The human problem at the heart of development. Kapuscinski lecture by Jonathan Jansen
Part 4 of the International Development Studies Lecture Series in cooperation with the Governance and Inclusive Development group of the University of Amsterdam
The field of international development studies must evolve to stay on top of the many changes affecting the world of today. This Kapuscinski lecture and fourth lecture in the series about the future of international development will be given by Jonathan Jansen, rector of the University of the Free State and President of the South African Institute of Race Relations. From Ferguson and France to the Free State - what is the human problem at the heart of development?
There remains a unshakeable assumption in the international policy community that development in one country can be switched on and off from central controls elsewhere in the global system. You see this logic with everything from Education for All to the MDGs.
Furthermore, the kinds of issues that wreak havoc on societies and their systems of education are largely ignored in international policy scripts that privilege academic achievement in science, mathematics and literacy. This technicist and instrumentalist view of education has exposed developmental agendas to even greater threats: the unravelling of human relations that are so crucial to both people and performance across the world.
In this lecture, Jonathan Jansen makes these arguments real by presenting his research on race, intimacy and leadership at the University of the Free State in South Africa, to demonstrate how creating conditions for human togetherness enables the achievement of broader developmental goals. He will then shift the analysis to the dangerous race relations in Ferguson (USA) and the Paris of Charlie Hebdo where the crises of human relations sparked the rage of a few. In short, he will argue that any analysis that begins and ends with condemnation, rather than pressing for an understanding of the underlying dilemmas of inequality, poverty, segregation and violence cannot resolve complex ‘developmental’ challenges such as those outlined above.
About the speaker
Jonathan Jansen is Vice Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State and President of the South African Institute of Race Relations. He is a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association and a Fellow of the Academy of Science of the Developing World. His book Knowledge in the Blood: Confronting Race and the Apartheid Past (Stanford 2009) was listed as one of the best books of that year by the American Libraries Association. His new book, Schools that Work, uses video-documentaries to capture what happens inside disadvantaged schools which nevertheless produce the best results in physical science and mathematics in South Africa. He also writes popular books and is a columnist for The Times and Die Burger.
“Kapuscinski Development Lectures”, EC-UNDP project
The project is a joint initiative of the European Commission, the United Nations Development Programme and the University of Amsterdam, and funded by the European Commission
Top global thinkers discuss development in the European Union countries. The series “Kapuscinski Development Lectures”, named for Ryszard Kapuscinski, a polish reporter and writer who covered developing countries, is organized jointly by the European Commission, the United Nations Development Programme and partner universities and development think-tanks. Over 50 lectures gathered since 2009 over 10,000 participants. In October 2014 - December 2015 the lectures organised in all EU member states contribute specifically to development policy debates as part of the European Year for Development 2015.
The lecture series offers students from the European Union member states an unprecedented opportunity to learn and discuss about development issues such as climate change, human rights, aid effectiveness, Europe-Africa relations, Millennium Development Goals among other. The high-level events contribute to the debate and formulation of the European development policy. The lectures are livestreamed at http://www.kapuscinskilectures.eu and their content is shared on this website.
The lectures honor the name of Kapuscinski, a Polish journalist and writer, who died in 2007. Kapuscinski, whose books were translated into many languages, was often named the “Third World Chronicler” or the “Voice of the Poor” for his famous reportages and books describing developing countries on all continents. Among other books, he was famous for: “The Emperor” on Ethiopia, “Shah of Shahs” about Iran, “The Shadow of the Sun” about Africa, “Another Day of Life” about Angola, and “Imperium” about the Soviet Union.
More about “Kapuscinski Development Lectures” and planned events:
http://kapuscinskilectures.eu/lectures/upcoming-human-relations-at-heart-of-development/
International development studies: prospects and vistas
The field of international development studies must evolve to stay on top of the many changes affecting the world of today. Such changes challenge the traditional divide between the ‘South’ and ‘North’ as well as the types of issues that need to be addressed. What do they mean for our understanding and the practice of development? This public lecture series, organized by the Governance and Inclusive Development group of the University of Amsterdam, aims to find answers to these questions and stimulate new thinking. By including presentations by key thinkers from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the series seeks to highlight southern perspectives on new development issues.
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