Human rights, juridical forms and the crisis of values in education

Abstract

Though critical of, but nonetheless employing Habermas' notion of systems and lifeworld (which forms part of his reconstructive theory of law), I argue that rights-related values in South Africa have taken on a juridical form at the expense of substantive public deliberation. This brings about the assimilation of values into the systems world, which impedes deliberation about values in the lifeworld. The development of normative standards by means of deliberation in the lifeworld has been hindered by the juridification of values related to human rights, and this, I argue, has contributed to the crisis of values in education. I suggest that we utilise the lifeworld space more substantively and purposefully to engage with the crisis of values in education as a way of foregrounding "nonlegal mechanisms of cooperation".

AFRIKAANS: Alhoewel ek krities staan teenoor Habermas se begrippe van stelsel (system) en leefwêreld (lifeworld) (beide vorm deel van sy rekonstruktiewe regsteorie), argumenteer ek dat waardes wat aan regte gekoppel is 'n juridiese aard ten koste van substantiewe openbare debat ingeneem het. Dit lei tot die assimilasie van waardes in die stelselwêreld (system world), wat 'n beperking op gesprekvoering ten opsigte van waardes in die leefwêreld plaas. Hierdie beperking dra by tot die sogenaamde waardekrisis in die onderwys. Ek stel voor dat ons die ruimte in die leefwêreld meer doelgerig moet gebruik om hierdie waardekrisis die hoof te bied as 'n wyse om "nonlegal mechanisms of cooperation" te bevorder.