ICH4801
ASSIGNMENT 2 2025
UNIQUE NO.
DUE DATE: 2025
,ICH4801 – Assignment 2 (2025)
International, Comparative and History of Education
Unique Number:
Due Date:
SECTION A: COMPULSORY QUESTION
Question 1(a) (20 marks)
1. Define “colonialism” in your own words. (2 marks)
Colonialism is when a strong country takes control of another area, using its land,
people, and resources to benefit itself, while forcing its own government, language, and
systems (like education) onto the local population.
2. How does Maldonado-Torres explain the concept of coloniality? (2 marks)
According to Maldonado-Torres, coloniality is the ongoing influence of colonial systems
even after a country gains independence. It affects how knowledge, culture, education,
and power are structured, keeping old colonial ways in place.
3. Explain the difference between colonialism and coloniality. (2 marks)
Colonialism is the actual period of foreign control and rule. Coloniality, on the other
hand, refers to the lasting effects of that control—how colonial thinking and systems
continue even after political freedom is gained.
4. Sketch the sociohistorical background of colonialism and coloniality in the
South African context. (4 marks)
South Africa was colonised first by the Dutch and later by the British. Indigenous people
were forced off their land, and their languages, education, and traditions were
suppressed. Colonialism laid the foundation for apartheid, a system that continued
racial inequality. Even after apartheid ended, colonial ideas still influence the education
system and social structures, showing that coloniality is still present.
, 5. Do you agree with the colonial policies that were implemented by European
powers? Substantiate your answer. (4)
No, I do not agree. These policies devalued indigenous cultures, languages, and
knowledge systems, while imposing foreign values. This led to the loss of African
identity and long-term socioeconomic disadvantages that still affect African countries
today.
6. How does the legacy of apartheid remain a structural element in postcolonial
South Africa? (6)
The apartheid system created deep-rooted inequalities in education, housing, and
employment. Even after its abolition, many black South Africans still face poverty, lack
of access to quality education, and unemployment due to historical disadvantages. The
economic and social structures remain skewed in favour of those previously advantaged
under apartheid, reflecting the persistence of coloniality.
Question 1(b) (20 marks)
1. What was Thomas Kuhn’s (1971) main contribution to empirical research in the
modern era? (3)
Kuhn introduced the idea of “paradigms” in scientific research, describing them as the
dominant frameworks through which communities understand problems and select
research methods. He argued that scientific progress occurs through paradigm shifts.
2. Critique the social history approach and explain why it is relevant in
decolonisation studies. (2)
The social history approach is valuable as it centers on ordinary people's lived
experiences rather than elites. In decolonisation, it helps recover marginalised voices,
ASSIGNMENT 2 2025
UNIQUE NO.
DUE DATE: 2025
,ICH4801 – Assignment 2 (2025)
International, Comparative and History of Education
Unique Number:
Due Date:
SECTION A: COMPULSORY QUESTION
Question 1(a) (20 marks)
1. Define “colonialism” in your own words. (2 marks)
Colonialism is when a strong country takes control of another area, using its land,
people, and resources to benefit itself, while forcing its own government, language, and
systems (like education) onto the local population.
2. How does Maldonado-Torres explain the concept of coloniality? (2 marks)
According to Maldonado-Torres, coloniality is the ongoing influence of colonial systems
even after a country gains independence. It affects how knowledge, culture, education,
and power are structured, keeping old colonial ways in place.
3. Explain the difference between colonialism and coloniality. (2 marks)
Colonialism is the actual period of foreign control and rule. Coloniality, on the other
hand, refers to the lasting effects of that control—how colonial thinking and systems
continue even after political freedom is gained.
4. Sketch the sociohistorical background of colonialism and coloniality in the
South African context. (4 marks)
South Africa was colonised first by the Dutch and later by the British. Indigenous people
were forced off their land, and their languages, education, and traditions were
suppressed. Colonialism laid the foundation for apartheid, a system that continued
racial inequality. Even after apartheid ended, colonial ideas still influence the education
system and social structures, showing that coloniality is still present.
, 5. Do you agree with the colonial policies that were implemented by European
powers? Substantiate your answer. (4)
No, I do not agree. These policies devalued indigenous cultures, languages, and
knowledge systems, while imposing foreign values. This led to the loss of African
identity and long-term socioeconomic disadvantages that still affect African countries
today.
6. How does the legacy of apartheid remain a structural element in postcolonial
South Africa? (6)
The apartheid system created deep-rooted inequalities in education, housing, and
employment. Even after its abolition, many black South Africans still face poverty, lack
of access to quality education, and unemployment due to historical disadvantages. The
economic and social structures remain skewed in favour of those previously advantaged
under apartheid, reflecting the persistence of coloniality.
Question 1(b) (20 marks)
1. What was Thomas Kuhn’s (1971) main contribution to empirical research in the
modern era? (3)
Kuhn introduced the idea of “paradigms” in scientific research, describing them as the
dominant frameworks through which communities understand problems and select
research methods. He argued that scientific progress occurs through paradigm shifts.
2. Critique the social history approach and explain why it is relevant in
decolonisation studies. (2)
The social history approach is valuable as it centers on ordinary people's lived
experiences rather than elites. In decolonisation, it helps recover marginalised voices,
