The decolonization of higher education in South Africa: Luke’s writing as gift

Abstract

This article pays tribute to Allan Luke's work as a pedagogical gift. His ability to bring sociological theories of power, identity and the body to bear on conceptualizing critical literacy is a gift. His research with indigenous populations, and his writing on inclusive curriculum, genres of power and double consciousness resonate in South Africa where students are fighting to decolonise higher education. Luke's work is a important because it enables us to imagine the changes needed to effect recognitive, redistributive and representative social justice in education. This is a significant gift.

Keywords:

• Curriculum development
• higher education
• language
• literacy and power
• socio-political conditions
• multicultural/diversity education

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Ana Ferreira, Carolyn McKinney and my reviewers for their helpful comments on a draft of this paper, and to John Janks for his proof reading and support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hilary Janks

Hilary Janks is a professor emerita in the School of Education at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. She is the author of Literacy and Power (2010) and the editor and author of Doing Critical Literacy (2014). Her teaching and research are committed to effecting change that addresses social inequality and injustice.