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Corrupted: A study of chronic dysfunction in South African universities
In South African higher education, the images of dysfunction are everywhere. Student protests. Violence. Police presence. Rubber or real bullets. Class disruptions. Burning tyres. Damaged buildings. Injury and sometimes death. Reports of wholesale corruption. Year after year, often in the same set of universities; the problem of routine instability seems insoluble.
The financial, academic and reputational costs of ongoing dysfunction are high, especially for those universities caught-up in the never-ending struggle to overcome apartheid legacies. Any number of explanations have been ventured, including a lack of resources, shortage of capacity, rural location, corrupt officials, and endemic conflict. Corrupted takes a deeper look at dysfunction in an attempt to unravel the root causes in a sample of South African universities.
At the heart of the problem lies the vexed issue of resources or, more pertinently, the relationship between resources and who gets what, and why? Whatever else it aspires to be—commonly, a place of teaching, learning, research and public duty—a university in an impoverished community is also a rich concentration of resources around which corrupt staff, students and those outside of campus all vie for access.
Taking a political economic approach, Jonathan Jansen describes the daily struggle for institutional resources and offers accessible, sensible insights. He argues that the problem won’t be solved through investments in ‘capacity building’ alone because the combination of institutional capacity and institutional integrity contributes to serial instability in universities. Rather, durable solutions would include the depoliticisation of university councils and appointments of academics with integrity and capacity to manage and lead these fragile institutions.
This groundbreaking and long overdue study will offer a promising way forward for universities to better serve their communities and the country more broadly.
The financial, academic and reputational costs of ongoing dysfunction are high, especially for those universities caught-up in the never-ending struggle to overcome apartheid legacies. Any number of explanations have been ventured, including a lack of resources, shortage of capacity, rural location, corrupt officials, and endemic conflict. Corrupted takes a deeper look at dysfunction in an attempt to unravel the root causes in a sample of South African universities.
At the heart of the problem lies the vexed issue of resources or, more pertinently, the relationship between resources and who gets what, and why? Whatever else it aspires to be—commonly, a place of teaching, learning, research and public duty—a university in an impoverished community is also a rich concentration of resources around which corrupt staff, students and those outside of campus all vie for access.
Taking a political economic approach, Jonathan Jansen describes the daily struggle for institutional resources and offers accessible, sensible insights. He argues that the problem won’t be solved through investments in ‘capacity building’ alone because the combination of institutional capacity and institutional integrity contributes to serial instability in universities. Rather, durable solutions would include the depoliticisation of university councils and appointments of academics with integrity and capacity to manage and lead these fragile institutions.
This groundbreaking and long overdue study will offer a promising way forward for universities to better serve their communities and the country more broadly.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2023
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July 2, 2026
Corrupted: A Study of Chronic Dysfunction in South African Universities is a timely, insightful, and rigorously researched examination of one of the most pressing challenges confronting higher education in South Africa. Jonathan D. Jansen moves beyond surface level explanations to provide a thoughtful political economic analysis of why institutional instability persists and what meaningful reforms are required to restore integrity, trust, and academic excellence within the university sector.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its willingness to confront difficult realities with both intellectual honesty and practical insight. Rather than attributing dysfunction solely to limited resources or historical inequality, Jansen carefully examines the complex relationship between institutional governance, resource allocation, corruption, leadership, and organizational culture. His analysis demonstrates how systemic challenges emerge from the interaction of political, economic, and administrative forces, offering readers a far deeper understanding of why recurring instability continues to affect many institutions.
What makes Corrupted particularly compelling is its balanced approach. While acknowledging the enduring impact of apartheid-era inequalities, the book also emphasizes the importance of institutional integrity, ethical leadership, and accountable governance in shaping the future of higher education. Jansen does not simply diagnose the problems; he presents thoughtful and constructive pathways toward reform, arguing that sustainable change requires both strong institutional capacity and principled leadership capable of serving the broader educational mission.
Carefully researched, clearly written, and highly relevant, Corrupted makes an important contribution to the fields of higher education, public policy, governance, political economy, and organizational leadership. It is an essential resource for university leaders, policymakers, academics, researchers, students, and anyone interested in understanding how universities can better fulfill their responsibilities to society while navigating complex institutional challenges. More than an analysis of dysfunction, it is a thoughtful call for accountability, integrity, and lasting reform within higher education.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its willingness to confront difficult realities with both intellectual honesty and practical insight. Rather than attributing dysfunction solely to limited resources or historical inequality, Jansen carefully examines the complex relationship between institutional governance, resource allocation, corruption, leadership, and organizational culture. His analysis demonstrates how systemic challenges emerge from the interaction of political, economic, and administrative forces, offering readers a far deeper understanding of why recurring instability continues to affect many institutions.
What makes Corrupted particularly compelling is its balanced approach. While acknowledging the enduring impact of apartheid-era inequalities, the book also emphasizes the importance of institutional integrity, ethical leadership, and accountable governance in shaping the future of higher education. Jansen does not simply diagnose the problems; he presents thoughtful and constructive pathways toward reform, arguing that sustainable change requires both strong institutional capacity and principled leadership capable of serving the broader educational mission.
Carefully researched, clearly written, and highly relevant, Corrupted makes an important contribution to the fields of higher education, public policy, governance, political economy, and organizational leadership. It is an essential resource for university leaders, policymakers, academics, researchers, students, and anyone interested in understanding how universities can better fulfill their responsibilities to society while navigating complex institutional challenges. More than an analysis of dysfunction, it is a thoughtful call for accountability, integrity, and lasting reform within higher education.
Displaying 1 of 1 review