Various figures are standing both inside and outside the Faculty building. Are you wondering why they are here and what to call them? We initially called them “kartonmense” or carton people, but later we called them “standees” based on how the manufacturers referred to them in their correspondence to us. This insider/outsider project (that comprises a two-week art installation, student and staff facilitated discussions on insiders/outsiders and a student competition) is part of a visual redress process to assist us in thinking about the visual aspects of our buildings and other spaces. It should also open discussion about how we relate to each other within the Faculty and how we relate to those outside of the Faculty. In particular, the art installation encourages conversation and engagement on a variety of themes tied to diversity, transformation and inclusivity.
The notion of insiders/outsiders surfaced quite strongly during a Faculty Visual Redress session (facilitated by Professor Costandius) that we had towards the end of 2018. Professor Elmarie Constandius from the SU Visual Arts Department prompted staff to visualise and capture certain concepts/feelings/sounds. As lawyers, we wrote words more than we created pictures or imagery. Some words that were written down include: “On the outskirts of town” and “on the edge”; urban/rural; power/no power; haves/have nots; include/excluded; fragile/beautiful; unwelcoming and cold/coffee and fresh flowers; dichotomy; open/close; and Kraal: protected insiders/potentially vulnerable outsiders.
The idea of the insider/outsider is also found in the improvement plan that the Faculty submitted in 2018 to the HEQC sub-committee during the LLB reaccreditation process: “In confronting the SU’s history of exclusion, the diversification of the staff component is a fundamental point of departure. It is from the outsiders’ vantage point that the insiders can best learn, acknowledge and remedy their shortcomings while reinforcing and growing their strengths. However, it is when the outsider becomes the insider that transformation takes place. Therefore, beyond what this report has to offer in terms of strategies and solutions to transforming the staff of the Faculty, making outsiders insiders, this report symbolises a clear, and unconditional, commitment to transformation.”
We have been building upon this theme and during the April graduation congratulatory speech, referred to the insider/outsider concept. Professor Stevens (Vice dean), referencing Ron Suskind who delivered the Lewis & Clark Commencement Speech in 2015, stated “with the freedom and privilege as a law graduate comes great responsibility. Ron Suskind … speaks further of embracing the outlier and bringing in the outsider. I remember when I was an undergraduate, and we had class in the Wilcocks in our undergraduate years, always looking across the road to the law faculty and dreaming when it would be our turn to have class here – when it was only the last two years of the LLBs who would have class here. … Those on the inside do not always want to invite in those standing at the door or looking in through the window. Those on the inside, at the table, do not always want others to join the table, saying the table is not big enough says Suskind.”
As we near the commemoration of 100 years since the inception of the SU Faculty of Law (in 2021) we are committed to adopting an inclusive welcoming process and ethos that reflects and engages with the past, present and future of our Faculty and the spaces that it occupies.
Verskeie figure staan binne en buite die Fakulteitsgebou. Wonder jy hoekom hulle hier is en wat om hulle te noem? Ons het hulle aanvanklik “kartonmense” of carton people genoem, maar later het ons hulle “standees” genoem, gebaseer op hoe die vervaardigers na hulle verwys het in die korrespondensie aan ons. Hierdie insider/outsider-projek (wat bestaan uit ‘n twee weke kunsinstallasie, ‘n studentekompetisie en fasiliteer gesprekke tussen studente en personeel oor insider/outsider) vorm deel van ‘n visuele regstelling om ons te help om na te dink oor die visuele aspekte van ons geboue en ander ruimtes. Dit moet ook gesprekke begin oor hoe ons aansluit by mekaar in die Fakulteit sowel as met diegene buite die Fakulteit. In die besonder, moedig die kunsinstallasie gesprekke en betrokkenheid aan oor ‘n verskeidenheid temas wat aan diversiteit, transformasie en inklusiwiteit gekoppel word.
Die idee van insider/outsider-projek het in 2018 tydens die Fakulteit se Visuele Regstellingsessie (gefasiliteer deur Professor Costandius) redelik sterk voorgekom. Professor Elmarie Constandius van die US Visuele Kunste Departement het personeel gevra om sekere konsepte/gevoelens te visualiseer en te teken. As prokureurs het ons meer woorde geskryf as wat ons beelde geskep het. Van die woorde wat neergeskryf is: “On the outskirts of town” en “on the edge”; stedelike/landelike; krag/geen krag; “haves/have nots”; broos/pragtige; ongasvryheid en koue/koffie en vars blomme; digotomie; oop/toe; en Kraal: beskermde insiders/moontlike kwesbare buitestaanders.
Die idee van die insider/outsider word ook gevind in die verbeteringsplan wat die Fakulteit in 2018 aan die HEQC-subkomitee voorgelê het tydens die LLB-herkrediteringsproses: “In confronting the SU’s history of exclusion, the diversification of the staff component is a fundamental point of departure. It is from the outsiders’ vantage point that the insiders can best learn, acknowledge and remedy their shortcomings while reinforcing and growing their strengths. However, it is when the outsider becomes the insider that transformation takes place. Therefore, beyond what this report has to offer in terms of strategies and solutions to transforming the staff of the Faculty, making outsiders insiders, this report symbolises a clear, and unconditional, commitment to transformation.”
Ons het op hierdie tema gebou en tydens die April-gradeplegtigheid gelukwensingstoespraak het Professor Stevens (Visedekaan) na die insider/outsider-konsep sowel as Ron Suskind, wat die Lewis & Clark Aanvangstoespraak in 2015 gelewer het, verwys: “with the freedom and privilege as a law graduate comes great responsibility. Ron Suskind … speaks further of embracing the outlier and bringing in the outsider. I remember when I was an undergraduate and we had class in the Wilcocks in our undergraduate years, always looking across the road to the law faculty and dreaming when it would be our turn to have class here – when it was only the last two years of the LLBs who would have class here. … Those on the inside do not always want to invite in those standing at the door or looking in through the window. Those on the inside, at the table, do not always want others to join the table, saying the table is not big enough says Suskind.”
Soos ons die herdenking van 100 jaar sedert die stigting van die US se Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid (in 2021) nader, verbind die Fakulteit hul met die volgende: Die aanvaarding van ‘n inklusiewe verwelkomingsproses en etos wat die verlede, die hede en toekoms van ons Fakulteit en die ruimtes wat dit beset, betrek en weerspieël.
