The Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Pretoria (UP) recently launched a book titled Old Ways of Being to New Ways of Seeing, edited by Mary Crewe, former advisor on special projects to the UP Executive.

The book, a collection of nine essays, was produced by the University’s top theologians, and is a study on how theory and practice can influence responses to discrimination in society and on university campuses.

“This book looks at the importance of the intellectual and theoretical roots of discrimination and prejudice,” Crewe explained. “It is necessary to move from explanations of how things are to finding ways in which we can understand the roots and origins of thoughts and patterns of behaviour. The authors needed to think about UP’s Anti-Discrimination Policy and how their field of study could address issues of discrimination in order to widen the options for debate, challenge and understanding, and for critique and questioning.”

In 2019, the University adopted an Anti-Discrimination Policy, which sets out the steps to be taken under four broad categories: unfair discrimination, hate speech, harassment, and violence. This policy is effectively a concise operating manual of how cases can be reported and dealt with.

'Old Ways of Being to New Ways of Seeing' is a collection of nine essays produced by UP’s top theologians looking at how theory and practice can influence responses to discrimination in society and on university campuses.

“One of the most important questions that we need to address is how universities operate effectively as leaders in their communities and society rather than being reflections of them,” said UP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe. “All students and staff join the UP community schooled in their own systems of belief, culture and practices. They bring these to what is referred to as the ‘institutional culture’, where such belief patterns are reinforced, challenged or changed. While this experience may serve some members of the community through adhering to ‘old ways of being’, many students and staff wish to be in an environment that can offer ‘new ways of seeing’.”

Professor Ananda Geyser-Fouché, Associate Professor in the Department of Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures, contributed to the book with a section on language, which she argues is not only a tool of communication but also one of power.

“The way people speak can be discriminating,” Prof Geyser- Fouché said. “Every utterance in a language game should be understood as a move with or against other players, and these language games are always rooted in matters of power. This leads to exclusive language. It is important to note that exclusive language is not always uttered speech or of an emphatic nature, but can also lie in what has not been said, what is omitted or ignored. Also, communities are so stuck in their own discourses that they are oblivious to the harm that they cause by the way that they speak. Stereotyping and exclusive language exclude others.”

The launch was attended by Theology and Religion students from various departments. Among them was Kamagano Sethono, who is pursuing a Master of Theology degree in Old Testament Studies and who shared his thoughts about the book and discrimination. His favourite essay in the book is titled ‘Why do you see my ethnicity, gender and class, instead of my need?’ and was written by senior lecturer Professor Zorodzai Dube of the Department of New Testament and Related Literature.

“Religious organisations need to say something about this society destroyer called discrimination,” Sethono said. “When I first saw the invitation to the webinar, I was interested to hear what they had to say. I was very impressed and encouraged by the discussions that gave birth to the book. This book reveals that religious leaders need to do something and say something to curb the idea of discrimination in our societies.”

Old Ways of Being to New Ways of Seeing is published by Emerging Scholars Initiative (ESI).

Download the book for free