Disciplines and Institutions

 Today we attended a lecture by Stellenbosch University Professor, Dr. Johnathon Jansen, about what is taught in South African universities. He led an interactive discussion about the curriculum taught in South Africa and how this can impact students' ideology and actions. He noted the key differences between disciplinary and institutional curricula, specifically that disciplines cover relatively similar content around the world, while institutional is based on the value systems of the specific area. 

Professor Jansen provided very recent examples of how institutional curriculum can lead to racist actions in South Africa. Although current university students were not alive during apartheid, there are influences around them that pass on the ideology, including family, schooling, the church, and more. The examples given by Professor Jansen greatly reflect the events seen in the United States, both in the past and currently. This reflection allowed us to make the connection that the issues of racism are still very real and present, not just in South Africa, but elsewhere too, including in the United States. 

An important takeaway from Professor Jansen's lecture was that racism may emerge in ways that may not be obvious to us, but our ideologies shaped by institutional curriculum have a major influence on how we perceive ourselves and others. My favorite message given by Professor Jansen was that there was always a place for forgiveness in society for those who have committed wrongs and can be brought back into a community. 

Natalia M.

07/15/2022