Download or read book Investigations Into The Ubuntu Philosophy in Africa as a Response to Eurocentrism written by Ronald Magoba and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2024-02-15 with total page 63 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Master's Thesis from the year 2020 in the subject Philosophy - Miscellaneous, grade: 80%, Loyola College (Department of Philosophy), course: Philosophy, language: English, abstract: In the exploration of philosophical thought, African philosophy stands as a rich tapestry of cultural depth and intellectual inquiry, offering unique insights into the human experience. This thesis delves into the essence of African philosophical thought and its interaction with Eurocentric influences. Against the backdrop of Africa's diverse traditions and histories, this study seeks to understand the role of Ubuntu philosophy in shaping African identity amidst the challenges posed by Eurocentric ideologies. The introductory sections provide a foundation for the analysis, outlining the dissertation's structure and objectives. Beginning with an overview of African philosophy's tenets, nature, and historical development, the study examines fundamental principles such as the interconnectedness of individuals and communities, the importance of oral traditions, and the influence of societal structures on philosophical discourse. Subsequent chapters explore contemporary philosophical trends within Africa, highlighting diverse schools of thought that have emerged in response to external influences. From ethnophilosophy to hermeneutics, each school offers unique insights into Africa's philosophical landscape, reflecting the ongoing quest to reclaim indigenous wisdom and challenge Eurocentric hegemony. Central to the inquiry is an examination of Eurocentrism and its impact on African philosophy. Through an analysis of colonial legacies, racial biases, and epistemological paradigms, the study illuminates the ways in which Eurocentric ideologies have marginalized and distorted African intellectual traditions, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of Ubuntu philosophy as a potential response. At its core, the study interrogates Ubuntu philosophy and its transformative potential in the face of Eurocentric domination. Drawing on historical accounts, contemporary examples, and comparative analyses, it elucidates Ubuntu's core principles of interconnectedness, compassion, and communal solidarity, highlighting its universal relevance as a philosophy of human dignity and mutual respect.
Download or read book Africa s Quest for a Philosophy of Decolonization written by Messay Kebede and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discovers freedom in the colonial idea of African primitiveness. As human transcendence, freedom escapes the drawbacks of otherness, as defended by ethnophilosophy, while exposing the idiosyncratic inspiration of Eurocentric universalism. Decolonization calls for the reconnection with freedom, that is, with myth-making understood as the inaugural act of cultural pluralism. The cultural condition of modernization emerges when the return to the past deploys the future.
Download or read book A Report on Ubuntu written by Leonhard Praeg and published by University of Kwazulu Natal Press. This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Twenty years after the end of apartheid rule, the claim that democratic South Africa is founded on the 'spirit of law' (nomos) of our shared humanity is questionable, to say the least. Some would argue that all talk of Ubuntu (or African humanism) should be dismissed as a passing fad of an exhausted nationalism. But, a different response to the present is possible; one that proceeds from a temporary suspension (epoche) of the nationalist matrix, and all the dead-end questions that have resulted from it, in order to reposition Ubuntu in the more cosmopolitan terms of a critical humanism that must always remain irreducible to the politics of the day. As discussed in this book, this is a project that has to return to, in order to retrace, the founding claim that a politics premised on our shared humanity is, after all, perhaps possible. (Series: Thinking Africa) [Subject: African Studies, Politics]
Download or read book African Philosophy and Thought Systems written by Mawere, Munyaradzi and published by Langaa RPCIG. This book was released on 2016-01-21 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The once acrimonious debate on the existence of African philosophy has come of age, yet the need to cultivate a culture of belonging is more demanding now than ever before in many African societies. The gargantuan indelible energised chicanery waves of neo-colonialism and globalisation and their sweeping effect on Africa demand more concerted action and solutions than cul-de-sac discourses and magical realism. It is in view of this realisation that this book was born. This is a vital text for understanding contextual historical trends in the development of African philosophic ideas on the continent and how Africans could possibly navigate the turbulent catadromous waters, tangled webs and chasms of destruction, and chagrin of struggles that have engrossed Africa since the dawn of slavery and colonial projects on the continent. The book aims to generate more insights and influence national, continental, and global debates in the field of philosophy. It is accessible and handy to a wider range of readers, ranging from educators and students of African philosophy, anthropology, African studies, cultural studies, and all those concerned with the further development of African philosophy and thought systems on the African continent.
Download or read book Ubuntu and the Reconstitution of Community written by James Ogude and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2019-05-16 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ubuntu is premised on the ethical belief that an individual's humanity is fostered in a network of human relationships: I am because you are; we are because you are. The essays in this lively volume elevate the debate about ubuntu beyond the buzzword it has become, especially within South African religious and political contexts. The seasoned scholars and younger voices gathered here grapple with a range of challenges that ubuntu puts forward. They break down its history and analyze its intellectual surroundings in African philosophical traditions, European modernism, religious contexts, and human rights discourses. The discussion embraces questions about what it means to be human and to be a part of a community, giving attention to moments of loss and fragmentation in postcolonial modernity, to come to a more meaningful definition of belonging in a globalizing world. Taken together, these essays offer a rich understanding of ubuntu in all of its complexity and reflect on a value system rooted in the everyday practices of ordinary people in their daily encounters with churches, schools, and other social institutions.
Download or read book The Painful Demise of Eurocentrism written by Molefi Kete Asante and published by Africa Research and Publications. This book was released on 1999 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Molefi Asante, the founding and pre-eminent theorist of Afrocentricity, is one of the most important intellectuals working in the field today. In thistopical work he addresses the critics of Afrocentricity and demonstrates the principal problem is their disbelief in the agency of Africans - that is the ability of Africans to create society, community, culture and civilisation. Asante challenges the basic arguments of the critics and reiterates the correctness of the Afrocentric vision for the African world.
Download or read book Digital Preservation and Documentation of Global Indigenous Knowledge Systems written by Masenya, Tlou Maggie and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2023-08-03 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Indigenous knowledge is regarded as undocumented cultural, local, traditional, and community knowledge produced and owned by local people in their specific communities. It is mainly preserved in the memories of elders and shared or passed on from generation to generation through oral communication, traditional practices, and demonstrations. This irreplaceable resource may be lost forever as a direct result of the pressures of modernization, colonization, and globalization. Concern over the loss of Indigenous knowledge has thus raised a need for the preservation and documentation of this knowledge in digital formats. Digital Preservation and Documentation of Global Indigenous Knowledge Systems determines how Indigenous knowledge can be documented and digitally preserved to benefit Indigenous knowledge owners and their communities and be accessible for future generations. The book provides the best practices, innovative strategies, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, and empirical research findings regarding the digital preservation and documentation of Indigenous knowledge systems worldwide. Covering topics such as digital media platforms, educational management, and knowledge systems, this premier reference source is a valuable and useful tool for students, information professionals, knowledge managers, records managers, Indigenous knowledge owners, Indigenous community leaders, librarians, archivists, computer scientists, information technology specialists, students and educators of higher education, researchers, and academicians.
Download or read book Prophecies and Protests written by Henk van den Heuvel and published by Rozenberg Publishers. This book was released on 2006 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What can managers around the globe learn from the indigenous African term ""Ubuntu"" (humane-ness)?For the first time ever, ""African management"" advocates, interpretative scholars, and academic skeptics, are brought together in a unique book, displaying the richness of the debate on Afrocentric management vision. This debate is characterized by polarization, cultural protest, emancipatory aspiration, mystification and opportunism. Prophecies and Protests offers a broad spectrum of remarkably diverse views from different backgrounds, and could be seen as an important step to foster the dialogue between protagonists and critics, between practitioners and academics. Especially today, the central theme of the book is relevant, in an era of worldwide cultural diffusion, and a longing for authenticity and romanticized histories.
Download or read book The Routledge Companion to Critical Management Studies written by Anshuman Prasad and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-08-14 with total page 660 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The scholarly field of Critical Management Studies (CMS) is in a state of flux. Against a backdrop of dramatic global shifts, CMS scholarship has lately taken a number of new and exciting directions and, at times, challenged older critical voices. Novel theoretical frameworks and diverse research interests mark the CMS field as never before. Interrogating conventional critiques of management and arguing for fresh approaches, The Routledge Companion to Critical Management Studies captures this intellectual ferment and new spirit of inquiry within CMS, and showcases the pluralistic generation of CMS scholars that has emerged in recent years. Setting the scene for a crucial period for the discipline, this insightful volume covers new ground and essential areas grouped under the following themes: Critique and its (dis-)contents Difference, otherness, marginality Knowledge at the crossroads History and discourse Global predicaments. Drawing on the expertise of an international team of contributing scholars, The Routledge Companion to Critical Management Studies is a rich resource and the perfect reference tool for students and researchers of management and organization.
Download or read book In the Spirit of Ubuntu written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2009-01-01 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “This is an excellent and timely book ... In the Spirit of Ubuntu: Stories of Teaching and Research represents a seminal educational intervention that should re-direct the way we see and interact with learning and pedagogical projects and relationships. The book is well organized, is written in non-alienating, humanist language, and should be very useful for students, researchers, and the general public. Students in the West, who are not familiar with the philosophy of ubuntu, should be exposed to the contents of this book.”—Ali A Abdi, in Alberta Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 58, No. 4
Download or read book Pathways to Alternative Epistemologies in Africa written by Adeshina Afolayan and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-01-04 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume investigates alternative epistemological pathways by which knowledge production in Africa can proceed. The contributors, using different intellectual dynamics, explore the existing epistemological dominance of the West—from architecture to gender discourse, from environmental management to democratic governance—and offer distinct and unique arguments that challenge the denigration of the different and differing modes of knowing that the West considered “barbaric” and “primitive.” This volume therefore constitutes a minimal gesture that further contributes to the ongoing discourse on alternative modes of knowing in Africa.
Download or read book African Philosophy and the Quest for Autonomy written by Leonhard Praeg and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2022-06-08 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As academic subject African philosophy is predominantly concerned with epistemology. It aims at re-presenting a lost body of authentic African thought. This apparently austere a-historical concern is framed by a grand narrative of liberation that cannot but politicise the quest for epistemological autonomy. By “politicise” I mean that the desire to re-cover an authentic African epistemology in order to establish African philosophy as autonomous subject, ironically re-iterates Western, enlightenment notions of the autonomous subject. Here, in the pursuit of an autonomous subject the terms of historical oppression are necessarily duplicated in the terms of liberation. In this study I use the term disfigurement to refer to the double-bind - peculiar to post-coloniality - in which the African subject finds itself when it has to establish and affirm a sense of apartheid (in order to confirm the assumption of difference) by inventing its own autonomy in a way that ironically conflicts with an African conception of the autonomous subject. The transcendental concern with epistemological authenticity and autonomy - indicative of an oppressive desire for Western style autonomy - necessary as it may be in a post-colonial context, is placed in an ethical framework that seeks to remain faithful to the African dictum of identity and autonomy “I am because we are”. Whereas the first three chapters are concerned with the transcendental question ‘what is African philosophy?’, the fourth and last chapter situates the ethical framework within which this question arises in the context of the recently “completed” South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Download or read book Political Economy of Development and Business written by Bhabani Shankar Nayak and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-09-30 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents an alternative, critical perspective on the political economy of development and business. The everyday issues experienced by those on the margins are examined to highlight the Eurocentric bias at the centre of development theory, public policy, and business practices. Ruling class projects within these areas are critically evaluated in order to present a vision of development that recognises pluralistic traditions and people’s everyday experiences. Eurocentric liberal myopia and its praxis are outlined in development theory, public policy, and business practices. Particular focus is given to tribal planning, needs based development, public private partnerships, modes of capital accumulation, conscious capitalism, and creative business education. This book stands in defense of critical inquiry and pluriversal knowledge against the monolithic knowledge traditions and use of ruling class projects in development, public policy, and business ethics. It aims to explore new forms of economic transformation that are inclusive and worker led. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in the political economy, development economics, and international business.
Download or read book African Ethics written by Jonathan O. Chimakonam and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-08-25 with total page 473 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first comprehensive exploration of African ethics covering everything from normative ethics and applied ethics, to meta-ethics and methodology, as well as the history of its evolution. African Ethics provides an in-depth exploration of Ubuntu ethics which is defined as a set of values based on concepts such as reciprocity, mutual respect, and working towards the common good. Ubuntu ethics also strongly emphasize the place of human dignity. The book engages with both theory and practice and how these ethical ideas impact upon the actual lived experience of Africans. It also includes important political considerations such as the impact of imperialism, colonialism, and capitalism on African ethics as well as the negative impact of apartheid and the renaissance made possible by the 'The Truth and Reconciliation Commission' whose work was premised heavily on African ethical ideas. This book is not just a wide-ranging and incisive introduction but also a reformulation of key concepts and current debates in African ethics. Crucially, African Ethics is an inclusive text, one that speaks from an African perspective and contributes to the decolonizing of contemporary ethics.
Download or read book Indigenous Knowledge written by Kai Horsthemke and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-01-11 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although the manifestation of what is taken to be indigenous knowledge could presumably be traced back roughly to the origins of humankind, the idea of indigenous knowledge is a fairly recent phenomenon. It has arguably gained conceptual and discursive currency only over the past half century, with a veritable slew of conferences, workshops, special journal editions, and anthologies devoted to the topic. Yet, there has been no treatise that offers a comprehensive, critical examination of this notion. Accounts of indigenous knowledge usually focus on explanations of “indigenous,” “local,” “traditional,” “African” and the like – but to date not a single defense of indigenous knowledge has bothered to explain the particular understanding of “knowledge” the authors are working with. Indigenous Knowledge: Philosophical and Educational Considerations’s critique of the idea of indigenous knowledge should in no way be understood as an endorsement of the evils of colonial conquest and (ongoing) exploitation, oppression, and subjugation. Nor should it be taken as an indication of a failure on the part of the Kai Horsthemke to sympathize with the struggle of indigenous peoples the world over for a dignified and sustainable way of life, for personal and communal space, and for self-determination. The aim of the book is to provide especially “indigenous” educators with theoretical tools for critical reflection and interrogation of their own and others’ preconceptions, assumptions, and epistemic practices and customs.
Download or read book Critical Humanist Perspectives written by Adrian Pablé and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-05-18 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present book is a collection of scholarly reflections on the theme of humanism from an integrational linguistic perspective. It studies humanist thought in relation to the philosophy of language and communication underpinning it and considers the question whether being a ‘humanist’ binds one to a particular view of language. The contributions to this volume explore whether integrational linguistics, being informed by a non-mainstream semiology and adopting a lay linguistic perspective, can provide better answers to contentious ontological and epistemological questions concerning the humanist project – questions having to do with the self, reason, authenticity, creativity, free agency, knowledge and human communication. The humanist perspectives adopted by the contributors to this volume are critical insofar as they start from semiological assumptions that challenge received notions within mainstream linguistics, such as the belief that languages are fixed-codes of some kind, that communication serves the purpose of thought transfer, and that languages are prerequisites for communication.
Download or read book Education for Decoloniality and Decolonisation in Africa written by Chikumbutso Herbert Manthalu and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-04-26 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book focuses on understandings of higher education in relation to notions of decoloniality and decolonization in southern Africa. The volume draws on a range of case studies in multiple politico-cultural contexts on the African continent, and examines some of the challenges to be overcome in order to achieve education for decolonization and decoloniality. Acknowledging that patterns of exclusion, inequality and injustice are still prevalent in the African higher education landscape, the editors and contributors proffer bold attempts at democratizing education and examine how to cultivate just, equal and diverse pedagogical relations. Featuring case studies from South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, the authors and editors examine how higher education can be further democratized and transformed along the lines of equality, liberty and recognition of diversity. This hopeful and bold collection will be of interest to scholars of decoloniality and decolonization in higher education, as well as higher education in southern Africa more specifically.
