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What can Hannah Arendt's theorising add to equity policy activism in higher education institutions?

Bay, Uschi 2008, What can Hannah Arendt's theorising add to equity policy activism in higher education institutions?, in Activating Human Rights and Peace : Universal responsibility : conference proceedings, Southern Cross University, Centre for Peace and Social Justice, Lismore, N.S.W..

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Title What can Hannah Arendt's theorising add to equity policy activism in higher education institutions?
Author(s) Bay, Uschi
Conference name Activating Human Rights and Peace Conference (2008 : Byron Bay, N.S.W.)
Conference location Byron Bay, N.S.W.
Conference dates 1-4 July 2008
Title of proceedings Activating Human Rights and Peace : Universal responsibility : conference proceedings
Editor(s) Garbutt, Rob
Publication date 2008
Conference series Activating Human Rights and Peace Conference
Publisher Southern Cross University, Centre for Peace and Social Justice
Place of publication Lismore, N.S.W.
Summary Human rights theory is based on universalistic moral perspectives that regard each individual as a bearer of rights. These rights are often legislated nationally and implementation mandated for institutions including higher education institutions. Arendt contests this kind of governance and ruling. Arendt argues for an agonal politics. Arendt theorises politics and power as something that cannot occur in isolation; it is through ‘acting in concert’ with others that a political community is constituted. Arendt advocates for a public space where people can take care of the ‘public things’ between them to work out how to live together. In this paper I reflect on my role promoting equity within Australian higher education institutions and explore what Arendt’s theorising can add to rethinking this kind of human rights work. Arendt argued that re-valuing politics would pave the way to a ‘new appreciation of human plurality’ (Villa 1996: 17). I will argue that the ‘Fair Chance for All’ (1990) equity policy promoted a form of identity politics within higher education institutions. I argue that Arendt’s theorising can effectively disrupt identity politics and offers a corrective to the way human rights legislation and related institutional policies tend to focus on specific target populations.
Notes Reproduced with the specific permission of the copyright owner.
ISBN 9780980498059
0980498058
Language eng
Field of Research 160799 Social Work not elsewhere classified
HERDC Research category E1 Full written paper - refereed
Persistent URL http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30018129

Document type: Conference Paper
Collection: School of Health and Social Development
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