Abstract

SANDS, J.. Beginning with property? Hegel and unfolding freedom in a South African academic context. Koers (Online) [online]. 2016, vol.81, n.3, pp.1-7. ISSN 2304-8557.  http://dx.doi.org/10.19108/koers.81.3.2271.

Academic freedom is one of the most needed of all rights for a university to fulfil its mission to educate and uplift its students and, by extension, the society in which it lives. However, the question of what this freedom is and what it entails constantly unfolds as universities evaluate, critique, and educate society and this is at present under the microscope in the context of the #feesmustfall campaign and other the student protests over social transformation. In the article I critique Hegel's concept of freedom, often considered one of the cornerstones to the philosophical foundation of Western society's concept of freedom, which was also employed within a South African context. From this, it is possible to gain a sense that this freedom entails a mutual recognition of the other and a responsibility to restrain one's own determination (or will-to-power) in order to ensure that the other does the same. Hegel reaches a stage where individuals mutually relinquish certain freedoms (like the freedom to kill or enslave another), and thus they create a space of mutual recognition where each sees the other as an individual self. This concept of freedom allows the university to remain solely on its own in the name of its academic freedom. The state recognizes this freedom as long as this relationship is mutually beneficial. The interference in the university's right to self-determination is indicative of a much larger issue. Although Hegelian freedom enjoins a respect between individuals within society, it can also be used to separate society; the 'we' disintegrates in light of so-called 'respect' when one wants to exert their right to autonomy at the expense of others. What I attempted to carve out is a critique of Hegelian freedom and its underpinning of the basic concept of freedom for both the Western and South African societies. By adding four more pillars to the Hegelian three - democracy, equality, reconciliation and diversity - South Africa has already begun to see that the issue could resolve itself with beginning to understand itself through more responsibility, respect, freedom and so forth.

Keywords : academic freedom; #feesmustfall campaign; Hegel's concept of freedom; respect; the state.

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