1. In his essay “Apartheid’s Anthropologists: The Genealogy of Afrikaner Anthropology,” Robert Gordon argues that the limitations and abuses of Volkekunde must be understood in terms of the social context in which volkekundiges were producing knowledge. As male Afrikaner intellectuals at apartheid-supporting universities, these scholars tended to be isolated, and to isolate themselves, from the lives of those whom they were studying and the ideas exchanged outside a narrow sub-field of their discipline. Write an essay in which you: a.) Summarise Gordon’s argument and b.) Analyse how that argument may pertain to decolonising social science at the UFS and other South African universities today.

Question

1.	In his essay “Apartheid’s Anthropologists: The Genealogy of Afrikaner Anthropology,” Robert Gordon argues that the limitations and abuses of Volkekunde must be understood in terms of the social context in which volkekundiges were producing knowledge. As male Afrikaner intellectuals at apartheid-supporting universities, these scholars tended to be isolated, and to isolate themselves, from the lives of those whom they were studying and the ideas exchanged outside a narrow sub-field of their discipline.  Write an essay in which you: a.) Summarise Gordon’s argument and b.) Analyse how that argument may pertain to decolonising social science at the UFS and other South African universities today. 
Unpack and explain the above question in brief and in detail step by step making it easier to understand

GPT 3.5 · Answer

Step 1: Introduction
- Introduce the essay topic, mentioning the main argument presented by Robert Gordon in his essay about apartheid's anthropology.
- Provide a brief overview of the focus on the limitations and abuses of Volkekunde in the social context of apartheid-supporting universities.

Step 2: Summary of Robert Gordon's Argument
- Explain how Gordon argues that the volkekundiges, as male Afrikaner intellectuals, were isolated from the people they were studying and from broader intellectual exchange.
- Highlight the tendency of these scholars to confine themselves within a narrow sub-field of their discipline, leading to a limited and skewed understanding of the subjects they were studying.

Step 3: Analysis of Gordon's Argument
- Discuss how the social context of apartheid and the ideological support for segregation influenced the production of knowledge by these scholars.
- Consider the implications of this isolation and narrow focus on the quality and relevance of the research conducted in the field of Volkekunde.
- Examine how this historical perspective can help us understand the challenges of decolonising social science at the University of the Free State (UFS) and other South African universities today.

Step 4: Pertinence to Decolonising Social Science
- Analyse how the legacy of apartheid-era anthropology continues to impact the way social science is taught and researched in South African universities.
- Discuss the importance of broadening the perspectives and methodologies used in social science disciplines in order to decolonise the curriculum and promote diversity and inclusivity.
- Consider the role of scholars, students, and institutions in challenging and transforming the Eurocentric biases that have historically influenced social science research in South Africa.

Step 5: Conclusion
- Summarise the main points made in the essay, highlighting the significance of understanding the historical context of apartheid anthropology in the process of decolonising social science in South African universities.
- Emphasise the importance of promoting diverse perspectives and engaging with a wider range of voices and experiences in order to create a more inclusive and relevant social science curriculum.