted for publication, the author has become aware of the document ‘Rethinking UCT: the debate over Africanization and the position of women’, by G. Goosen, M. Hall and C. White, Centre for African Studies Occasional Paper 6/1989. Readers are referred to this for additional discussion on the crises facing liberal universities in South Africa and on the context and problems associated with Africanizing universities.

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  1. Bioethics Centre, University of Cape Town, Room L51 Old Groote Schuur Hospital, Hospital Road, Observatory, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa

    Solomon R. Benatar

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  1. Solomon R. Benatar
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Correspondence to Solomon R. Benatar.

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Benatar, S.R. Freedom of Speech, Academic Freedom, and Challenges to Universities in South Africa. Soc 53, 383–390 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-016-0032-6

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