Community, self and identity : educating South African university students for citizenship

Education in South Africa is in crisis. Low literacy and numeracy rates, poor discipline, and a sense of despair pervade the education landscape. At the same time, educators are called upon to achieve more, with universities tasked to produce graduates capable of exercising responsible and reflective citizenship in a competitive and globalising world. However, universities face very complex demands and resource constraints. In this sobering context, this book provides an opportunity to learn from a bold experiment in teaching and learning taking place across two very different South African universities, one historically black, and one historically white and Afrikaans. With a mixture of rigorous scholarship, thoughtful self-reflection, and insights which have relevance far beyond their own project, contributors to this ground-breaking volume take the reader systematically through an account of what is and is not possible in transforming higher education in South Africa. The contributors demonstrate the potential and limitations of imaginative innovations, and invite the reader into an ongoing discussion about the future and potential for higher education in South Africa and beyond.