Decolonising religious studies in South Africa: Reflections on the field 26 years after democracy

Abstract

In light of the decolonialturn in scholarship,this essaymapsthe state of the field for ReligiousStudiesin SouthAfrica,26 yearsafterthe first democraticelections.Itsuggeststhat betweenthe genealogicalcritiqueof thedisciplineand the mappingof decolonialityin researchandteaching,a descriptionand assessmentof the institutionalpresenceand politicsof ReligiousStudiesand theologyisnecessary.This conceptualpauseallowsus to chartthepracticalpossibilitiesand limitationsfor the discipline'sfuture.By highlightingthe contestedChristonormativitythat characterisescontemporarySouthAfricanpubliccultureand illustratingthe overrepresentationof theologyin highereducation,I arguethat the flourishingof Christianprivilegein highereducationshouldbe morecriticallyconsideredwithinthe decolonialproject.