HED4805
Assignment 2
DUE 21 June 2024
, Introduction
This assignment delves into the critical examination of the historical and contemporary dynamics
of educational research, particularly focusing on the disparity between the Global North and
Global South. It requires an analytical understanding of how scholarly publications are dominate
by researchers and themes from the Global North, often sidelining the perspectives and
contributions of scholars from the Global South. The questions prompt a discussion on key
moments in the decolonization of South African education, such as the #RhodesMustFall and
#FeesMustFall movements, and a critical review of the state of research in the Global South.
Additionally, it explores strategies for universities to encourage and support research in the field
of the History of Education, emphasizing the need to validate and integrate indigenous
epistemologies and worldviews.
The questions are structured to guide an in-depth exploration of the geographical focus of
educational research, highlighting the historical marginalization of the Global South and the
ongoing efforts to recentre its narratives. The assignment underscores the importance of
decolonizing education and knowledge production, encouraging a shift from Eurocentric
paradigms to inclusive and diverse perspectives. Through critical analysis and review, the
questions aim to foster an understanding of the systemic challenges faced by researchers in the
Global South and the imperative for universities to actively promote and support research that
reflects the unique histories, cultures, and experiences of the Global South.
,Question 1 (25)
Section A of this question is based on the given extract from
chapter 2 of the prescribed textbook (Seroto, Davids & Wolhuter 2020). Read
the extract, and then answer the questions that follow. Geographical focus of
research and of authorship Scholars, analysts, progressive scholars and
academics in all education sciences and beyond, have expressed concern
that the corpus of scholarly publications is dominated by researchers
in the global world and that their focus is lopsided in favour of the Global North or
themes favoured by the interests of the Global North. In a content analysis of article
published in the first 50 years of the top journal in the field of Comparative and
International Education, the Comparative Education Review, Wolhuter (2008:330-331
found that countries of the Global North dominate the geographical focus of
research. In addition, where countries of the Global South are the subject of
research, it is dominated by researchers from the Global North (cf Wolhuter,
2018). Of the 18 523 articles published in the total pool of Thomson-Reuters
indexed education journals for the year 2012, a mere 2.13% were authored by
scholars in Africa (ibid). Depaepe and Simon (1996) do not include the
geographical terrain of articles in their research but do provide an interesting
analysis of author provenance. For the articles published during 1961 to 1989
in Paedagogica Historica, the rank-order of national provenance of authors is
illustrated in table 2.2. The pattern for the period 1990 to 1995 does not differ
much. However, in this period, the Global South fares worse with 1.6% of all
authors (South Africa: 0.8% and Zaire: 0.8%) as shown in table 2.3. Table 2.2
National provenance of authors published in rank order, 1961 to 1989
National provenance of authors (Global North) 1961 to 1989 1. Germany:
22.7%; 2. US: 21.5%; 3. UK: 10.6%; 4. France: 7.4%; 5. Belgium: 6.5%
National provenance of authors (Global South) 1961 to 1989 1. India: 1.2%; 2.
Malaysia: 1.2%; 3. Nigeria: 0.6%; 4. Sri Lanka: 0.6%; 5. Argentina: 0.3%; 6.
Oman: 0.3%; 7. Pakistan: 0.3%; 8. South Africa: 0.3%; 9. Thailand: 0.3%; 10.
Zimbabwe: 0.3% (Source: Depaepe & Simon, 1996:426) Table 2.3 National
provenance of authors published in rank order, 1990 to 1995 National
provenance of authors (Global North) 1990 to 1995 1. Netherlands: 20.2%; 2.
Germany: 17.8%; 3. Belgium: 14.0%; 4. France: 10.1%; 5. US: 7.0% National
provenance of authors (Global South) 1990 to 1995 1. Only 1.6% of all
authors in the Global South; 2. South Africa: 0.8%; 3. Former Zaire: 0.8%
(Source: Depaepe & Simon, 1996) Freeman and Kirke (2017) deal with
geographical foci in their analysis, although the limitation of their study is that
Assignment 2
DUE 21 June 2024
, Introduction
This assignment delves into the critical examination of the historical and contemporary dynamics
of educational research, particularly focusing on the disparity between the Global North and
Global South. It requires an analytical understanding of how scholarly publications are dominate
by researchers and themes from the Global North, often sidelining the perspectives and
contributions of scholars from the Global South. The questions prompt a discussion on key
moments in the decolonization of South African education, such as the #RhodesMustFall and
#FeesMustFall movements, and a critical review of the state of research in the Global South.
Additionally, it explores strategies for universities to encourage and support research in the field
of the History of Education, emphasizing the need to validate and integrate indigenous
epistemologies and worldviews.
The questions are structured to guide an in-depth exploration of the geographical focus of
educational research, highlighting the historical marginalization of the Global South and the
ongoing efforts to recentre its narratives. The assignment underscores the importance of
decolonizing education and knowledge production, encouraging a shift from Eurocentric
paradigms to inclusive and diverse perspectives. Through critical analysis and review, the
questions aim to foster an understanding of the systemic challenges faced by researchers in the
Global South and the imperative for universities to actively promote and support research that
reflects the unique histories, cultures, and experiences of the Global South.
,Question 1 (25)
Section A of this question is based on the given extract from
chapter 2 of the prescribed textbook (Seroto, Davids & Wolhuter 2020). Read
the extract, and then answer the questions that follow. Geographical focus of
research and of authorship Scholars, analysts, progressive scholars and
academics in all education sciences and beyond, have expressed concern
that the corpus of scholarly publications is dominated by researchers
in the global world and that their focus is lopsided in favour of the Global North or
themes favoured by the interests of the Global North. In a content analysis of article
published in the first 50 years of the top journal in the field of Comparative and
International Education, the Comparative Education Review, Wolhuter (2008:330-331
found that countries of the Global North dominate the geographical focus of
research. In addition, where countries of the Global South are the subject of
research, it is dominated by researchers from the Global North (cf Wolhuter,
2018). Of the 18 523 articles published in the total pool of Thomson-Reuters
indexed education journals for the year 2012, a mere 2.13% were authored by
scholars in Africa (ibid). Depaepe and Simon (1996) do not include the
geographical terrain of articles in their research but do provide an interesting
analysis of author provenance. For the articles published during 1961 to 1989
in Paedagogica Historica, the rank-order of national provenance of authors is
illustrated in table 2.2. The pattern for the period 1990 to 1995 does not differ
much. However, in this period, the Global South fares worse with 1.6% of all
authors (South Africa: 0.8% and Zaire: 0.8%) as shown in table 2.3. Table 2.2
National provenance of authors published in rank order, 1961 to 1989
National provenance of authors (Global North) 1961 to 1989 1. Germany:
22.7%; 2. US: 21.5%; 3. UK: 10.6%; 4. France: 7.4%; 5. Belgium: 6.5%
National provenance of authors (Global South) 1961 to 1989 1. India: 1.2%; 2.
Malaysia: 1.2%; 3. Nigeria: 0.6%; 4. Sri Lanka: 0.6%; 5. Argentina: 0.3%; 6.
Oman: 0.3%; 7. Pakistan: 0.3%; 8. South Africa: 0.3%; 9. Thailand: 0.3%; 10.
Zimbabwe: 0.3% (Source: Depaepe & Simon, 1996:426) Table 2.3 National
provenance of authors published in rank order, 1990 to 1995 National
provenance of authors (Global North) 1990 to 1995 1. Netherlands: 20.2%; 2.
Germany: 17.8%; 3. Belgium: 14.0%; 4. France: 10.1%; 5. US: 7.0% National
provenance of authors (Global South) 1990 to 1995 1. Only 1.6% of all
authors in the Global South; 2. South Africa: 0.8%; 3. Former Zaire: 0.8%
(Source: Depaepe & Simon, 1996) Freeman and Kirke (2017) deal with
geographical foci in their analysis, although the limitation of their study is that
