Tag: Multilingualism
-
Nie das Ende, immer nur der neue Anfang: Nachruf auf Bernhard Waldenfels (Barbara Schellhammer)
Am 23. Januar 2026 starb Bernhard Waldenfels im Alter von beinahe 92 Jahren in München. Es lag mir auf der Zunge und einige sprachen es aus: Da ist ein Großer von uns gegangen – ein großer Denker, Philosoph und Phänomenologe. Bernhard Waldenfels war nach Martin Heidegger, Edith Stein und Max Scheler sicherlich einer der bedeutendsten…
-
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…
-
Futures of Philosophizing: On the Transformation of the Philosophy Curriculum (Workshop)
In an era marked by intensified global interconnectivity, technological transformation, and resurgent political polarizations, the role and responsibility of philosophy – and philosophy education – require urgent rethinking. Philosophy, as both a discipline and a pedagogical practice, is undergoing profound questioning regarding its relevance, accessibility, and epistemological foundations. What does it mean to philosophize in a world that is simultaneously global and…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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.…
-
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…
-
Restitution der Würde? Human Remains – Kolonialismus – Menschlichkeit (Workshop)
The interdisciplinary workshop “Restitution der Würde? Human Remains – Kolonialismus – Menschlichkeit” at the Arnold-Bergstraesser-Institut brought together scholars from diverse fields to examine the colonial legacy of anthropological collections and the ethical, political, and philosophical implications of the restitution of human remains. The workshop was organized by a project of the same name under the…
-
Sub-Saharan Islamic Archives and African Philosophy (with Ousmane Kane)
In a recent lecture, Professor Ousmane Kane presented his ongoing research on “The Islamic Archive and Intellectual History in Sub-Saharan Africa.” As a follow-up to this event, we held a research talk at our Center for Advanced Studies to discuss the topic together with experts from diverse fields. The conversation underscored key intellectual tensions in…
-
Poetic Polylogue: Philosophical Voices from the Swahili Coast (with Kai Kresse, Najeeb Ahmad and Kadara Swaleh)
In a recent Research Talk at our Center for Advanced Studies, Professor Kai Kresse, in cooperation with filmmaker Najeeb Ahmad and anthropologist Kadara Swaleh, explored the rich intellectual world of Swahili poetry as a medium for philosophical reflection. The discussion connected to their lecture on “Swahili Philosophical Discourse in East African Lifeworlds.” Swahili poetry, as the speakers…