North-West University

Caring is universal. We all either receive care or provide care. In a country/continent characterized by inequality/poverty care is not always satisfactory — either the quality received or the ability to provide it (skills, capacity, etc.). There are good reasons to be dissatisfied or unhappy with the delivery of care for vulnerable people in (South) Africa. Although substantial efforts were made in the past decade, it is hardly plausible that the situation will improve in the foreseeable future. On the contrary, the expected developments (population growth, financial restrictions, regime changes) seem to aggravate the situation. In his address Prof. Baart analyses this situation and the underlying philosophy and discourses around these practices and policies. Often essentialist interpretations of Ubuntu are in many respects the underpinning and propelling force behind the central concepts and intentions of actual care policies and practices. Although uncritically and broadly accepted, a sensitive analysis of contemporary Ubuntuistic ideology exposes its limitations. Prof.
Baart will focus on the question how Ubuntu as a frame of reference can be bolstered by a contribution of an Ethics of Care perspective and the Presence Theory of which he is the father.

Professor Andries Baart, social scientist, philosopher and theologian, is Extraordinary Professor at North-West University (Vaal Triangle Campus) and is currently holding the Chair Presence and Care (Department Ethics of Care at the University of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht, The Netherlands). He developed the theory of presence and the (practice-orientated) presence approach. He is also the impelling force behind the Presence Foundation, a platform for research and practice innovation in professional heaIthcare and welfare.

On 3 March 2016, Prof. Andries Baart presented a prestige lecture with the title: “Caring for vulnerable people in late modern society. Towards the next phase of Ubuntu.” According to Prof. 8aart, caring is universal. We all either receive care or provide care. In a country/continent characterised by inequality/ poverty, care is not always satisfactory – either the quality received or the ability to provide it (e.g. skills and capacity). There are good reasons to be dissatisfied or unhappy with the delivery of care for vulnerable people in (South) Africa. Although substantial efforts were made in the past decade, it is hardly plausible hat the situation will im prove in the foreseeable future. On the contrary, the expected developments (population growth, financial restrictions, regime changes) seam to aggravate the situation. In his address, Prof. Baart analyzed this situation and the underlying philosophy and discourses around these practices and policies. Often essentialist interretations of Ubuntu are in many respects the underpinning and propelling force behind the central concepts and intentions of actual care policies and practices. Although uncritically and broadly accepted, a sensitive analysis of contemporary Ubuntuistic ideology exposes its
limitations. Prof. Baart focused on the question how Ubuntu as a frame of reference can be bolstered by a contribution of an Ethics of care perspective and the Presence Theory of which he is the father.
Click here to watch the prestige lecture on YouTube.

Click here to watch the interview with Prof. Andries Baart on YouTube.