Changing heritage, changing the world? The case of a South African University

ABSTRACT

This article considers how a particular university’s openness to uncertainty and pursuit of change is helping it to transform its landscape and cultural heritage during a period of significant socio-political change. Using the conceptual lens of critical heritage studies and potential uncertainty, the article discusses the university’s efforts to achieve a representative heritage landscape in an increasingly complex social space. The article finally considers the impact of Covid-19 on the university and ways in which the university’s resilience in the face of teaching disruptions has better prepared it for the challenges posed by Covid-19.

KEYWORDS:

• Change
• critical heritage
• universities
• Covid-19

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Department of Science and Innovation, South Africa: [Grant Number 115184].

Notes on contributors

Rosabelle Boswell

Rosabelle (Rose) Boswell is an anthropologist and a DSI-NRF South African Research Chair in Ocean Cultures and Heritage. She is author of three monographs, one co-edited book, two poetry books and more than 30 peer reviewed articles and book chapters. Her research papers have focused on the politics of intangible cultural heritage, restorative justice, diversity management and sensory ethnography. She has completed anthropological fieldwork in Mauritius, Madagascar, Zanzibar, Seychelles and South Africa. The Research Chair position facilitates research on coastal heritage in a further five African countries, including South Africa. The research presented in this article is funded by an NRF Incentive grant for rated researchers (IFR) grant UID 115184. The Ethics Clearance for the work presented here is H18-ART-SA-003.

Ryan Pillay

Ryan Pillay is the Deputy Director: Arts, Culture and Heritage at Nelson Mandela University. Additionally. Pillay works as a researcher in the programme of the Chair for Ocean Cultures and Heritage. He has extensive teaching experience in both the TVET and Higher Education sector. His undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Sociology and Political Science deal with areas of gender, heritage, memory and place. His work in Higher Education on transformation, gender, culture and language allows for the interrogation of voices to be heard. Through this social enquiry – qualitative methodologist – (sociologist) he has designed, facilitated and documented over 100 processes in both the public and private sector. Pillay has a special interest in using visual participatory methods to allow voices to surface and a keen interest in the arts. He currently holds the position of Trustee at the South End Museum and the Gcina Mhlope Trust in South Africa.