Going it all alone. Africa's potential for delinking from the neoliberal paradigm

Master's Thesis , 2019 , 174 Pages , Grade: 65

Politics - Region: Africa

Neoliberalism as a paradigm can be defined as the political economic framework of ideas of the current times which advocates for, privatization of state-owned enterprises, deregulation, "free markets" and supporting of political individualism. As members of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization, and due to their economic dependence on the Western world, developing countries have been obligated to implement the neoliberal paradigm within their domestic terrain. Most African peoples are poor, live in dire conditions and are unable to function in a neoliberal context, as they are excluded from economic participation in their countries, due to a lack of resources, income, and a lack of skills and qualifications to participate in the market or in the neoliberal model as a whole. The tendency of the neoliberal paradigm to extend its hand to non-market forces such as in the provisioning of education, has led to the education service being inaccessible to those who need it the most.

The paper seeks to find ways in which the influence of the neoliberal paradigm could be minimised on a sectoral level, focusing on the education sector. This research paper utilizes the Qualitative research approach as it studies a complex phenomenon and concepts. It is a ‘Desk-top study’ which focuses on ‘document analyses’. It is exploratory, and utilizes the case study design, to explore the education sector of two African countries, namely: South Africa and Rwanda. It explores international laws, conventions, government documents, reports, journals, articles and other documentation to examine the phenomenon. It seeks to determine the extent and success behind the phenomena of government intervention in the education sector of these two countries in their resistance of the influence of the neoliberal paradigm in their education sector, to determine the possibility of African countries in minimising the influence of the neoliberal paradigm on a sectoral level. It sources data from the internet, library and bookstores and its data types are: past and present literature, in particular: secondary data (books and journals) and other publications.

The argument that the paper posits is that: although it may be impossible for the African continent to delink from the entire International Financial System; it is possible for the African continent to minimise the influence of the neoliberal paradigm on a sectoral level.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Chapter 1: Introduction
• 1.1 Education under the neoliberal paradigm
• 1.2 The research design
• 1.3 The Case Study Methodology
• 1.4 Introduction of the Paper's Theoretical Framework
• 1.5 Summary and Outline of the Paper's Content
• Chapter 2: The theoretical framework
• 2.1 Defining a Theoretical Framework
• 2.2 Arguments Posited by The Decolonial Theory
• 2.3 An Analysis of the Elements of Decoloniality and its Origins
• 2.4 Intellectual Underpinnings of the Decolonial Theory by Third World Scholars
• 2.5 Interpreting Decoloniality in Relation to the Phenomenon Under Investigation
• Chapter 3: Research Design
• 3.1 Introduction
• 3.2 The Chosen Type of Research Design
• 3.3 Statement of the Research Problem
• 3.4 Research Question
• 3.5 Research Aim
• 3.6 Research Objectives
• 3.7 Data Collection Methods
• Chapter 4: Literature Review
• 4.1 Defining a Literature Review
• 4.2 Purposes of a Literature Review
• 4.3 The Concept of Neoliberalism: its Global Reach and Fundamental Tenets
• 4.4 The Neo-Liberal Education System
• Chapter 5: The adoption and consequences of the neoliberal model of education in Africa
• Chapter 6: The case studies of South Africa and Rwanda
• 6.1 The South African Case
• 6.1.1a The Effectiveness and Limitations of International Laws Obliging South Africa to Provide free education
• 6.1.1b South Africa's National Law Regarding its Provision of Free Education
• 6.1.2 Neoliberalism in South Africa's Education
• 6.1.3 Student Protests for Fee Free Education Under the Banner #Fees Must Fall
• 6.1.4 Arguments for Free Education in South Africa
• 6.1.5 Arguments against Free Education in South Africa
• 6.2 The Rwandan case
• 6.2.1 Rwanda's Progress Regarding the Provision of Free Education
• 6.2.2 Case Study Comparison
• Chapter 7: Discussion of findings (Data analysis and Interpretation)

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This dissertation aims to explore the potential and possibility of delinking from the neoliberal paradigm in Africa, specifically focusing on the education sector. It investigates how the neoliberal model has affected education in Africa and explores the arguments for and against free education in the context of South Africa and Rwanda.

• The impact of the neoliberal model on education in Africa
• The potential and possibility of delinking from the neoliberal paradigm
• The role of decolonial theory in understanding education in Africa
• The case studies of South Africa and Rwanda
• Arguments for and against free education in Africa

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the dissertation, outlining the research design, methodology, and theoretical framework. It examines the concept of education under the neoliberal paradigm. Chapter 2 delves into the theoretical framework of decoloniality, exploring its origins, arguments, and application to the study of education in Africa. Chapter 3 details the research design, including the research problem, question, aim, objectives, and data collection methods. Chapter 4 reviews relevant literature on neoliberalism, its global reach, and its influence on education systems. Chapter 5 examines the adoption and consequences of the neoliberal model of education in Africa. Chapter 6 presents case studies of South Africa and Rwanda, exploring the provision of free education, the impact of neoliberalism, and student protests for fee-free education in South Africa.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The main keywords of this dissertation are: neoliberalism, decoloniality, education, Africa, free education, South Africa, Rwanda, #FeesMustFall, international financial institutions, international law, national law, student protests.

• College: University of Pretoria
• Course: International Relations
• Grade: 65
• Author: Jacob Mahlangu (Author)
• Publication Year: 2019
• Pages: 174
• Catalog Number: V539781
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346183569
• ISBN (Book): 9783346183576
• Language: English
• Tags: Neoliberalism, Education, Washington Consensus, Decoloniality, International Financial Institution, Research, Capitalism, South Africa, Rwanda, Pan-Africanism, Afrocentricity, African Renaissance, Ubuntu, Diplomacy, Structural Adjustment Programs, Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, International Community, Paradigms, Monetarism