Statues and Storms

Statues and Storms offers a gripping insider’s account of Max Price’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town during a transformative period in South African higher education. In the wake of the Rhodes Must Fall protests, universities across the country were engulfed in sustained and often violent demonstrations, challenging institutional cultures and sparking a global movement. This book provides a unique perspective on the protests, delving into the reasons behind the decolonising movement’s emergence at liberal universities two decades after the democratic transition. With a focus on leadership and the difficult decisions leaders must make during rapid transformation, the book also explores enduring themes in academia, including academic and artistic freedom, the limits of protest rights, institutional racism, culture and inclusiveness, and the funding of higher education.

Dr Max Price was Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town from 2008-2018. Previously, he was an independent consultant in the fields of public health, health policy, medical education and human resources for health planning. He lives in Johannesburg.

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