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Anyone who has recently been following the (Afrikaans) media will be up to date with the latest proposed changes within the North-West University. For example, a variety of governance models have been put on the table to integrate and transform the three campuses of the university. This has sparked controversy, specifically on the Potchefstroom campus, a campus I hold so dearly to my heart, but a campus I realise that needs to drastically grasp that they are in juxtaposition to a diverse South Africa in many ways.
Being a liberal student on what is perceived to be a predominantly white and Christian conservative campus is quite a challenge. Whenever I try to be a dissenting voice (which is necessary in an academic environment) I get asked one of two questions: Why don’t you go to another university? or Why did you come to this university? So let me answer these questions once and for all. I did indeed attend an Afrikaans high school situated in what I would consider to be a very politically conservative town. The sad thing of being surrounded by a singular Afrikaans culture is that my fellow school mates would consider one of four universities: Tuks, Maties, Kovsies and Pukke. The obvious reason being that these are still predominantly Afrikaans, and in the PUK’s case, even more so. Language however was never a big consideration for me in choosing a university, neither was a student life.
I was lucky enough to be raised in quite a liberal family. My father, a Catholic Portuguese from Angola and my mother an Afrikaans Hervormer decided to find a middle ground and raise their children in a Dutch Reformed household (i.e., if Dutch Reformed can be seen as the middle ground). In our household, interracial relationships and homosexuality wasn’t seen as these great evil sins, in fact we were raised with the idea that all people are equal under law, and well equal under humanity. Of course we were benefiting from white privilege, but in comparison to other white families around us, we were very liberal.
So in my matric year I had to make this big decision. I decided that I am going to base my choice on an academic consideration (like a logical person would do). The little activist that I am decided that I wanted to specialise in this thing called development communication. After extensive research I realised that some of the most revered experts in this field were lecturers and researchers at the North West-University Potchefstroom Campus’ School of Communication Studies. Being the little intellectual snob that I am, I decided I wanted the best, so I enrolled to study communication studies so that I can be mentored by these esteemed minds. So this was how I based my choice regarding the institution that I wanted to study at.
I don’t care all that much about studying in Afrikaans, mainly for two reasons. One, because I feel that studying in English better prepares me for the work environment (and I did indeed complete most of my projects and tests in English). Secondly, because I don’t believe that a language has to be academic in order for it to survive. But please Afriforum don’t make me out to be this killer of Afrikaans. Afriforum does a pretty good job in sketching Prof. Dan Kgwadi as this hater of Afrikaans. Their radicalism isn’t only ridiculous, but it is completely fallacious and it instils an irrational fear in students.
The flipside is also a sad reality. Many self-proclaimed liberals on social media tend to collectivise the campus as this patriarchal racist institution. As a liberal myself, I find this to be sad because firstly, their radical approach regarding this contradicts the core meaning of liberalism; that liberalism within itself, allows for everyone to have their own views. But moreover, secondly, their collectivisation of campus is problematic because I am part of this campus, I am not a racist or a patriarchal bastard, instead I try to actively work towards enabling progressive ideas on campus, with many others in the debate society.
The above two sides are nothing more than ridiculous radicalism. On the right we find Afriforum propagating exaggerated messages and on the left we find these progressive radicalists on Facebook who actively try to antagonize each and every one on campus. The problem with these dichotomies are that we are missing the debate that occurs where left and right meet, in the middle. Tangible discussion and change won’t ever be achieved if we keep clinging to these radical views. Radicalism is inherently tied to emotional irrationality and where there is emotional irrationality there is no logicality and where there is no logicality, critical thinking can’t ever be achieved. These issues are nuanced and critical thinking and discussion is needed to address it.
So my call to everyone who cares about this: Firstly, this is not something that is going to be resolved by emotionally overreacting, take a step back and logically debate this out. Secondly, this is true, the Potchefstroom campus can’t remain as it is, there needs to be changes made to make it more inclusive for everyone, because it is not as simple as just going to another university. Maybe this is all I can afford, or maybe I want to go here because of the amazing communication lecturers and the language barrier should not prevent me from doing that, and student life shouldn’t exclude me because I can’t understand Afrikaans. Thirdly, even though the campus is in need of change, it is most definitely not an Apartheid enclave, because that not only insults me as progressive student, but it collectivises me to something I am not, and it disenfranchises a big number of people who want to actively bring change to campus. By dividing students into two categories (whether it be radical liberals or conservatives) you disempower these students who do want to enact change, mainly because they don’t want to be part of any one of these groups.
This change can be beautiful and beneficial to all, but only if we view it from a logical standpoint and stop to view it as this radical process, which it is not.
(These views are my own and in no way represent the views of any institution or other individual)
