By Zenoyise John
The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Facing Race Week (FRW) took place from 11 to 14 April 2022, and brought together staff and students to talk about racial inequality and to educate one another on issues of racial discrimination.
During the hybrid event, participants collectively confronted issues of inequality, injustice, and ensuing disparities in the higher education realm during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hosted by the Faculty of Humanities, the event served as a moment to reflect on the university’s ongoing journey towards transformation and decolonisation. Various topics were discussed, including experiences of remote learning and teaching, race, art and decolonisation in higher education, Covid-19 and changing challenges to student lives, Covid-19 and changing student agency, and the pandemic’s impact on higher education transformations.
The panelists included higher education experts, and various guest speakers delivered presentations. These included Prof Robert Balfour, deputy-vice-chancellor for teaching and learning, Devine Fuh, director of the Institute for Humanities in Africa at the University of Cape Town, Prof Crain Soudien, former chief executive officer of the Human Sciences Research Council, Mbali Khoza, artist and art historian from Rhodes University, and Roxanne Mathobie, an NWU social anthropologist.
The speakers shared their insight on how the Covid-19 pandemic exposed existing economic fault lines and how inequalities continue to persist along racial lines. They highlighted various challenges with regard to remote learning, wellness and digital literacy among students, and also put the spotlight on the disembodiment of student voices during the pandemic. During the discussions, residence organisation emerged as a prominent theme, with students pointing out how current practices often still reproduce historical divisions.
Two art exhibitions were also launched at the NWU Gallery during the event. The exhibition titled “Unsettling the Single Society” is curated by NWU curator Amohelang Mohajane, Boitumelo Makousu, Nokukhanya Khumalo and Tsepang Bereng.
The second exhibition – Quality/Inequality – is by prominent South African artist Oupa Sibeko, an interdisciplinary artist whose work moves between theatrical, gallery, scholarly, and other public contexts, overtly dealing with matter and politics of the body as a site of contested works.
Facing Race Week 2022 spokesperson Dr André Goodrich said the event was a huge success, and he thanked the organisers for their enthusiasm and efforts.
