Theme of the Summer School

For thousands of years, storytelling has remained an integral part of human evolution, helping to make sense of our existence and environment. Stories have been told to educe deep and compelling effects for various purposes. Generally, people tell stories to persuade, convince, convict, exonerate, justify, comfort, clarify, or evaluate. Storytelling is furthermore a strong pedagogical tool that humans have employed for didactic purposes throughout the ages. So, what is the connection between storytelling and philosophy?

Storytelling has played a crucial role in philosophy and the articulation of philosophical perspectives from the beginning. Philosophers have used various forms of stories to express and communicate their ideas, these include narrative models such as dialogues and other forms of conversation, exemplary life stories, soliloquies and meditations, as well as short stories, anecdotes, parables, allegories, metaphors or the construction of hypothetical examples, to name but a few. Storytelling is thus a well-established practice of philosophizing and its usage can be found throughout the history of European philosophy. However, in regions with predominantly oral knowledge traditions, especially in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, storytelling remains to this day an especially vibrant practice of philosophizing.

The overarching goal of this summer school is to examine the nexuses and intersections of philosophy and storytelling as well as to explore good storytelling as a useful philosophical practice. The summer school will be led by international scholars from Africa, Dr. Abosede Ipadeola and Dr. Nikitta Adjirakor, who will engage philosophy and storytelling both theoretically and practically. 

The following questions and problems will take center stage:

• What existential and/or epistemological necessities compelled the emergence of storytelling?
• How has storytelling evolved from visual to oral, written, and digital forms?
• What are the philosophical functions of storytelling?
• How has storytelling influenced the evolution of philosophies across diverse cultures and traditions? (examples will be given from Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe)
• How can we practice philosophical storytelling? 
• How can storytelling serve as a source of liberation and agency?
• How can we promote and encourage the virtue of listening? 

Organized by Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola, Nikitta Dede Abena Adjirakor, and Anke Graness

Course leaders

Nigerian philosopher Dr. Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola is an established philosopher with a research focus on feminist African philosophy. She is currently a fellow at the Centre for Advanced Studies “Philosophizing in a Globalized World: Historical and Systematic Perspectives” at the University of Hildesheim.

Dr. Nikitta Dede Abena Adjirakor is a Ghanaian researcher, storyteller and educator. She writes and speaks internationally about language documentation, multilingual African literary networks, popular culture, creative cultural industries and women’s bodies. 

Anke Graness is professor of philosophy at the University of Hildesheim and part of the leadership team of the Centre for Advanced Studies. Her research interests include history of philosophy, philosophy in Africa, intercultural philosophy, global justice and feminist theory.

Course aim

By the end of this summer school, students will be able to:

• differentiate forms of storytelling as a philosophical practice.
• practice storytelling as a method of philosophizing.
• practice careful listening.
• distinguish philosophical storytelling from other forms of storytelling.
• make use of storytelling to conceptualize and articulate their own philosophical ideas.
• engage philosophical ideas from an alternative perspective which generates new interest and understanding of the subject.