Can One Be a Critical Caretaker?

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 332-342
Author(s):  
Michael Slater
Keyword(s):  
Religious Studies ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning

AbstractThere is a movement in the field of religious studies today which questions whether scholars of religion should have any interest in questions regarding the truth and value of religion. In this paper I critically examine the views of one of its leading figures, Russell T. McCutcheon, and argue that his views on the nature and study of religion are problematic in several key respects. Specifically, I argue that McCutcheon's basic methodological and theoretical claims are untenable, as is his well known distinction between "critics" and "caretakers" of religion. Having called into question McCutcheon's claim that being a critical scholar of religion is incompatible with being a "caretaker" of religion, I conclude with a brief reflection on his corollary claim that there are (or should be) "discursive constraints" on inquiry in public institutions of higher learning.

South Africa’s Institutions of Higher Learning

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 50-69
Author(s):  
Muhammed Haron
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Religious Studies ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Honors Program ◽  
Islamic Studies ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
The Social ◽  
Regional Universities ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
Insight Into

As a discipline, “Islamic studies” has attracted serious attention by a number of institutions of higher learning in predominantly nonMuslim societies. While southern Africa’s communities witnessed the inclusion of “Islam” as a subject in the faculties of theology at various regional universities as well as Christian seminaries, Muslim communities have clamored for the appointment of Muslim staff at universities to teach courses on Islam. On the whole, these educational developments bode well for the teaching and studying of Islam regionally, even though the purpose and objectives for doing so differ radically from one institution to the other. This essay first seeks to offer a brief insight into the teaching of “Islam” as a subject in theological/oriental/religious studies programs; it thereafter reflects upon “Islamic studies” as a social science discipline that has been included in the social science and humanities syllabus. It focuses on the BA Honors program to show the themes chosen for these programs and how scholars redesigned and changed these programs to meet modern needs. Apart from using “social change” as its theoretical framework, it also brings en passantinto view the insider/outsider binary that further frames the debates regarding the teaching and studying of Islam at these institutions in southern Africa generally and South Africa in particular. 

scholarly journals THE RELEVANCY OF SELF DEVELOPMENT AND ACADEMIC EXPATRIATES’ CAREER IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES OF MALAYSIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (37) ◽  
pp. 253-269
Author(s):  
Irma Wani Othman ◽  
Muhammad Safuan Yusoff ◽  
Mohd Sohaimi Esa ◽  
Mohd Azri Ibrahim ◽  
Budi Anto Mohd Tamring ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Host Country ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
Global Issue ◽  
Self Development ◽  
To Come ◽  
Depth Interviews

The presence of international staff or independent expatriate academicians in the cross border higher education world today is indeed a global issue that brings benefits to the development of higher education worldwide. The decision taken by independent expatriate academicians to come to the host country to pursue a career as an academician will certainly have useful implications on the career they are pursuing. Through in-depth interviews based on a qualitative approach adopted on thirty (30) selected voluntarily respondents in three public universities, the objective of this study was to find out the implications on self-development of careers as independent expatriate academicians serving in the host country. From the findings received as a result of the interviews conducted, the implications for self-development in terms of the career which could be seen were (I) Promotion (II) Lucrative income (III) Security in Malaysia and (IV) Harmony in the workplace. From each finding stated by the respondents involved, it had been proven that the decision was taken by independent expatriate academicians to the host country in pursuing a career as an academician had given the positive implication that indirectly brought benefits to themselves. The implications for self-development on a career as an independent expatriate academician were also able to lead to the retention of human resources of independent expatriate academicians which can reduce the turnover rate in an organisation such as academics in Malaysian Public Institutions of Higher Learning.

South Africa’s Institutions of Higher Learning

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 50-69
Author(s):  
Muhammed Haron
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Religious Studies ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Honors Program ◽  
Islamic Studies ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
The Social ◽  
Regional Universities ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
Insight Into

As a discipline, “Islamic studies” has attracted serious attention by a number of institutions of higher learning in predominantly nonMuslim societies. While southern Africa’s communities witnessed the inclusion of “Islam” as a subject in the faculties of theology at various regional universities as well as Christian seminaries, Muslim communities have clamored for the appointment of Muslim staff at universities to teach courses on Islam. On the whole, these educational developments bode well for the teaching and studying of Islam regionally, even though the purpose and objectives for doing so differ radically from one institution to the other. This essay first seeks to offer a brief insight into the teaching of “Islam” as a subject in theological/oriental/religious studies programs; it thereafter reflects upon “Islamic studies” as a social science discipline that has been included in the social science and humanities syllabus. It focuses on the BA Honors program to show the themes chosen for these programs and how scholars redesigned and changed these programs to meet modern needs. Apart from using “social change” as its theoretical framework, it also brings en passantinto view the insider/outsider binary that further frames the debates regarding the teaching and studying of Islam at these institutions in southern Africa generally and South Africa in particular. 

scholarly journals Nigerian Creole as language of instruction: Will Nigerian lecturers use Nigerian Creole?

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Uju C. Ukwuoma
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Sampling Frame ◽  
Language Of Instruction ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
New Generation ◽  
To Receive ◽  
The Voice

This mixed questionnaire survey sought to determine if lecturers who learned to speak and understand Nigerian Creole before English are willing to use the language as medium of instruction. The respondents were comprised of 560 lecturers and graduate students (i.e. master’s, doctoral) selected through a purposeful random sampling frame from 15 public institutions of higher learning in Nigeria. Lecturers declined to use Nigerian Creole as medium of instruction because they feared that its use might negatively affect their students’ learning of English. Graduate students indicated willingness to receive instruction through a combination of English and Nigerian Creole because they perceived the use of Nigerian Creole as fun and representative of the voice of a new generation of Nigerians. The sample reported that prior knowledge of Nigerian Creole does not facilitate the learning of English because both languages are too different to facilitate a transfer of learning.

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