In emancipatory social work we place a premium on Ubuntu and being for the other. This calls for compassion, non-judgmentalism, unconditional positive regard, authenticity in relationships, skills in generative and active listening, empathic entries into the life worlds of people, and living the “love your neighbour” dictum – all easier said than done. What do all of these mean, and how do we make them real in day-to-day living and in our professional practices?
Reading
Our learning comes as much from dialogue and debate, prescribed texts and scientific research, as they do from fiction and non-fiction, documentaries and movies. I read many books related to the these calls – one that comes to mind immediately is by Edith Eger called “The Choice” – read it if you have not done so. Also read Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari and The Leader Who Had No Title, and Vishanthie Sewpaul’s memoir, The Arc of our Paths: Growing into Wholeness.
Films
We are all leaders and we can all be heroes. I recall, on an immediate level, three movies that provide invaluable lessons on these complex issues: Dead Man Walking with Susan Sarandon, and A War to End All Wars with Kiefer Sutherland, and Invictus with Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela. See Cambridge Analytica that describes how the media is used to manipulate and control our consciousness. Also another Netflix docu-series – The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez. Share your thoughts and readings in small discussion groups. You are in this wonderful space of intellectual enquiry among friends, and will share this space for at least two years. Maximize the opportunities that you have. Engage in curious enquiry; be willing to suspend belief and entertain new ways of knowing and doing.
Music
Biko by Peter Gabriel, 1980
Steve Biko was named in Peter Gabriels third album and song titled Biko – raising attention Biko’s case. Biko was third single to be taken from Peter’s third solo album and it was released in August 1980.
WHO?
Bantu Stephen Biko was a young South African leader who died in 1977 as a result of injuries received during interrogations by the South African Security Police. For further information, I would suggest the book ‘Biko’ by Donald Woods on Penguin.
Of this song Gabriel said:
“I believe Steve Biko was very important. He could have been a very positive force in Africa and a leader young people all over the world could have identified with.
When I heard of Steve Biko’s detention on the radio, I was sure that publicity would protect him. World attention had been attracted to the large number of prison suicides, slipping in showers jumping from windows and hanging… I was shocked one breakfast time to hear of his death and wrote down some thoughts in my diary which were to be the start of the lyrics two years later.”
Donald Wood’s book ‘Biko’ had formed part of the inspiration for the song as well as the basis for the film ‘Cry Freedom’.
Source: Biko – PeterGabriel.com
“Black” by Dave (David Orobosa Omoregie) 2020
“Black” is the third track from British rapper and songwriter Dave’s (David Orobosa Omoregie) debut album “Psychodrama”, which was released on the 8th March 2019 through the label “Neighbourhood”. The song describes institutionalised racism in the UK and attitudes towards black culture in the western world, mentioning race related crimes in the UK in recent times.
The song shown here is performed live at the Brit Awards 2020 (ratings at 3.8 million viewers), where Dave won the 2020 Brit Award Album Of The Year. You can read an NME article about the performance by Jason Okundaye, since Orobosa added an extra verse especially for the Brit Awards performance to challenge the racism within the establishment (government) in England. The article cites and explains some of the lyrics: Dave at the Brits: how the rapper took on every racist tosser in the country (nme.com)
