It’s wrong for universities to adopt ideological convictions - Kenneth Kgwadi

Key topics:Univ. of Pretoria invited Iranian ambassador, sparking academic freedom concernsLecture limited student debate to Iran, excluding human rights and war topicsCritics warn politicisation risks reputation, independence, and critical thinking.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..By Kenneth Kgwadi*.During apartheid days in South Africa, the universities and colleges were used as ideal and thought centres wherein young and old scholars, intellectuals, as well as activists, would engage rigorously in the intellectual debates around topical subjects. These institutions did not adopt any official political or ideological line because they understood that they had diverse views and could not be seen as subjective.The recent University of Pretoria’s invitation and presentation of a lecture in a political science class by the Deputy Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mehdi Salehi, who is representing an administration marred by very strong accusations of violations of human rights. It is a government that has been heavily criticised and characterised as the terror hub in the Middle East, causing chaos through its deadly proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthis) while neglecting its own citizens who are facing increasing proportions of unemployment, energy and water crisis, human rights issues, stagnant economy, and other socio-economic ills. The Iranian ambassador’s name was dropped at the eleventh hour as the university realised the kind of controversy that this would stir. The students were asked explicitly not to touch on the ongoing war, human rights violation perpertuated by Iran or any other topic which, in an intellectual setting, should be encouraged as part of academic freedom. Students were directed to only ask questions regarding the topic of Iran being a theocratic state and the political structure, and the makeup of their foreign policy. .Read more:.The Iran war is becoming a battle for control of Hormuz: Marc Champion.It is quite clear that the lecturer of the course, Saffiya Goga, was taken away by subjectivity and prejudice. She failed to adhere to the detailed academic schedule while going out of the university’s plan to fulfil her narrow political ends through the university platform. This guest lecture appears to be clandestine as it was not scheduled for this academic year. The students have also raised concerns that the said lecture is not listed on ClickUP (the university’s online facility where all guest lectures are listed). She had a duty to balance her intellectual discussions by inviting all diverse voices to create a critically-based inquiry that would broaden and open the intellectual capabilities of students. The intention to bring the Iranian representative as a guest lecturer is to convert students into supporters and sympathisers of Iran rather than creating a festival of ideas by bringing all voices which are important in Middle East politics, which will broaden the understanding of geopolitics and geodynamics in that important region. It is a given reality that international relations and political science students cannot begin to talk about the Middle East politics without talking about Israel, Iran, Turkey and other important forces. It is myopic to subject students solely to just a single part of Middle Eastern politics. While it may benefit Goga and the Iranian representative to gain sympathisers, students would have missed an important opportunity to understand the politics in the Middle East region.The university needs to dissociate from controversial figures in a bid to protect the reputational brand of the institution by properly screening all those who are invited to associate with their brand. This gesture will have far-reaching financial and academic implications in the future, as we could see the financial contributors, academics, and academic partnerships taking an antagonistic stance against the university for its alignment with the notorious Islamic regime. Universities are and should not be a mere political space but an intellectual environment where critical thought, fearless discussions and the exchange of ideas to challenge the political, social, economic and cultural norms. This suggests that the engagement cannot be a monologue or one-sided. It is not a church where the preacher only gets “Amen or Hallelujah”. If Iran could be invited to the university setting, that means it could be possible to actually bring both the Iranian, Israeli and American representatives to debate around what is going on before the students, who will also take an active role. The university, as a public institution, should be held accountable for its conduct. In this regard, the University of Pretoria should justify its invitation of the Iranian ambassador. The university is not some primary school where the principal could do whatever pleases them. There are protocols and ways of doing things. I know that at the beginning of the year, each university has an official academic year of all activities to be undertaken that particular academic year. One wonders if they randomly pick and call ambassadors or anyone to deliver external lectures, or was it an exception for the Iranian representative? Will they want to hear opposing views, or will they only present what is being presented?All universities should not give in to pressure from governments, political entities, or politicians to compromise their academic independence. It is against the very freedom of speech to create an ideological monologue to promote Islamisation over other political and religious philosophies. Students are not empty vessels and should be subjected to all diverse world viewpoints. Universities should be open forums for all to participate and shape students into critical thinkers.The University of Pretoria should never enter a political space, as that defeats its existential purpose of being a site for thinking. Academic spaces should guard against ideological polarisation wherein dissenting views are not relegated but debated rigorously. There is a growing erosion of academic independence created by ‘cancel culture’, which seeks to subvert diverse perspectives which should be probed or debated by students, researchers and academics. There should be a vast difference between a political actor and those in academia..Read more:.The Economist: Iran War about to escalate - Gulf States may join in.This guest lecture was a well-coordinated political mobilisation which tried to sell Iran’s theocratic fantasies as an alternative political system which South Africa should consider in future. Students were told, just like it happens in a military camp when troopers are given instructions by their commander, no questions asked. South Africa is a secular state, and it will never consider becoming a religious state in the coming 2000 years or even more. .*Kgwadi is a political scientist and freelance writer.

It’s wrong for universities to adopt ideological convictions - Kenneth Kgwadi

Related Stories

Inside solidarity's R3.2bn private varsity mega-project - Cape is next

The R24 billion debt crisis ruining SA universities

Centurion student Talita Brits wins global attention with one-take drama ‘Ongeluk’

SA Iranians: GNU keeps tragically misreading Iranian regime