In a thought-provoking inaugural lecture, Professor Shose Kessi, the new Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Cape Town (UCT), captivated a full house at the Neville Alexander Building with her insightful discourse titled “S#*t happens: A decolonial feminist psychological reflection on institutional racism in higher education.
The lecture traced the evolution of race-related debates at UCT, interwoven with the broader narrative of decolonisation in the academic sphere.
At the heart of her presentation was a pivotal moment from 2014, a year that would shape the trajectory of higher education in South Africa. Kessi, having dedicated her research to understanding the experiences of black students, found herself at the epicentre of a transformative encounter during a seminar at the Institute for Humanities in Africa (HUMA). It was here that she boldly addressed the significant implications of the Cecil John Rhodes statue, a discussion that ignited fervent debate among the audience, including then Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price and student leaders. This seminal event laid the groundwork for the Rhodes Must Fall movement launched in 2015.
Professor Kessi’s research delves into the psycho-social ramifications of racism within higher education institutions, critically examining how black students confront and navigate exclusionary academic environments. Her focus on UCT’s admission policy debate revealed a disturbing narrative that portrayed black students as detrimental to academic standards. This prevailing discourse not only fuelled allegations of ‘reverse racism’ but also diminished the importance of race in contemporary South African society.
“It is difficult to fully convey what the institutional climate was like at the time of the
admissions debate,but
lly,” she said
“It is difficult to fully convey what the institutional climate was like at the time of the admissions debate,” Kessi remarked.
“Those media articles were vicious and relentless; and as a scholar working on the socio-psychology of racism – as a black scholar, personally affected by these debates – and as a teacher, I wanted to find out how students were navigating this. How they felt about what was being said about them, and what impact it had on their psyche, their sense of belonging and [their] ability to perform academically.”
In an effort to address the stark challenges faced by black students, Kessi pioneered the photovoice research method at UCT’s Department of Psychology.
Kessi acknowledged. “They complained about the inaccessibility of tuition fees and the stigma of being questioned about their acceptance into various fields of study, which severely impacted their sense of belonging and academic well-being.”
For Kessi, photovoice transcends mere research; it epitomises resistance and serves as a transformative decolonial practice. With roots in South African community psychology, her work questions the historical complicity of the discipline in systems of oppression. “
Photovoice represents community mobilisation and social action; it emphasizes the imperative for academia to not just describe the world but to strive to change it,” she stated passionately.
As UCT prepares to mark the tenth anniversary of the Rhodes statue’s removal, Kessi’s lecture became both a commemoration and a critical reflection on the institution’s ongoing transformation efforts.
