FASSC PROFILE.pdf - CUEA

aspects of human life and society. A critical mind examines the world with objective eyes.
Here, culture and science are given equal consideration because they are both important for
understanding the human being. Critical mind also promotes scientific study/teaching and
academic research in all fields. Critical thinking flows or ought to flow into all units at all levels
and in all departments. We, therefore, need to create significant space for reasoning so that
reasons for agreeing or disagreeing are made open. Aim to be a critical thinker.
2.3 A Call to Comprehensive
Thinking
It is one thing to think critically and another to think comprehensively. As a matter of fact,
the Faculty offers numerous ways of reflecting on what is: God, people and the universe.
However these three items are looked at through different lenses.
Friends in Social Sciences, Social work, Anthropology, Economics, Political Sciences,
English, Developmental Studies, Geography and Environmental Studies, History, Kiswahili,
Philosophy and Religious Studies will certainly have different views of the same reality. These
different perspectives or these multidisciplinary aspects respond to various goals and objectives
that are needed for a comprehensive knowledge. Differences become a source of wealth when
well understood.
Thus students and lecturers should be inspired by this multidisciplinary state of affairs in
order to broaden our views, think comprehensively, and become multidisciplinary. There is
joy, power and authority to have a large view of things because it helps make sound statements;
generate all-embracing ideas; works for inclusion and paves the way for real globalization.
We should avoid narrow mindedness, for narrow-minded people are like people who are
trained not to see anything else except what they are used to see. They are not able to
accommodate new ideas or opinions or to dialogue. They therefore become enemies of
cooperation and collaboration. We must learn to think comprehensively so as to fit in the
modern world.
2.4 We become what we eat
People who are committed to what they study or teach should be transformed by their
various subjects and be defenders of the substantial values of those subjects. This is a call to
those in Social Sciences to be advocates of the social values that build societies and make them
stronger. Those in Development Studies should be serious agents of integral development that
our society needs. This should narrow down to some specific areas of development such as
Rural and Urban development. Those in Languages (Kiswahili and English) should be vehicles
of our beautiful cultures. Those in Geography and Environmental studies should be promoters
of natural features and guardians of our environment. Those in History should be custodians
of the past for a brighter future. Those in Religious Studies should be rational lovers of
religions for the avoidance of religious conflicts and the promotion of religious values. This
therefore, makes us be what we eat.
2.5 Towards Real
Interdisciplinary
Academic
Activities
The Faculty is highly interdisciplinary but this interdisciplinary is not visible. We must try to
make it visible. The following are a number of suggestions that could help us move into real
interdisciplinary actions.
1. Establishment of a journal for the Faculty that is open to all scholars.
2. Organization of faculty interdisciplinary seminars/workshops that count as units taught (with
marks for our students).