his essay “Apartheid’s Anthropologists: The Genealogy of Afrikaner Anthropology,” Robert Gordon argues that the limitations and abuses of Volkekunde must be understood in terms of the social context in which volkekundiges were producing knowledge. As male Afrikaner intellectuals at apartheid-supporting universities, these scholars tended to be isolated, and to isolate themselves, from the lives of those whom they were studying and the ideas exchanged outside a narrow sub-field of their discipline. Write an essay in which you: a.) Summarise Gordon’s argument and b.) Analyse how that argument may pertain to decolonising social science at the UFS and other South African universities today.

Question

his essay “Apartheid’s Anthropologists: The Genealogy of Afrikaner Anthropology,” Robert Gordon argues that the limitations and abuses of Volkekunde must be understood in terms of the social context in which volkekundiges were producing knowledge. As male Afrikaner intellectuals at apartheid-supporting universities, these scholars tended to be isolated, and to isolate themselves, from the lives of those whom they were studying and the ideas exchanged outside a narrow sub-field of their discipline. Write an essay in which you: a.) Summarise Gordon’s argument and b.) Analyse how that argument may pertain to decolonising social science at the UFS and other South African universities today.

Answer 1

In his essay “Apartheid’s Anthropologists: The Genealogy of Afrikaner Anthropology,” Robert Gordon argues that the field of Volkekunde, or Afrikaner anthropology, was heavily influenced by the social context in which it was developed. Gordon asserts that the volkekundiges, or Afrikaner anthropologists, were often male intellectuals at apartheid-supporting universities who were isolated from the communities they studied and tended to limit their research to a narrow sub-field within anthropology. This isolation led to limitations and abuses in the knowledge produced by these scholars, as they were not engaging with a diverse range of ideas and perspectives.

Gordon’s argument can be applied to the current context of decolonising social science at the University of the Free State (UFS) and other South African universities. Decolonisation aims to challenge and dismantle the Eurocentric bias and colonial structures that have historically shaped social science research in South Africa. By reflecting on the limitations and abuses of Afrikaner anthropology, we can see how the power dynamics and social contexts in which research is conducted can influence the knowledge produced.

To decolonise social science at UFS and other universities in South Africa today, it is essential to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with diverse communities and perspectives. By breaking down the isolation that has historically plagued the field of anthropology, researchers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the issues they are studying and produce more nuanced and inclusive knowledge. It is also crucial to critically examine the biases and assumptions that may have influenced past research, and to actively work towards addressing and challenging these biases in the present.

Furthermore, decolonising social science involves reevaluating research methodologies and approaches to ensure that they are inclusive, ethical, and respectful of diverse ways of knowing and being. This may involve engaging in participatory research methods, centering the voices and experiences of marginalized communities, and challenging traditional power dynamics within academic institutions.

In conclusion, Robert Gordon’s argument about the limitations and abuses of Afrikaner anthropology sheds light on the importance of understanding the social context in which research is conducted. By applying his insights to the current context of decolonising social science at UFS and other South African universities, researchers can work towards creating more inclusive, ethical, and respectful research practices that center diverse perspectives and promote social justice.