As you enter the seminar room in the Political Studies Department at Wits University, you will notice the Palestinian flag on the wall.
This sight evokes memories of many influential figures associated with the university, such as Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Desmond Tutu, Barney Pityana, Aaron Klug and Ahmed Kathrada.
Indeed, the University of the Witwatersrand has a rich history in political studies, closely tied to South Africa’s complex political landscape.
Established in 1896 as the South African School of Mines, the institution evolved into a prominent university offering a wide range of academic disciplines, including political studies.
Initially focused on mining and engineering education, Wits University shifted its emphasis in response to unfolding political events in South Africa, particularly the institutionalisation of apartheid policies after 1948.
The university became a hub for intellectual resistance and social activism.
During the apartheid era, Wits played a pivotal role in challenging the oppressive regime. Political studies gained prominence as students and the faculty engaged in discussions, protests and academic endeavours questioning apartheid policies.
The university became a space for critical thought and activism against racial segregation.
With the end of apartheid and the establishment of democracy in 1994, political studies at Wits transformed.
The focus shifted from resisting apartheid to addressing the challenges of nation-building, governance and socio-economic development in the post-apartheid era.
Today, Wits University is still a key institution for fostering critical thinking, political engagement and scholarly contributions to address the complex challenges facing society.
Last Friday, I delivered an online seminar on Palestine based on Ottoman archival documents.
It is immensely gratifying for a scholar when a university like Wits supports such research topics, and it was rewarding to see attendees from all over the world.
During the seminar, Capetonian scholar of Palestinian origin, Dr Ala Alhourani, made a remarkably important statement:
"Reading about the Ottoman Empire and reflecting on the current situation, we are, of course, aware of the literature that has been written about its achievements.
“The economy of the Ottoman Empire flourished due to its sophisticated bureaucracy and administration, particularly the separation between a secular administration and a religious cabinet.
“The Ottoman Empire, much like the broader Islamic civilisation, including the Mamluks before them, achieved a balance between religion and the secular.
“This is a balance we do not see in contemporary society, where there is a serious conflict between religion and secularism.
“Today, we observe how religion tries to assert itself in public life, and in politics, this often translates into violence driven by secular forces."
The key point of discussing this topic at Wits University is to explore how historical models, such as the Ottoman Empire’s balance between secular and religious governance, can provide insights into addressing contemporary conflicts between religion and secularism.
By examining these historical precedents, the discussion aims to understand how such a balance might be achieved in modern societies to prevent the politicisation of religion and the resulting violence.
* Halim Gençoğlu is a historian with PhD from UCT and is a post-doctoral fellow at Wits University.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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