School of Education Hosts Seminar on Southern Knowledges and Sustainability in the Posthuman Era

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The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) School of Education facilitated a thought-provoking academic seminar titled: ‘Unsettling the Canon: Exploring Southern Knowledges for Sustainability in the Posthuman Era’, bringing together scholars, students and education practitioners to engage critically with decolonial perspectives in education and sustainability.

The seminar, held on the Edgewood campus, created a dynamic platform for transdisciplinary dialogue on the role of Southern knowledge systems in reshaping education amid contemporary global, social and environmental challenges.

The programme opened with a reflective assessment by Dr Nkosinathi Madondo, followed by welcome remarks from the Dean and Head of the School of Education, Professor Emmanuel Mgqwashu, who highlighted the importance of critical scholarship in advancing socially responsive and transformative education systems.

Seminar convenor and Principal Investigator Professor Ronicka Mudaly contextualised the intersection between decoloniality and sustainability, emphasising the need to challenge dominant knowledge frameworks while foregrounding perspectives rooted in the Global South. Mudaly’s presentation encouraged participants to rethink how education can respond meaningfully to ecological, social and epistemic challenges.

A student research session, facilitated by Dr Sebastian Sanjigadu and featuring presentations by Ms Lindiwe Ndlamlenze and Mr Anele Khowa, showcased emerging postgraduate scholarship focused on translating decolonial theory into educational practice. The session highlighted the growing role of postgraduate research in advancing transformative learning approaches.

The programme also featured a Southern interlude co-ordinated by Ms Nokuthula Sithole, integrating cultural expression into academic engagement and reinforcing the seminar’s commitment to holistic knowledge practices.

International guest speaker activist Mr Sandew Hira delivered a compelling presentation on decolonising academic disciplines, using mathematics as a case study to demonstrate how knowledge production can be reimagined through inclusive and historically grounded frameworks.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Lesley le Grange explored the rethinking of decolonisation in education within the posthuman era, examining how education systems can move beyond human-centred paradigms toward more relational and sustainable ways of knowing and learning.

Interactive audience engagement sessions throughout the seminar encouraged robust dialogue, enabling participants to reflect critically on the presentations and consider their implications for teaching, research and community engagement.

The seminar concluded with reflections by UKZN lecturer Dr Bongani Ndlovu, who highlighted key insights emerging from the discussions and underscored the importance of continued engagement around curriculum transformation, sustainability and knowledge justice in Higher Education.

Through initiatives such as this seminar, UKZN continues to strengthen its position as a leading institution fostering critical scholarship and dialogue that responds to both local and global educational challenges while amplifying Southern epistemologies.

Words: Nduduzo Duma

Photographs: Supplied