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Integrating decolonial theory through signature pedagogies in design education
Full text linkThis paper explores the challenges of integrating decolonial theory into design pedagogy within higher education. A case study approach was employed to collect qualitative data from 31 design educators and 23 design students across public and private higher education institutions in South Africa. Based on the findings of the case study, I argue that advancing decolonial design education requires greater engagement with the concepts of belonging and cultural representation, which are recurring themes in the work of Elmarie Costandius. To support this engagement, I propose a matrix that maps conceptions of belonging and cultural representation, as expressed by design educators and students, in relation to Ndlovu-Gatsheni’s (2015) decolonial perspectives and Shreeve’s (2016) signature pedagogies of design. The aim of the paper is to provide a practical tool for design educators seeking to integrate decolonial perspectives in their teaching, with broader implications for other disciplines striving to decolonise their pedagogical practices
COVID-19’s Impact on Food Security among Urban Refugee Youth in Kenya: A Postcolonial Feminist Perspective
Full text linkThis study analyzes the experiences of urban refugee communities, more specifically, thechallenges young South Sudanese refugees living in Kenya face. We divert from thecomprehensive examination of refugees in camps to focus on urban youth amid Kenya’s refugeepolicy changes and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of South Sudanesecommunity leaders, our study engaged 58 participants – 42 males and 16 females. Participantsengaged in semi-structured discussions about food security and other daily challenges related totheir urban refugee experience. This study draws on postcolonial feminist theory to contextualizethe gender-specific dimensions of food insecurity, centering analysis on discussing historicalpower structures, migration patterns, urbanism theory, and geopolitical influences contributing tothe experiences of South Sudanese urban refugee youth in Kenya. Study participants, irrespectiveof location, encountered corruption, limiting policies, and conflicting identity formation, withwomen specifically highlighting self-identity, dignity, and family as critical to supporting theirresilience. Participants emphasized the impact of COVID-19 on community cohesion, particularlyin shared meals. However, their agency was hindered by movement restrictions, invisible fences,or barriers exacerbated by unequal support and aid distribution. The research advocates for theformulation of clear African contextualized urban-based policies and migration systems thatprioritize the needs of urban refugees, safeguarding their rights and upholding human dignity.Collaborative engagement with all stakeholders within local communities, especially youthrefugees, is necessary to develop effective urban policies that promote stability, economicadvancement, and social integration
Living Rights Festival Art Exhibition: Bertha House, 25 Oct 24
Full text linkWhat is the Living Rights Festival about?
In response to escalating global conflicts and deepening humanitarian crises, the Living Rights Festival seeks to ignite and inform public discussion on these urgent issues and mobilise a robust civil society response. Born from a profound commitment to peaceful coexistence, social justice, and human rights, this Cape Town-based, community-led initiative addresses the growing violence and injustice that threaten our collective future.
The festival is not merely an event but a movement—a call to action for individuals and communities worldwide to stand in solidarity with those whose rights are under siege. By focusing on our shared humanity, the Living Rights Festival offers a platform to confront injustice, advocate for essential freedoms, and inspire a new vision of global peace and dignity.
Set against the backdrop of Cape Town, a city renowned for its resilience and activism, the festival will address some of the most pressing challenges of our time, including genocide, militarisation, racism, climate change, social accountability and the looming threat of nuclear conflict. Launching in October, a month dedicated to global peace and security, the festival aims to build understanding, foster solidarity, and inspire proactive engagement through a dynamic programme of educational and cultural events.
The festival’s diverse programming includes thought-provoking forums, powerful performances, and interactive workshops, all designed to deepen understanding and strengthen community bonds. These key events will explore international law’s role in addressing genocide accusations, the complexities of North-South relationships, and the destructive influence of the global arms industry, alongside cultural showcases of resilience and creativity.
The Living Rights Festival represents a bold step towards a more just and peaceful world, advocating for the protection of human rights and the prevention of future atrocities. The community organisations leading this initiative are committed to making the festival an annual event, ensuring sustained advocacy and action for years to come
A World of Love, Not Hate
Full text linkOh rulers, let your hearts be wise,And see the tears in children’s eyes.The bombs you drop, the wars you wage,Have filled the world with fear and rage..
Stomp the Yard
Full text linkNo longer shall you make hollow spaceslike snow angels within your mattress of your bed.Get up! Get out!Stomp the yard! – the whole nine yardsLeave no inch unclaimed.The world needs you
Africa Diary: News from the continent 1 March to 31 May 2025
No full textThe incoherent trade policy of the United States moved into uncharted territory in April with the announcement of illogical and destructive tariffs that sent shock waves across the global trading systems. Africa, with the rest of the world, will be profoundly harmed. African countries have often been victims of the globalised economic order, and in ways that make them even more vulnerable to its disruption. Chaotic and unpredictable tariff ‘pauses’, intensifications and exemptions have been announced week after week, further unsettling an already unstable economic and geo-political environment
Life Orientation as a posthumanist interspace: Reclaiming human-centric higher education in a post-neoliberal South African landscape
Full text linkThis article advances a humanistic vision for higher education by reimagining Life Orientation (LO) – a South African school subject often dismissed as marginal – as a vital knowledge interspace within universities. Situated within the context of teacher education, the article critiques the dehumanising effects of neoliberalism and colonial epistemologies, and advocates for a curriculum that foregrounds relationality, ethics, and holistic learning. Drawing on posthumanist, decolonial, and nomadic theory, particularly Braidotti’s work, the paper conceptualises LO as a transdisciplinary site that supports boundary-crossing and inclusive pedagogies. Through ecological metaphors and examples of courageous scholarly collaboration, the article shows how LO can foster interconnectedness, emotional intelligence, and critical consciousness. It proposes a model for recognising LO as a formal interspace in higher education – capable of addressing social fragmentation and supporting global citizenship. By aligning with the values of the Fifth Industrial Revolution and the Sustainable Development Goals, LO is positioned as essential to a more compassionate and just educational future
Book review
Full text linkClift, B.C., Costas Batlle, I., Bekker, S., & Chudzikowski, K. (Eds.). (2023). Qualitative Researcher Vulnerability: Negotiating, Experiencing and Embracing (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/978100334926
The many faces of Mary Turok : A tribute
No full textConfronted by the brutality of apartheid during the 1950s and 1960s, Mary Turok became a brave and feisty political activist. After apartheid was defeated, she mellowed into a deeply compassionate woman guided by a profound humanity and selfless determination to support poor and vulnerable groups, in the spirit of Ubuntu. IVAN TUROK pays tribute to his late mother, who was a constant presence at the Institute for African Alternatives (IFAA), working alongside her husband, former Director, Professor Ben Turok
Universities as anchor institutions: Integrating the element of trust for developing transformational community university partnerships:
Full text linkThe deep and entrenched inequality existing in Makhanda is a microcosm of South Africa. The relationship between the community of Makhanda and Rhodes University is interdependent and interconnected. Community engagement has the potential to mitigate the past image of universities as institutions disconnected from the realities of the local context. However, trust becomes an imperative first step towards unravelling the local radical entanglement and for enacting transformative collaborative partnerships between community and university. This paper is based on a qualitative study which examines the conceptualization of an anchor university for the South African context through community engagement using Rhodes University as a case study. The study proposes that the element of trust is imperative to establish transformational community-university partnerships that supports anchoring Rhodes University in Makhanda. The findings reveal community engagement’s role in anchoring the university and the extent to which the element of trust pervades the relationship between the two systems to unravel radical entanglements of the past that impede holistic development.