/ 15 December 2005

Intellectual freedom not for sale

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has lost its highest-profile social scientist, Xolela Mangcu, who cited political interference as a reason for leaving. Mangcu alleges that the CEO, Olive Shisana, did not protect him from the criticism of Cabinet ministers, as well as first lady Zanele Mbeki. The HSRC alleges that Mangcu violated the organisation’s media policy.

What were the big issues which drove you out of the HSRC?

I felt my intellectual freedom and independence were at stake. The loss of intellectual independence is the most unfortunate thing that can happen to this country. There is a space between the world of politics and of culture. Culture is what we make in these spaces and once politics tries to transgress — it’s dangerous.

The HSRC is trying to paint the incident as a breach of media protocol. Do you agree?

I reject that. I have said so to CEO Olive Shisana many times. What I had an issue with was the introduction of political considerations into my professional work and into the realm of cultural intellectual life. I don’t want to generalise [about political considerations]: I, for example, have a wonderful relationship with [Arts and Culture Minister] Pallo Jordan.

In the presence of other people at the HSRC, Shisana said that the first lady did not think that the disclaimer that we write in our personal capacity is sufficient.

There’s been talk within the HSRC about suggestions for the editing of the State of the Nation (an annual publication) which can undermine its independence.

There’s been a suggestion that a reference group be set up to oversee the State of the Nation. Why do you need another review group?

There was also a suggestion that the publication should review President Thabo Mbeki’s Plan of Action [basically government’s to-do list] …

This would detract from the independence and intellectualism of that work.

The HSRC is a quasi-state body. And, therefore, the piper will try to call the tune. Is the trick not in how these attempts are managed?

After Shisana told me about unhappy Cabinet ministers, I wrote to her to say ”what I need from you is protection”. CEOs need to protect their researchers and encourage public debate.

I’ve also never heard of a research institution that wants to shy away from the public domain; you need to get your ideas out there.

The HSRC’s research does not pussy-foot: I’m thinking in particular of Shisana’s own research on HIV/Aids and of David Hemson’s work on the state of delivery. It does not appear to be an organisation that churns out whitewashes. Do you agree?

That is why I was shocked, given Olive’s background on the HIV/Aids issue, at what she did to me.

Why aren’t other people complaining or leaving?

You have an intellectual hotbed and people are afraid to speak. There’s a culture of fear there that is incredible for a research organisation.

Nobody will speak back to an executive director. If you are an executive director, you are a lord. There is a culture of control and what Olive’s done is take it to a higher level: I was hoping that she would open the place up.

It’s like we inherit institutions like the HSRC and we don’t do anything to change them. People just go in and fit in. They are paid a lot of money, you know.

Organisations obviously want to ‘own’ their big stars and you were one. Yet you are many other things: a WEB Du Bois fellow; a Business Day columnist; a political analyst. Was this an issue at all?

I think so, but I was hired with all of that in mind. My profile was an issue in all that has happened to me. It was an issue in my lecture series being taken away from me, ostensibly for reasons of ”coordination”. [Mangcu organised a lecture series featuring Wole Soyinka, Mahmood Mamdani, Henry Louis Gates Jnr and Cornel West.]

The series brought a new constituency to the HSRC. Ultimately, [the fight] is also about individual versus institutional identities.

And it’s also about what black folk do to each other. There tends to be a sense of foreboding towards each other and it’s made me cynical about the politics of race and solidarity.

Where to for you now?

I am talking to a number of universities. I may even do my own thing.

The policy that caused all the trouble

This policy is intended to regulate interaction between the HSRC and the media to protect our image and reputation and to minimise the potential for friction with its stakeholders.

In a 2005 risk assessment, unregulated media relations were identified as the fourth-highest risk for the organisation with regard to:

  • Inappropriate public release of controversial or sensitive information;
  • Public expression of uninformed comment on sensitive or contro-versial issues;
  • and

  • Researchers promoting their own profiles as opposed to promoting the organisation.
  • This policy seeks to strike a balance between the constitutional right to free speech of individual researchers, both as scientists and as private citizens, and the rights of the HSRC to preserve and protect its image and reputation as an independent, non-partisan organisation.

    Therefore, executive directors and heads of units/sections are required to ensure that statements are in line with the HSRC values of independence, non-discrimination, honesty and non-partisanship, keeping in mind that:

  • The HSRC is not an advocacy organisation and should therefore not be portrayed as propounding specific socio-political positions;
  • The HSRC is a knowledge-based organisation that offers only knowledge-based comment or critique;
  • The HSRC accepts that the organisation is a community of scholars who will invariably be invited to provide knowledgeable comment or analysis on current affairs on radio and television. The HSRC encourages such participation, but puts the onus on the commentator to be sure that he or she is appropriately equipped to do so;
  • The CEO or her deputy must be informed where it is anticipated that media releases will evoke public controversy;
  • and

  • In issuing media releases (whether research reports or otherwise), the interests of the commissioning client and/or funder must be protected and honoured.
  • This is an edited version of the HSRC media policy implemented in September 2005