عنوان

Transforming Humanities and Social Sciences in the East African Community Universities:

Number

LA127256

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

Transforming Humanities and Social Sciences in the East African Community Universities:

General Material Designation

[Article]

Other Title Information

From Endangerment to Sustainability

First Statement of Responsibility

Abubakar Kateregga, Telesphore Ngarambe, Charline Mulindahabi, et al.

Place of Publication, Distribution, etc.

Leiden

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

Brill

Text of Note

This study was conducted in eight universities within the East African Community (EAC). Its objective was to investigate the endangerment situation of the Humanities in order to suggest some lessons for Rwanda in transforming the teaching of these subjects. The endangerment was measured in terms of stakeholder salience, declining student enrolment, government budget-cuts as well as the devalorisation of these disciplines and negative society perceptions towards them. The study investigates the causes and consequences of this endangerment and shows how the embattled disciplines can be helped to survive. It draws on the stakeholders' theory of salience to argue that less salient stakeholders in universities can have their saliency strengthened through policy. Humanities are disciplines holding the key towards solving a set of complex social problems in the current globalised world because they offer a sure channel of imparting analytical and critical thinking skills, effective argumentation and negotiation skills. It is argued that if left unchecked, the current devalorisation of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) in favour of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will eventually lead to a non-holistic education with inadequate skills for all categories of students, including science ones. Graduates need these skills to cope with challenging social demands in their workplace. This study was conducted in eight universities within the East African Community (EAC). Its objective was to investigate the endangerment situation of the Humanities in order to suggest some lessons for Rwanda in transforming the teaching of these subjects. The endangerment was measured in terms of stakeholder salience, declining student enrolment, government budget-cuts as well as the devalorisation of these disciplines and negative society perceptions towards them. The study investigates the causes and consequences of this endangerment and shows how the embattled disciplines can be helped to survive. It draws on the stakeholders' theory of salience to argue that less salient stakeholders in universities can have their saliency strengthened through policy. Humanities are disciplines holding the key towards solving a set of complex social problems in the current globalised world because they offer a sure channel of imparting analytical and critical thinking skills, effective argumentation and negotiation skills. It is argued that if left unchecked, the current devalorisation of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) in favour of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will eventually lead to a non-holistic education with inadequate skills for all categories of students, including science ones. Graduates need these skills to cope with challenging social demands in their workplace.

Date of Publication

2017

Physical description

1-24

Title

Utafiti

Volume Number

12/1-2

International Standard Serial Number

2683-6408

Subject Term

African Studies

Subject Term

Arts

Subject Term

critical thinking skills

Subject Term

endangerment

Subject Term

HASS

Subject Term

holistic education

Subject Term

Humanities

Subject Term

job opportunities

Subject Term

Sociology & Anthropology

Subject Term

stakeholders' theory of salience

Subject Term

STEM

Abubakar Kateregga

Canisius Ruterana

Charline Mulindahabi

Telesphore Ngarambe

Call Number

10.1163/26836408-0120102002

Electronic name

p

[Article]

275578

a

Y