Tag: French Colonial Legacy
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Haunted by Language (International Workshop)
Multilinguality seems to be one of the fundamental conditions of philosophizing on a global scale. But — which language does philosophy speak? The respective mother tongue, a transitional or translational language, any of the world’s lingua francas or an universal language not bound to a specific grammar and context? And in which language can philosophy…
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Forests and Rivers: Rethinking Relation and Representation in Philosophy (Workshop)
Forests and rivers are ecosystems that not only harbour extraordinary biodiversity but also function as powerful images and metaphors through which the relationship between humans and the environment is articulated and rethought. As entities that are both material and symbolic, they call into question the ontological status of the relations between the human and the…
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Healing as a Philosophical Practice (Summer School)
This summer school investigates healing as a philosophical practice from interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives. We will examine how philosophical traditions across societies, generations, and historical contexts have conceptualized and facilitated healing, particularly at the communal level.Human vulnerability manifests in diverse forms of suffering—physical, emotional, mental, epistemic, political, and relational. Throughout history and across cultures, individuals and communities…
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La philosophie africaine à l’ère des technologies émergentes (Ouandé Armand Regnima)
Dans cet entretien, le Professeur Ouandé Armand Regnima propose une analyse structurée des enjeux contemporains de la philosophie africaine, en mettant l’accent sur ses conditions institutionnelles, ses responsabilités sociales et son rapport aux transformations technologiques. Il souligne d’abord le rôle déterminant des sociétés de philosophie en Afrique, qui disposent d’une plus grande liberté que les…
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Abbed Kanoor: Du métissage à la pensée métisse, Nouveau numéro de revue Rue Descartes 2025/1 n° 105
Ce numéro de Rue Descartes propose une réflexion philosophique approfondie sur le métissage, envisagé non seulement comme phénomène historique, culturel et politique, mais aussi comme lieu d’émergence d’une forme spécifique de pensée : la pensée métisse. Partant du constat que les cultures ont toujours été traversées par des dynamiques de mélange, ce dossier interroge les conditions sous lesquelles le métissage…
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Wutum xam-xam: The Quest for Knowledge Through Writing Wolof (Monika Rohmer)
This talk explores the relation of wutum xam-xam (the quest for knowledge) and the practice of writing Wolof. Wolof is the contemporary lingua franca of Senegal, which is officially a Francophone country. The presentation introduces and discusses instances of the use of Wolof as a language of scholarship, within the Western university and in Islamic…
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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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Tanella Boni Receives Major African Literary Prize: The 2025 Tchicaya U Tam’si Prize for African Poetry
We are delighted to congratulate our former fellow, Tanella Boni, on receiving the 2025 Tchicaya U Tam’si Prize for African Poetry, one of the most prestigious literary distinctions on the continent. The award was presented during the 46th edition of the Moussem Culturel International in Assilah, Morocco, on 9 October 2025.Bestowed every three years, the Tchicaya U…
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Entre nuit et lumière : Littérature et philosophie dans la pensée rwandaise (avec Chantal Gishoma)
Dans cet entretien, Chantal Gishoma réfléchit aux intersections entre littérature, philosophie et production de savoirs culturels au Rwanda, en s’attachant en particulier à sa longue familiarité avec l’œuvre du penseur rwandais Alexis Kagamé.Bien que formée comme spécialiste de littérature plutôt que comme philosophe, Gishoma souligne les profondes affinités entre littérature et philosophie. Les deux disciplines,…
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Denken in Beziehungen Relationale Ontologien und Epistemologien aus Afrika, den Amerikas und der Māori-Philosophie (Anke Graness)
In jüngerer Zeit gibt es vermehrt Debatten um „relationale Ontologien“. Mit diesem Begriff bezeichnet man Ansätze, in denen das Sein nicht isoliert oder als Eigenschaften voneinander unabhängiger Einheiten gedacht wird, sondern von vornherein als in Beziehungen stehend. Im Gegensatz zur sogenannten Substanzontologie liegt der Fokus auf den Beziehungen zwischen Entitäten, die als grundlegender betrachtet werden…
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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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Philosophies of Justice in Acholi: Responsibility in Times of Collective Suffering (Benedetta Lanfranchi)
The Center for Advanced Studies “Philosophizing in a Globalized World” invites you to a book launch and discussion with Benedetta Lanfranchi on her new monograph Philosophies of Justice in Acholi.The book offers a profound philosophical and anthropological exploration of Acholi Traditional Mechanisms of Justice (ATJMs), which became a central framework for the peace agreements brokered in Northern Uganda…
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Dialogics: An African Method for Philosophizing in a Globalized World (Ike Odimegwu)
In this interview conducted during the Places of African Philosophies workshop, Prof. Ike Odimegwu, President of the African Philosophy Society, reflects on the significance of philosophical societies, the relation between philosophy and politics, and his development of the dialogic method. He describes contemporary African philosophy as a movement born from the struggle against colonial denigration—an affirmation of the African capacity…
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Geschichten der Philosophie in globaler Perspektive (Vorlesungsreihe 2025/26)
In einer Welt, die immer stärker durch globale Verflechtungen, kulturelle Übersetzungsprozesse und vielfältige Wissensformen geprägt ist, steht auch die Philosophie vor der Aufgabe, ihre eigenen Voraussetzungen kritisch zu befragen.Um Orientierung in einer globalisierten Welt bieten zu können, bedarf es einer Philosophie, die sich ihrer historischen und kulturellen Situiertheit bewusst ist und ihre Geschichte nicht länger…
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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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Philosophizing in Akan: The Genetic-Analytic Method and Bottom-Up Approaches to Conceptual Translation
The GloPhi Center recently hosted a research talk featuring Richmond Kwesi (University of Ghana) in dialogue with an international panel of philosophers. The discussion revisited Kwesi’s concept of a “genetic-analytic” method of doing philosophy in African languages, especially Akan, and examined its relationship to decolonial approaches. Kwesi and the participants engaged in a rich debate on…
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From Habermas to Timbuktu: Teaching African Philosophies in Morocco (Mohamed Lachhab)
Lachhab began by recounting his early fascination with philosophy during his school years in northern Morocco in the early 1990s—a time when studying philosophy was both intellectually stimulating and institutionally precarious. Despite the lack of professional prospects and the political restrictions surrounding the discipline, he decided to pursue philosophical studies at the University of Fez.…
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Philosophieren von den Rändern – Festvortrag von Anke Graneß an der Universität Luzern
Die Philosophie hat es sich seit jeher zur Aufgabe gemacht, scheinbar selbstverständliche Ideen, Weltdeutungen und Begriffe in Frage zu stellen, neu zu begründen – oder sie zu verwerfen und Alternativen zu entwickeln. Infolge der kolonialen Expansion Europas hat sich ein bestimmtes Verständnis von Philosophie weltweit durchgesetzt. Dieses Konzept prägt bis heute die akademische Disziplin, insbesondere…
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개념-요가로서의 철학 – Philosophie als Begriffs-Yoga – Polyglot Article #2 – Sool Park
철학이 뭐냐고 내게 묻는다면 나는 상징 공간 조작술 이라고 할 것이다. 완전히 직관적으로 표현한다면 개념-요가 라고 말할지도 모른다. 확실한 것은 철학은 언어로 이루어지는 일이라는 것이다. 언어와 의미라는 매체를 통과하지 않는 것을 우리는 철학이라고 부르지 않는다. 상징을 이해하고 변형하고 이동시키지 않는 일을 우리는 철학이라고 부르지 않는다. 물론 여러 종류의 비언어적 활동 – 음악, 예술, 제의, 명상…
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Podcast-Folge zu afrikanischen Schöpfungsmythen: Perspektiven aus Nigeria, Südafrika und Ghana
In der aktuellen Folge des NDR-Podcasts „vertikal horizontal. Glaubens- und Gewissensfragen“ mit dem Titel „Wie entstand die Welt? Schöpfungsmythen in Afrika“ kommen auch drei Fellows unserer DFG-Kolleg-Forschungsgruppe „Philosophieren in einer globalisierten Welt – Historische und systematische Perspektiven“ zu Wort: Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola, Lindokuhle Shabane und Nikitta Dede Adjirakor. Die Folge nimmt die Hörer:innen mit auf eine Reise in die vielfältigen Schöpfungserzählungen des afrikanischen Kontinents.
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Displacement and Solidarity: Reflections on African Phenomenology (with Abraham Olivier)
In this interview, Prof. Abraham Olivier talks about his understanding of African philosophy through the lens of African phenomenology, with a particular focus on how lived Black experience—shaped by slavery, colonialism, and apartheid—becomes central to philosophical reflection. A recurring theme is the importance of positionality: as a white South African, Olivier stresses that his contribution…
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Launch of New Database Development Initiative Hildesheim Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sources (HePS)
The Center for Advanced Studies “Philosophizing in a Globalized World” (GloPhi) at the University of Hildesheim is proud to announce the start of its Database Initiative. Under the working title Hildesheim Encyclopedia of Philosophical Sources (HePS), the project aims to develop an open, multilingual knowledge infrastructure for philosophical sources from all world regions. HePS interlinks works, thinkers, schools and traditions, concepts, places,…
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Ce que la peur de l’enfer fait aux vivants: Hommage à Valentin-Yves Mudimbe (Wiyao Badaka)
Valentin-Yves Mudimbe est né le 08 décembre 1941 à Jadothville, actuelle ville de Likasi, dans la province du Katanga. Il est mort le 22 avril 2025 en Caroline du Nord, aux États Unis à l’âge de 83 ans. Étrange coïncidence : j’apprenais sa mort au moment même où je commençais à peine à le rencontrer,…
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Altägyptische Philosophie: Sprache, Denken und geschichtliche Verflechtungen (Amr El Hawary)
In diesem Interview positioniert Prof. Amr El Hawary Ägypten klar als Teil Afrikas und beschreibt es zugleich als Brücke zwischen Nordostafrika, dem Mittelmeerraum und Westasien. Die entscheidende Frage sei nicht, ob Ägypten afrikanisch sei, sondern wie sich das Afrikanische im altägyptischen Denken zeigt. Gegenüber eurozentrischen Traditionen, die Ägypten aus Afrika herausgelöst haben, betont er die…
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Korean Confucianism as Philosophy? (International Workshop)
In the search for a “Korean philosophy,” Korean Neo-Confucianism has often been regarded as the crown prince. The highly complex metaphysical debate on Li–Ki (Li–Qi), as well as the theory of emotions in the so-called Four–Seven Debate, appeared to correspond exactly to the theoretical character of a European standard. How can this historically grown interpretive framework be rethought and…
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Beyond Recognition: African Philosophy as a Source of Conceptual Innovation (with Bruce Janz)
In this in-depth interview, Professor Bruce Janz reflects on his intellectual journey into African philosophy, his pedagogical commitments, and his broader philosophical concerns. His initial engagement with African thought began serendipitously in the 1990s, when regular visits to Kenya allowed him to meet scholars such as Odira Oruka and Emmanuel Eze.A decisive moment came when…
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Workshop for Early-Career African Researchers in Philosophy: Futures of Philosophizing in Africa
The goal of our workshop is to encourage emerging African scholars in philosophy to engage with questions and concepts that they have formulated to advance philosophies in Africa / African philosophy. We also invite them to confidently draw on Africa’s philosophical heritage and global philosophical traditions to enhance the endeavor of philosophizing in Africa.
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Teaching Philosophy in Senegal: An Experience of Decolonizing the Minds (Bado Ndoye)
In this lecture, Prof. Bado Ndoye offers a critical reflection on the historical, political, and epistemic dimensions of philosophy teaching in postcolonial Senegal. Tracing the persistence of French curricular models and the dominance of Marxist universalism in Senegalese academic philosophy, Ndoye highlights recent efforts to re-center African intellectual traditions, including the rediscovery of figures such…
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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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Philosophizing in African Languages: Past, Present, Future (Anke Graness)
The African continent was often denied recognition as the home of philosophical schools, traditions or concepts – in part because African languages were considered too underdeveloped to form abstract concepts or grasp complex relationships. This was one of the arguments used by the European colonial powers to introduce the respective colonial languages as lingua franca…
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Between Faith and Justice: Philosophizing as an African Nun (with Christiana Idika)
In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Christiana Idika — Catholic sister, philosopher, and educator — reflects on the intersections of religion, African philosophy, and social justice. Drawing on her experience of teaching, studying, and living in Nigeria, Costa Rica, and Germany, she offers insight into how the church has historically functioned as a place of philosophy in Africa,…
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The Linguistic Politics of Ethiopian Philosophy (Fasil Merawi & Jonathan Egid)
The purpose of the lecture is to explore the linguistic politics of Ethiopian philosophy through the examination of the ways in which philosophical inquiry developed in the three primary languages of Ge’ez, Amharic and English. Each language has a unique position in the development of philosophical discourse in Ethiopia. Ge’ez is a classical liturgical language…
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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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Yoga, Phenomenology and the Lived Body (Summer Academy for Asian Philosophy and Aesthetics)
The Summer Academy for Asian Philosophy and Aesthetics is organized annually by the Institute of Philosophy at Hildesheim University. This year, the Summer Academy will explore the intersection of Yoga, Phenomenology, and the Lived Body. This intensive seminar invites participants to engage concretely with the embodied dimensions of yoga practice, while simultaneously approaching them through the lens…
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Double Lecture on Alexis Kagame’s Philosophy (Chantal Gishoma & Kayisabe Vedaste)
Double Lecture on Alexis Kagame’s Philosophy Chantal Gishoma (Bayreuth University)Vedaste Kayisabe (Catholic Seminary Kabgayi, Rwanda) July 3, 2025, 2:15 pm (CEST)Cultural Campus, Aula & Live Stream Part of the Lecture Series Philosophizing in African Languages General announcement The double lecture is dedicated to the thought of Alexis Kagame, a pioneering figure in African philosophy whose…