1 - The Challenges of Feminism: Gender, Ethics and Responsible Academic Freedom in African Universities
Corresponding Author(s) : Amina Mama
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 9 No. 1-2 (2011): Journal of Higher Education in Africa: Special Issue on Academic Freedom in Africa
Abstract
Feminist theory and ethics have enormous potentials to transform and ener- gize the discourse on academic freedom and social responsibility. As a theory of knowledge and an intellectual practice, feminism deconstructs the episte- mological foundations of patriarchy and contributes to the emancipation of women as subjects and studies on and about women as critical intellectual engagements. Despite this potential, the discourse on academic freedom and intellectual responsibility in African universities has rarely yielded ground for feminist ethics, and feminist intellectuals within the universities have had to struggle for space. This article discusses these struggles to insert feminism as part of the intellectual discourse on academic freedom within Africa’s scholarly community between 1990 – the year of the Aca- demic Freedom Conference in Kampala – and 2010. The institutional and intellectual challenges that have been encountered by feminist-inspired aca- demics are highlighted. Finally, the author discusses the imperatives to move the discourse on gender in African scholarly communities beyond the nor- mative policy rhetoric to tackling the gendered configuration of academic institutions.
Keywords
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- African Gender Institute, 2007, ‘Gender and Institutional Culture in Selected African Universities’, Unpublished Research Reports.
- Ajayi, J., Goma, L. and Ampah Johnson, G. eds, 1996, The African Experience With Higher Education, Oxford: James Currey/ Accra: Association of African Universities.
- Barnes, T., 2007, ‘Politics of the Mind and Body: Gender and Institutional Culture in African Universities’, Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 8-25.
- Barnes, T. and Mama, A., 2007, Editorial: Rethinking Universities II, Feminist Africa 9. Bennett, J., 2002, ‘Exploration of a “Gap”: Strategizing Gender Equity in African Universities’, Feminist Africa, 1, pp. 34-65.
- Bennett, J., ed., 2005, Killing a Virus with Stones? Research on the Implementation of Policies Against Sexual Harassment in Southern African Higher Education, African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town.
- Bennett, J. and Reddy, V., 2007, ‘“Feeling the Disconnect”: Teaching Sexualities and Gender in South African Higher Education’, Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 43-62.
- Bennett, J., 2009, ‘Policies and Sexual Harassment in Higher Education: Two Steps Forward and Three Steps Somewhere Else’, Agenda 80, pp. 7-21.
- Bertelson, E., 1998, ‘The Real Transformation: The Marketization of Higher Educa- tion’, Social Dynamics, 24 (2), pp. 130-158, University of Cape Town.
- Boswell Barbra, 2003, ‘Locating Gender and Women’s Studies Teaching and Re- search and Research Programs at Africa Universities. Gender and Women’s Studies Directory, Survey Results, http://www.gwsafrica.org/directory/survey.html.
- Diaw, A., 2007, ‘Sewing Machines and Computers? Seeing Gender in Institutional and Intellectual Cultures at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal’, Feminist Africa, 9, pp. 5-22.
- Endeley, J.B. and Ngaling, M.N., 2007, ‘Challenging Gender Inequality in Higher Education: Attitudes and Perceptions of Teaching Staff and Administrators at the University of Buea, Cameroon’, Feminist Africa, 9, pp. 63-84.
- Ford Foundation, 2001, ‘Narrative Report on the Retreat on Higher Education in Africa’, Prepared by G. Hamilton, Durban, 29 May-1 June.
- Gaidzanwa, R., ed., 2001, ‘Speaking for Ourselves: Masculinities and Femininities Amongst Students at the University of Zimbabwe’, University of Zimbabwe Affirmative Action Project.
- Gaidzanwa, R. B., 2007, ‘Alienation, Gender and Institutional Culture at the University of Zimbabwe’, Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 60-82.
- Gherhardi, S., 1995, Gender, Symbolism and Organizational Cultures, London/ New Delhi: Sage.Imam, A., Mama, A. and Sow, F., 1996, Engendering African Social Sciences, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Kasente, D., 2001, ‘Popularising Gender: A Case Study of Makerere’, University paper commissioned for FAWE and presented at 10th General Conference of the Association of African Universities, Nairobi, September.
- Kasente, D., 2002, ‘Institutionalising Gender Equality in African Universities: Women’s and Gender Studies at Makerere University’, Feminist Africa, 1, pp. 91-99.
- Kwesiga, J., 2002, Women’s Access to Higher Education in Africa: Uganda’s Expe- rience, Kampala: Fountain Publishers.
- Makhubu, L., 1998, ‘The Right to Higher Education and Equal Opportunity Particularly for Women’, in Higher Education in Africa: Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects, Dakar: UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Africa.
- Mama, A., 1996, Women’s Studies and Studies of Women in Africa During the 1990s, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Mama, A., 2003, Editorial, Feminist Africa 1, ‘Intellectual Politics’, African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town.
- Mama, 2006, ‘Feminist Studies in African Contexts: The Challenge of Transformative Teaching in African Universities’, in P. Zeleza, ed., The Study of Africa, Vol 1: Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Encounters, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Mama, A. and Barnes T., 2007, ‘Editorial: Rethinking Universities’, Feminist Africa 8.
- Mamdani, M., 1993, ‘Introduction: The Quest for Academic Freedom’, in Mahmood Mamdani and Mamadou Diof, eds., Academic Freedom in Africa, Dakar: CODESRIA Book Series.
- Mamdani, M, 2007, Scholars in the Marketplace; The Dilemma of Neo-liberal Reform at Makerere University, 1989-2005, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Meena, R,. ed, 1992, Gender in Southern Africa: Conceptual and Theoretical Issues. Harare: SAPES Books.
- Mkandawire, T., and Olukoshi, A., 1995, Between Liberalization and Oppression; the Politics of Structural Adjustment in Africa, Dakar, CODESRIA Book Series.
- Manuh, T., Gariba, S. and Budu, J., 2007, Change and Transformation in Ghana’s Publicly Funded Universities, Partnership for Higher Education, James Currey/ Woeli, Accra.
- Namuddu, K., 1995, ‘Gender Perspectives in the Transformation of Africa; Challenges to the African University as a Model to Society’, in Women and Higher Education in Africa, Dakar: UNESCO.
- Oanda,I O., Fatuma, C., & Wesonga, D,. 2008, The Implications of Privatization and Private Higher Education on Access and Knowledge Production in Kenya; CODESRIA Book Series, Dakar, Senegal.
- Odejide, O., 2007, ‘“What Can A Woman Do?” Being Women in a Nigerian Univer- sity’. Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 42-59.
- Pereira, C., 2002a, ‘Structured Inequalities: A Gender Analysis of the Nigerian University System’, Currently in draft form for the Case Studies of Nigerian Uni- versities Project.
- Pereira, C., 2002, ‘Between Knowing and Imagining – What Space for Feminist Scholarship on Africa?’, Feminist Africa, 1, pp. 9-35.
- Rathberger, E., 2002, ‘Women in Universities and University-Educated Women: The Current Situation in Africa’, in D. Teferra and P. Altbach, eds., African Higher Education: An International Reference Handbook, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press.
- Said, E., 1994, Representations of the Intellectual, London: Vintage.
- Sall, E., 2000, ed., Women in Academia: Gender and Academic Freedom in Africa, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Sawyerr, A., 2002, ‘Challenges Facing African Universities: Selected Issues’, Paper presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association, Washington DC, 5-8 December.
- Tamale, S. and Oloka-Onyango, J., 2000, ‘Bitches at the Academy: Gender and Aca- demic Freedom in Africa’, in E. Sall, Women in Academia: Gender and Aca- demic Freedom in Africa, Dakar: CODESRIA.
- Tsikata, D., 2007, ‘Gender, Institutional Cultures and the Career Trajectories of Fac- ulty of the University of Ghana’, Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 26-41.
- World Bank, 2002, Constructing Knowledge Societies: New Challenges for Terti- ary Education, Washington DC.
- Yahya-Othman, S., 2000, ‘Tanzania: Engendering Academic Freedom’, in E.Sall, ed., Women in Academia: Gender and Academic Freedom in Africa, CODESRIA, Dakar.
- Zeleza, P., 2006, ‘Introduction: The Disciplining of Africa’, in P. T. Zeleza, ed., The Study of Africa Vol. 1: Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Encounters, Dakar: CODESRIA, pp. 1- 35.
References
African Gender Institute, 2007, ‘Gender and Institutional Culture in Selected African Universities’, Unpublished Research Reports.
Ajayi, J., Goma, L. and Ampah Johnson, G. eds, 1996, The African Experience With Higher Education, Oxford: James Currey/ Accra: Association of African Universities.
Barnes, T., 2007, ‘Politics of the Mind and Body: Gender and Institutional Culture in African Universities’, Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 8-25.
Barnes, T. and Mama, A., 2007, Editorial: Rethinking Universities II, Feminist Africa 9. Bennett, J., 2002, ‘Exploration of a “Gap”: Strategizing Gender Equity in African Universities’, Feminist Africa, 1, pp. 34-65.
Bennett, J., ed., 2005, Killing a Virus with Stones? Research on the Implementation of Policies Against Sexual Harassment in Southern African Higher Education, African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town.
Bennett, J. and Reddy, V., 2007, ‘“Feeling the Disconnect”: Teaching Sexualities and Gender in South African Higher Education’, Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 43-62.
Bennett, J., 2009, ‘Policies and Sexual Harassment in Higher Education: Two Steps Forward and Three Steps Somewhere Else’, Agenda 80, pp. 7-21.
Bertelson, E., 1998, ‘The Real Transformation: The Marketization of Higher Educa- tion’, Social Dynamics, 24 (2), pp. 130-158, University of Cape Town.
Boswell Barbra, 2003, ‘Locating Gender and Women’s Studies Teaching and Re- search and Research Programs at Africa Universities. Gender and Women’s Studies Directory, Survey Results, http://www.gwsafrica.org/directory/survey.html.
Diaw, A., 2007, ‘Sewing Machines and Computers? Seeing Gender in Institutional and Intellectual Cultures at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal’, Feminist Africa, 9, pp. 5-22.
Endeley, J.B. and Ngaling, M.N., 2007, ‘Challenging Gender Inequality in Higher Education: Attitudes and Perceptions of Teaching Staff and Administrators at the University of Buea, Cameroon’, Feminist Africa, 9, pp. 63-84.
Ford Foundation, 2001, ‘Narrative Report on the Retreat on Higher Education in Africa’, Prepared by G. Hamilton, Durban, 29 May-1 June.
Gaidzanwa, R., ed., 2001, ‘Speaking for Ourselves: Masculinities and Femininities Amongst Students at the University of Zimbabwe’, University of Zimbabwe Affirmative Action Project.
Gaidzanwa, R. B., 2007, ‘Alienation, Gender and Institutional Culture at the University of Zimbabwe’, Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 60-82.
Gherhardi, S., 1995, Gender, Symbolism and Organizational Cultures, London/ New Delhi: Sage.Imam, A., Mama, A. and Sow, F., 1996, Engendering African Social Sciences, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Kasente, D., 2001, ‘Popularising Gender: A Case Study of Makerere’, University paper commissioned for FAWE and presented at 10th General Conference of the Association of African Universities, Nairobi, September.
Kasente, D., 2002, ‘Institutionalising Gender Equality in African Universities: Women’s and Gender Studies at Makerere University’, Feminist Africa, 1, pp. 91-99.
Kwesiga, J., 2002, Women’s Access to Higher Education in Africa: Uganda’s Expe- rience, Kampala: Fountain Publishers.
Makhubu, L., 1998, ‘The Right to Higher Education and Equal Opportunity Particularly for Women’, in Higher Education in Africa: Achievements, Challenges, and Prospects, Dakar: UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Africa.
Mama, A., 1996, Women’s Studies and Studies of Women in Africa During the 1990s, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Mama, A., 2003, Editorial, Feminist Africa 1, ‘Intellectual Politics’, African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town.
Mama, 2006, ‘Feminist Studies in African Contexts: The Challenge of Transformative Teaching in African Universities’, in P. Zeleza, ed., The Study of Africa, Vol 1: Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Encounters, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Mama, A. and Barnes T., 2007, ‘Editorial: Rethinking Universities’, Feminist Africa 8.
Mamdani, M., 1993, ‘Introduction: The Quest for Academic Freedom’, in Mahmood Mamdani and Mamadou Diof, eds., Academic Freedom in Africa, Dakar: CODESRIA Book Series.
Mamdani, M, 2007, Scholars in the Marketplace; The Dilemma of Neo-liberal Reform at Makerere University, 1989-2005, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Meena, R,. ed, 1992, Gender in Southern Africa: Conceptual and Theoretical Issues. Harare: SAPES Books.
Mkandawire, T., and Olukoshi, A., 1995, Between Liberalization and Oppression; the Politics of Structural Adjustment in Africa, Dakar, CODESRIA Book Series.
Manuh, T., Gariba, S. and Budu, J., 2007, Change and Transformation in Ghana’s Publicly Funded Universities, Partnership for Higher Education, James Currey/ Woeli, Accra.
Namuddu, K., 1995, ‘Gender Perspectives in the Transformation of Africa; Challenges to the African University as a Model to Society’, in Women and Higher Education in Africa, Dakar: UNESCO.
Oanda,I O., Fatuma, C., & Wesonga, D,. 2008, The Implications of Privatization and Private Higher Education on Access and Knowledge Production in Kenya; CODESRIA Book Series, Dakar, Senegal.
Odejide, O., 2007, ‘“What Can A Woman Do?” Being Women in a Nigerian Univer- sity’. Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 42-59.
Pereira, C., 2002a, ‘Structured Inequalities: A Gender Analysis of the Nigerian University System’, Currently in draft form for the Case Studies of Nigerian Uni- versities Project.
Pereira, C., 2002, ‘Between Knowing and Imagining – What Space for Feminist Scholarship on Africa?’, Feminist Africa, 1, pp. 9-35.
Rathberger, E., 2002, ‘Women in Universities and University-Educated Women: The Current Situation in Africa’, in D. Teferra and P. Altbach, eds., African Higher Education: An International Reference Handbook, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press.
Said, E., 1994, Representations of the Intellectual, London: Vintage.
Sall, E., 2000, ed., Women in Academia: Gender and Academic Freedom in Africa, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Sawyerr, A., 2002, ‘Challenges Facing African Universities: Selected Issues’, Paper presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the African Studies Association, Washington DC, 5-8 December.
Tamale, S. and Oloka-Onyango, J., 2000, ‘Bitches at the Academy: Gender and Aca- demic Freedom in Africa’, in E. Sall, Women in Academia: Gender and Aca- demic Freedom in Africa, Dakar: CODESRIA.
Tsikata, D., 2007, ‘Gender, Institutional Cultures and the Career Trajectories of Fac- ulty of the University of Ghana’, Feminist Africa, 8, pp. 26-41.
World Bank, 2002, Constructing Knowledge Societies: New Challenges for Terti- ary Education, Washington DC.
Yahya-Othman, S., 2000, ‘Tanzania: Engendering Academic Freedom’, in E.Sall, ed., Women in Academia: Gender and Academic Freedom in Africa, CODESRIA, Dakar.
Zeleza, P., 2006, ‘Introduction: The Disciplining of Africa’, in P. T. Zeleza, ed., The Study of Africa Vol. 1: Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Encounters, Dakar: CODESRIA, pp. 1- 35.