The argumentative turn in policy analysis from the perspective of the language policy in South African Higher Education: Potential for change

: (Alternative Format Thesis)

Abstract

The establishment of the new dispensation in 1994 marked the ushering in of the new administration in the South African political landscape. This development necessitated constitutional reforms (Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996) which underpinned a new policy agenda in all functional fields of government, with a view to effecting change. Higher education was not immune to this new political arrangement; in fact, the enactment of the Language Policy for Higher Education (DHET, 2002) as a framework, was one of the key pieces of legislation intended to drive the programme of language policy and policy implementation to support the transformation agenda in higher education. Apart from underscoring the importance of equity, access and success, the framework was very intentional about universities developing their respective language policies to promote multilingualism, as well as student proficiency in designated languages (i.e., African languages) for teaching and learning, alongside English and Afrikaans. Many public universities heeded the Ministerial call to formulate and develop language policies; however, many institutions fell way short on implementation. Twenty years later, higher education saw the enactment of another Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions (DHET 2020), which carried a somewhat similar mandate, that is, the provision of a framework for the development of indigenous languages as languages of learning and teaching in higher education, amongst others.

The key objectives of this study were investigated by means of interconnected published and publishable papers, with each paper bringing to the fore a fresh perspective on the notion of language policy and language policy implementation in higher education. The first paper explores the language policy development and formulation processes associated with South African Qualification Authority and draws on the notion of presupposition as a viable framework for analysing policy text. In this paper, implications for transformation in higher education pertaining to policy text are highlighted. The second paper undertakes an argumentative analysis of language policy within the South African higher education context, drawing on Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as a form of dialectical reasoning in an attempt to demonstrate the extent to which critical questions serve as a utility to evaluate practical arguments which may be employed to challenge unjustifiable or impractical policy proposals and defend practical and justifiable policy proposals that carry the potential to contribute to change. The third paper problematises the notions of language policy action and implementation in South African higher education and thus considers language policy implementation as a problem-solution orientation. Central to this paper is the proposal and development of the Goal – Plan – Action – Change (GPAC) Model, influenced by the 7-C Protocol, and its practical potential towards language policy implementation in higher education in South Africa. The study reveals that deconstructing policy from the perspective of text and discourse carries some notable spin-offs in the domain of higher education. Further, the study underscores not only the relevance and centrality of the notion of dialectical reasoning in the process of policy development and implementation, but more importantly, the utility of the newly developed GPAC model, foregrounded in the 7-C protocol.

Date of Award	25 Mar 2026
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Sponsors	Department of Higher Education and Training
Supervisor	Gina Wisker (Supervisor)