The Genres of African Philosophy

Research Talk with Alena Rettová and Albert Kasanda

On November 15, 2024, our research team had a rich discussion with philosophers Alena Rettová and Albert Kasanda. The conversation explored the intersection of African philosophy, genre, and textuality. Alena Rettová emphasized the importance of orality, digital media, and both fictive and non-fictive genres in African thought, such as essays, novels, and poetry. While rejecting strict genre definitions of philosophy, she argued for a textual basis in search of a possible corpus of African philosophy that includes both written texts and transcriptions of oral expressions. She argued for a more flexible approach, considering oral traditions and films as valid philosophical expressions. We also discussed the challenges of translation, noting its potential to both enrich and limit meaning. Albert Kasanda framed philosophy as an ongoing interrogation of life and experience, highlighting its polyphonic nature, shaped by diverse cultures, languages, and genres. We also touched on the connection between aesthetic practices and philosophical reflection, especially in the context of African art.

For a recent article by Prof. Alena Rettová on “Philosophy and Genre: Towards a Textual Basis of African Philosophy,” see the open access article in the latest issue of the journal polylog: “Philosophie und Gattung: Für eine textuelle Basis der afrikanischen Philosophie” (PDF, German)