Decolonising law series on the cards

The UCT Faculty of Law will launch a seminar series on 13 March, which is aimed at decolonising the legal arena.

According to the dean of Law, Professor Penelope Andrews, she was approached by a group of students last year who wanted to explore the idea of “decolonising law” in depth and create opportunities for students and staff to engage in a dialogue about its meaning, content and application.

The seminar series kicks off with a symposium on the afternoon of 13 March to celebrate indigenous customary law. The symposium will run from 13:00 to 20:00.

Guest speakers for the seminar series include Professor Makau Mutua of the University of Buffalo. Mutua teaches human rights, international business transactions and international law, and chaired the Task Force on the Establishment of a Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission in 2003, which recommended a truth commission for Kenya.

Mutua will be at UCT on 30 March.

Joel Modiri, who teaches jurisprudence at the University of Pretoria, and Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, professor and Research Chair for Historical Trauma and Transformation at Stellenbosch University, are scheduled to lead seminars on 20 April and 8 June respectively.

In between, UCT academics will also present at seminars.

All the seminars will comprise a lecture to the faculty and a slot for debate with students and staff.

Story Yusuf Omar. Photo Michael Hammond.