The Ambit of Ethics in the South African Academic Institutions

Abstract

The chapter examines possible use of instruments and processes such as ethical clearance in the institutions of higher learning as subtle means of perpetuating inequality and racial prejudice towards the indigenous people of South Africa who had recently emerged from the scourge of apartheid with a hope of democracy ultimately providing not only freedom of association and speech, but also intellectual freedom. Freedom to produce African-based knowledge by Black African intellectuals pursuing their postgraduate studies and academics whose careers are at formative stages. However, their vision of becoming producers of African Indigenous knowledge is thwarted by subtle and invisible activities that are aimed at perpetuate coloniality in the higher institutions of learning. Sadly, ethical clearance process has possibly been utilized to derail research outputs that some of the old guard from historically white universities are uncomfortable to witness, thus continuing to maintain the colonial status quo.