Week 3 Social Movements & Knowledge

Question 1

What characterizes the traditional (western) conception of knowledge and knowledge production?

1. I
2. E

Answer 1

1. Individualism
2. Elitism (Formal Education)

Question 2

How does Individualism manifest in knowledge production?

1. Emphasis on…….
2. Knowledge thought of…….

Answer 2

1. Emphasise on individual accomplishments and contributions.
2. Knowledge thought of as something created & owned by individs, especially those with academic backgrounds, recognised expertise or are charismatic leaders

Question 3

What are the consequences of individualism in knowledge production?

3 points.

Answer 3

1. Collective efforts of groups and communities are overlooked in knowledge production.
2. Collective knowledge & spaces of collective knowledge production are overlooked and dismissed
3. Diversity in knowledge & knowledge producers limited

Question 4

How does Elitism manifest in knowledge production?

2 points

Answer 4

1. Institutional Authority: Knowledge production is often confined to academic institutions & professional settings, where certain individuals are deemed “experts”.
2. What constitutes knowledge & who creates it becomes limited to formal academic/institutional settings & those who belong to them.

Question 5

What are the consequences of Elitism in Knowledge production

1. Exclusion of…..
2. Limitation of……….. -> ……….. -> …………..
3. Reinforce………

Answer 5

1. Exclusion of Non-elites:
   Those outside of the elite institutions are dismissed as incapable of producing knowledge -> ordinary people & marginalized communities discriminated against
2. Limitation of Knowledge:
   Knowledge produced outside of these elite spheres & diff. ways of K production are dismissed -> knowledge is limited and insufficient -> failure to produce sound anaylsis, appropriate solutions & limits potential for transformation
3. Reinforce oppressive systems

Question 6

How is knowledge produced in Non-Academic spaces?

Answer 6

By ordinary people collectively engaging in discussions, strategizing, reflecting on their experiences and in acting (in social movements/in general).

Question 7

What is the value of this knowledge & knowledge production?

1. Knowledge takes into account ………….. & allows for ……………… (…) = ………… + ……………….
2. Promotes ………….. = …………. & …………… -> …………….. + ……………….. = ……………………

Answer 7

• Knowledge takes into account the lived experiences of people facing conflict + allows for representation of marginalized groups (rejection of individualism & elitism) = more nuanced understanding of social issues + more appropriate meausures to bring about change (e.g. more effective organising & strategizing)
• Promotes resistance against oppressive systems = recognises the contributions & realities of the marginalized & ordinary -> enables them to communicate their struggles + conceptualize transformation/new realities = resistance & change

Question 8

Causes of Intergenerational Knowledge Loss:
1. R
2. S
3. S
4. F

Answer 8

1. Resource constraints (limited resources for archiving + prioritising immediate outcomes & tangible results over documentation)
2. State Repression (fear of documenting + destruction/loss of records)
3. Social Organization of Forgetting (simplification of narratives + emphasizing individ. achivements over collective struggle)
4. Fragmentation of Movements (disollution/shifting of focus)

Question 9

How can Social Movements reproduce the Status Quo?
1. P
2. P
3. N

Answer 9

1. Professionalization of activism = Experts speaking on behalf of a community/social base -> overshadow & misrepresent efforts of ordinary people (individualism & elitism hierarchy)
2. Pursuit of ownership of ideas & issues = exclusion of voices
3. Narrow Issue Framing = simplifying/narrowing issues -> limiting self -> limiting activism

Question 10

Articles relation to African Knowledge & Knowledge Production

1. Article’s focus on……………..
2. Both challenge……….
3. Both seek……….

Answer 10

1. Article’s focus on collective knowledge production aligns with the principles of African communalism, where knowledge is seen as a collective resource rather than an individual possession.
2. Both challenge the conceptualisation of knowledge as only a product of formal academic institutions & experts (most of which follow & apply a Western conceptualisation of reality).
3. Both seek to recognise & validate the efforts, cognition and contributions of the marginalized.