Tag: Cross-Cultural Philosophy
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Korean Philosophy: From a Comparative and Intercultural Perspective (International Conference)
The North American Korean Philosophy Association (NAKPA) is holding its 11th Annual conference at the University of Hildesheim, Germany, on October 5–6, 2026. This year we are pleased to announce that the conference will be hosted by the Center for Advanced Studies “Philosophizing in a Globalized World” at the University of Hildesheim under the auspices of…
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Ethiopian Philosophy: Historiography, Modernity, and Global Dialogue (Jonathan Egid & Fasil Merawi)
In this interview, Dr. Jonathan Egid and Prof. Fasil Merawi discuss their intellectual trajectories, the current state of philosophy in Ethiopia, and the broader challenges of African philosophy in a global context.Both reflect on contingent beginnings that developed into sustained philosophical commitments. Prof. Merawi describes how, after initially aspiring to study archaeology, he encountered medieval…
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Philosophizing in Wolof: Beyond Translation (Monika Rohmer)
This article examines academic endeavors that philosophize in Wolof, tracing a rich intellectual lineage from Cheikh Anta Diop to Souleymane Bachir Diagne. Through contextual analysis of key texts, Dr. Rohmer explores how questions of translation and multilingualism are fundamentally linked to the definition of philosophy itself.Rohmer discusses Wolof notions proposed for core philosophical concepts including…
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Teaching Philosophy in Nigeria: Igbo Thought, Philosophical Dialogue, and Academic Mentorship
In this interview, Professor Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob offers a concise reflection on her intellectual journey, the philosophical dimensions of Igbo culture, and the current challenges and opportunities for African philosophy.She recounts that her entry into philosophy was unplanned: originally intending to study law or sociology, she was persuaded to choose philosophy as a pathway into university.…
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Philosophizing in isiXhosa and the Re-Africanization of Thought (Simphiwe Sesanti)
In this conversation, Prof. Simphiwe Sesanti explores the philosophical and political implications of thinking in African languages, particularly isiXhosa, within the broader movement of Re-Africanization and the African Renaissance. He introduces the isiXhosa term inkcuba buchopho—derived from ukuchuba, “to peel”—to describe philosophizing as “peeling the brain,” that is, penetrating beneath surface appearances. For Sesanti, this…
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Philosophizing from Igbo Life-Worlds: Phenomenological Reflections on African Thought (Dominic Ekweariri)
Dr. Dominic Ekweariri approaches “Places of African Philosophies” through phenomenology’s core claim that human existence is being-in-the-world: meaning arises within lived contexts (Lebenswelt). Against Eurocentric universals, he argues that African philosophy must speak from African life-worlds—its environments, languages, and practices—rather than as a derivative of Greek-Latin categories. Philosophy’s task, he stresses, is not to deliver…
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Korean Confucianism as Philosophy? (Workshop)
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Philosophizing in Many Languages: Translation, Proto-Philosophy, and Middle Voice Agency
As a follow-up to his lecture “Philosophy and the Plurality of Languages” in the series Philosophizing in African Languages, Rolf Elberfeld engaged in a rich research talk with colleagues and fellows at the Center for Advanced Studies. The discussion continued the lecture’s core argument that the diversity of languages is fundamental to the practice of philosophy.…
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Wrestling with Knowledge: Perspectives from the Wolof Tradition (with Monika Rohmer)
In her recent lecture titled “Wrestling with Philosophy: Mbër as a Point of Departure for Analyzing Philosophical Texts in Wolof,” Monika Rohmer explored how the concepts of mbër and bëre (Wolof for “wrestler” and “wrestling”) can inform our understanding of philosophy. By taking the figure of the wrestler as a starting point, Rohmer’s presentation raised fundamental questions about the definition of…
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Philosophizing in Yorùbá: Exploring a People’s Weltanschauung
Yoruba is the language and culture of a people primarily found in Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Sierra Leone, Cuba, and Brazil. Their philosophical ideas prominently feature in their culture, language, and traditions. In this lecture, I will explore how the Yoruba people have conceptualized existence, morality, knowledge, and governance. Additionally, I will analyze stories, poems, proverbs,…