Place of humanities and social sciences in post-Covid college
Saturday September 04 2021
Universities in Africa were among the most affected and least able to manage the multi-pronged crises because of their pre-existing capacity challenges. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
On August 11, 2021, in Kampala, Uganda, I delivered a paper specially written for presentation as a keynote address during the National Humanities Conference at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University and focused on the continued and critical importance of the humanities and social sciences in the post-Covid-19 academy.
Before the outbreak of Covid-19, the humanities especially were increasingly regarded, in academic, political, and popular discourses, as irrelevant affectations compared to the hard disciplines in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (Stem).
The pandemic seemed to reinforce these prejudices as the world desperately sought biomedical treatments in the race for vaccines, and economic and social life including education transitioned to online platforms and virtual engagements, thereby accelerating the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Yet, both the pandemic and digitalisation have underscored the necessity of the knowledges, skills, and literacies of the humanities. Covid-19 has not been confined to a crisis of physical health. It has also been a mental health crisis, and a complex constellation of economic, social, cultural and political crises.
Understanding the multidimensional nature and differentiated impact of the pandemic, devising effective containment strategies, and envisioning better futures requires the insights, imaginations and policies informed by the humanities and social sciences.
Similarly, the transformations wrought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution are as much technological as they are social, and the rapidly changing jobs of the digitalised economies of the 21st century require the cultivation of technical skills as much as lifelong learning skills that the humanities and social sciences are renowned for.
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 forced universities around the world to confront unprecedented challenges that simultaneously exposed and exacerbated existing deficiencies, dysfunctions, and inequalities among and within countries, institutions, and university stakeholders.
Six stand out. First, in terms of transitioning from face to face to remote teaching and learning using online platforms. Second, managing severely strained finances. Third, ensuring the physical and mental health of students, faculty and staff. Fourth, reopening campuses as safely and as effectively as possible. Fifth, planning for a sustainable post-pandemic future. Sixth, contributing to the capacities of government and society in resolving the multiple dimensions of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Universities in Africa were among the most affected and least able to manage the multi-pronged crises because of their pre-existing capacity challenges that centered on persistent structural deficiencies in terms of inadequate financial resources and human capital, poor research output and physical and technological infrastructures, and weak leadership and governance, among others. The pandemic put pressure on African universities' finances and operations.
Many humanities scholars derive hope in the emergence of the so-called new humanities. They include the digital humanities, environmental humanities, energy humanities, global humanities, urban humanities, food humanities, medical humanities, legal humanities, and public humanities.
Prof Paul Zeleza is the Vice Chancellor, United States International University-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya