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Adilbênia Freire Machado, in conversation with Lara Hofner, reflects on African philosophies from the perspective of Afro-diasporic experience in Brazil. Machado foregrounds philosophy as a lived, embodied, and communal practice, articulated through the concepts of ancestrality, belonging, and relational personhood. She critically addresses the limits of Eurocentric philosophical formations, examines the distinction between individual and person, and emphasizes theory as emerging from lived experience, territory, and collective life. Watch the full interview on our YouTube channel for more insight into African and diasporic philosophies as practices of thought grounded in life, community, and resistance to colonial forms of abstraction. http://glophi.com
Ancestrality, Belonging, and Philosophy as Lived Experience
Na entrevista, Adilbênia Freire Machado reflete sobre as filosofias africanas a partir da experiência afro-diaspórica no Brasil, destacando os conceitos de ancestralidade e encantamento como fundamentos ontológicos, éticos, políticos e estéticos. A ancestralidade é compreendida para além da consanguinidade, como matriz viva de saberes transmitidos pela oralidade e base da resistência histórica; o encantamento, por sua vez, é apresentado como força crítica e poética que mobiliza a vida e orienta a ação coletiva. Poema mencionado: FILOSOFIAS Paulina Chiziane Dizem-se muitas mentiras em nome da Filosofia Com palavras rebuscadas enrolam-se as mentes Mente-se sobre raças, continentes e pessoas E sacralizam-se os crimes contra a humanidade As lutas pela liberdade não são apenas guerras E nem terminam com o hastear das bandeiras Lutar pela liberdade é desconstruir mentiras Consagradas como verdades nas bibliotecas do mundo Na nova etapa das nossas lutas Quebramos as supostas verdades uma a uma Quebraremos os mitos entre o animal e a raça Mesmo que o trabalho dure uma eternidade Somos a esperança e o futuro que se avizinha Somos a nova semente no ventre do amanhã Seremos árvore sagrada de raízes seculares Cujos ramos tangerão o umbigo do infinito O canto dos escravizados. Belo Horizonte: Nandyala, 2018. Obras citadas: CARNEIRO, Sueli. Lélia Gonzalez: um retrato. 1ª Ed. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar, 2024. CHIZIANE, Paulina. O canto dos escravizados. Belo Horizonte: Nandyala, 2018. DANTAS, Luís Thiago Freire. Filosofia desde África: Perspectivas Descoloniais. Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Filosofia, 230p, Curitiba, 2018. https://acervodigital.ufpr.br/handle/1884/54739 GONZALEZ, Lélia. Primavera para as rosas negras. Diáspora Africana: Filhos da África, 2018. MACHADO, Adilbênia Freire. Filosofia Africana: ancestralidade e encantamento como inspirações formativas para o ensino das africanidades. Fortaleza: Imprece, 2019. MACHADO, Adilbênia Freire. Saberes Ancestrais Femininos na Filosofia Africana: Poéticas de Encantamento para Metodologias e Currículos Afrorreferenciados. Tese (doutorado) – Universidade Federal do Ceará. Faculdade de Educação, 268p, Fortaleza, 2019. https://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/51976 MACHADO, Adilbênia Freire. Ancestralidade e Encantamento: filosofia africana mediando a história e cultura africana e afro-brasileira. Dissertação (mestrado) – Universidade Federal da Bahia. Faculdade de Educação, 240p, Salvador, 2014. https://repositorio.ufba.br/handle/ri/16155 OLIVEIRA, Eduardo David de. Filosofia da ancestralidade: corpo e mito na filosofia da educação brasileira. Curitiba: Editora Gráfica Popular, 2007. OLIVEIRA, Eduardo David de. Filosofia da ancestralidade como filosofia africana: Educação e cultura afro-brasileira. Revista Sul-Americana de Filosofia e Educação. Número 18: maio-out/2012, p.28-47. Disponível em: http://seer.bce.unb.br/index.php/resafe/article/view/7029. ORUKA, H.O. Las preguntas básicas sobre la filosofia-de--los sábios en Africa. Rev. Filosofía Univ. Costa Rica, XXXII (77), 7-17, 1994. Traducción de Juandiego Moya B. PONTES, Katiúscia Ribeiro. Matrigestão: o útero mítico e a ética do coração nas feminilidades africanas. Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 140p, Rio de Janeiro, 2021. ROCHA, Aline Matos da. Corpo-orí-idade: uma investigação filosófica sobre ontologia relacional no pensamento de Oyèrónkẹ@oyěwùmí. 2023. 173 f. Tese (Doutorado em Metafísica) — Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, 2023. https://repositorio.unb.br/handle/10482/49454 SANTOS, Antônio Bispo. A terra dá, a terra quer. São Paulo: Ubu Editora / PISEAGRAMA, 2023. SOMÉ, Sobonfu. O Espírito da Intimidade: ensinamentos ancestrais africanos sobre relacionamentos. SP: Odysseus Editora, 2003. TEMPELS, Placide. Ontología bantú. In: Pensamiento africano: cultura e sociedad. Barcelona: Ed. Bellaterra, 2005. Biblioteca de Estudios Africanos. Organizado por EZE, E. Chukwudi. TEMPELS, Placide. Bantu Philosophy. Paris: Presence Africane, 1969. THEODORO, Helena. Implicações para a moral social brasileira do ideal de pessoa humana na cultura negra: O Negro no Espelho. Tese (doutorado). Universidade Gama Filho. Centro de Ciências Humanas, Departamento de Filosofia. 243p. Rio de Janeiro, 1985. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://projetoceaa.com.br/pdfs/teses/lopes_helena_theodoro_o_negro_no_espelho.pdf Wanderson Flor: https://filosofia-africana.weebly.com/ Aqui é possível baixar o ebook que acabamos de publicar: Filosofias Africanas Tecidas por Vozes-Mulheres. Org: Adilbênia Freire Machado, Aline Matos da Rocha, Lorena Silva Oliveira e Rosa Alfredo Mechiço (que é moçambicana): https://www.amisticadosencantados.com.br/product-page/filosofias-africanas-tecidas-por-vozes-mulheres-e-book http://glophi.com
Ancestralidade e Encantamento: Filosofar desde a Diáspora Africana (Adilbênia Freire Machado)
Denken in Beziehungen: Relationale Ontologien und Epistemologien aus Afrika, den Amerikas und der Māori-Philosophie Antrittsvorlesungvon Prof. Dr. Anke Graness 17. Dezember 2025, 18 Uhr (CEST) Universität Hildesheim, KC.50.3.02 (Aula Kulturcampus) Die DFG-Kolleg-Forschungsgruppe „Philosophieren in einer globalisierten Welt“ lädt alle Interessierten ganz herzlich zur Antrittsvorlesung von Prof. Dr. Anke Graneß ein. Die Vorlesung findet am 17. Dezember 2025 am Kulturcampus der Universität Hildesheim statt. 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 als vermeintlich stabile, selbstidentische Entitäten. Heute werden solche Ideen auch in Europa/Nordamerika wieder lebhaft diskutiert – und zwar nicht nur in der Philosophie, sondern auch in anderen Wissenschaften, von der Informatik bis hin zur Psychologie. Besonders stark verbreitet – und historisch tief verwurzelt – sind Vorstellungen einer relationalen Ontologie jedoch schon lange in sogenannten indigenen Wissensbeständen in Afrika, den Amerikas oder Ozeanien. Weltanschauungen, die auf relationalen Ontologien basieren, haben ethische wie auch epistemische Konsequenzen. Anhand ausgewählter Beispiele aus den Diskursen zu indigenen Philosophien verschiedener Kontinente, führt der Vortrag in diese Problematik ein und diskutiert insbesondere die Herausforderungen relationaler Epistemologien für die Disziplin der Philosophie. http://glophi.com
Denken in Beziehungen: Relationale Ontologien aus Afrika, den Amerikas und der Māori-Philosophie
La philosophie africaine à l’ère des technologies émergentes Entretien avec Ouandé Armand Regnima 00:24 Quelle est, selon vous, l'importance actuelle des sociétés de philosophie pour la philosophie africaine ? 04:55 Quel impact ont les nouvelles technologies sur la philosophie, ou plus précisément sur la philosophie ivoirienne ? 11:04 Comment abordez-vous les inégalités structurelles en philosophie ? 17:00 Quel rôle les langues que vous parlez jouent-elles dans votre travail philosophique, et dans quelle langue pensez-vous principalement ? 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 départements universitaires pour organiser des colloques, renforcer les coopérations internationales et formuler des propositions en vue d’une amélioration et, à terme, d’une harmonisation des curricula à l’échelle continentale. L’entretien aborde ensuite l’impact des technologies émergentes sur les sociétés africaines. À partir de son engagement dans la philosophie de la technique et l’éthique appliquée, le Prof. Regnima insiste sur la nécessité pour la philosophie africaine de répondre de manière concrète et située aux défis posés par l’intelligence artificielle, la robotique, la bioéthique et les questions de fin de vie. Il défend une philosophie tournée vers la pratique, capable d’accompagner les mutations technologiques afin d’éviter que les sociétés africaines ne soient dépassées par des dynamiques globales non maîtrisées. Un troisième axe concerne les inégalités structurelles en philosophie, notamment celles liées au genre. Le Prof. Regnima en propose une lecture historique et politique, soulignant l’exclusion durable des femmes de la tradition philosophique dominante et l’émergence progressive de voix féminines, en Europe comme en Afrique, en particulier après les indépendances. Il met en avant la contribution spécifique des philosophes femmes à l’élargissement des problématiques et des perspectives philosophiques. Enfin, l’entretien insiste sur l’importance des langues africaines et des cadres culturels locaux. Le Prof. Regnima défend une approche comparative et contextualisée, articulant les conceptions africaines et occidentales des enjeux contemporains, notamment autour du corps et de la technique. L’objectif de cette démarche est de penser une modernité technologique compatible avec les normes et valeurs africaines, afin de favoriser un développement social harmonieux et éthiquement réfléchi. http://glophi.com
La philosophie africaine à l’ère des technologies émergentes (Ouandé Armand Regnima)
Prof. Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob introduces key philosophical dimensions of Igbo culture, focusing on Omenala—the system of customs and norms that grounds moral conduct and sustains communal harmony. She highlights the Igbo emphasis on relationality and shared responsibility, resonating with ideas often associated with Ubuntu, and explains how oral traditions such as proverbs, myths, and folktales transmit ethical insight across generations. Her reflections also touch on metaphysical questions concerning the spiritual world, ancestry, and the continuity between the living and the dead.
Igbo Cultural Philosophy Explained: Omenala and Communal Ethics
Teaching Philosophy in Nigeria: Igbo Thought, Philosophical Dialogue, and Academic Mentorship Interview with Dorothy Oluwagbemi-Jacob Language of the Interview: English Conducted by Abosede Ipadeola Questions with timestamps: 00:55 Who or what motivated you to study philosophy? 03:39 Which connections do you see between African and Western philosophy? 05:53 Which elements of Igbo culture do you consider philosophically significant? 08:47 What are the challenges of teaching philosophy in the African or Nigerian context today? 12:04 How do the current challenges compare to the ones you had when you were a student? 13:23 How can African philosophical ideas be positioned for greater acceptance in non-African contexts? 15:56 How can we make African philosophical ideas more appealing to non-African audiences? 17:33 Who was your philosophical mentor or role model as a young academic? 18:41 What role do you think mentorship plays in pursuing philosophy as an academic career? 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. An inspiring introductory course quickly transformed this pragmatic decision into a genuine vocation. Discussing the relationship between African and Western philosophical traditions, she highlights their increasing dialogue and mutual engagement, while also underscoring a fundamental contrast between African communal orientations—exemplified in ideas akin to Ubuntu—and Western traditions shaped more strongly by individualism. Drawing on her Igbo background, she identifies key cultural elements with philosophical significance, including “omenala” (customs and norms that guide conduct and sustain social harmony), a deeply rooted ethos of communal solidarity, rich oral traditions that transmit moral and epistemic insight, and metaphysical conceptions involving the spiritual world and ancestral influence. Prof. Oluwagbemi-Jacob also elaborates on the difficulties of teaching philosophy in Nigeria today. While African philosophy is now widely included in university curricula—unlike during her own studies—significant challenges persist: limited access to books and digital resources, low student enrollment due to perceptions of philosophy as impractical, and chronic underfunding of the humanities. To increase the visibility and acceptance of African philosophical ideas globally, she advocates for clear and accessible modes of presentation, interdisciplinary engagement (e.g., with sociology, anthropology, business ethics, and law), and the use of contemporary media formats such as podcasts and YouTube. Finally, she stresses the crucial role of mentorship in academic life. Reflecting on her own mentor, the late Prof. Innocent C. Onyewuenyi, she emphasizes that mentors help younger scholars navigate academic structures, understand implicit professional norms, build networks, and sustain motivation. Mentorship, she argues, is indispensable for supporting early-career philosophers and strengthening the future of African philosophy. http://glophi.com
Teaching Philosophy in Nigeria: Igbo Thought, Philosophical Dialogue, and Academic Mentorship
Chantal Gishoma nous offre une réflexion profonde sur la rupture du génocide, la perte de sens et la force de la résilience humaine. Merci à elle pour la générosité de ses mots, qui portent un témoignage aussi précieux que nécessaire. Elle a également souhaité ajouter une phrase à la fin de l’extrait : « Ce soir-là, Dieu n’est pas revenu pour sa nuit rwandaise, et même le soleil n’a pas voulu se lever. »
Chantal Gishoma : Penser la rupture du génocide — la nuit qui refuse de partir
Entre nuit et lumière : Littérature et philosophie dans la pensée rwandaise Entretien avec Chantal Gishoma 00:32 Quel est le lien entre la philosophie et la littérature, et aussi entre la philosophie et la poésie ? Que peut apporter la littérature à la philosophie ? 03:51 Quand et comment vous êtes-vous intéressée à Alexis Kagamé ? 11:07 Quel est le rôle de la vache au Rwanda ? 18:27 Est-ce que vous voyez le génocide rwandais comme une condition de la philosophie africaine contemporaine ? 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, soutient-elle, sont fondées sur une préoccupation commune pour la présence humaine au monde et pour les modalités par lesquelles les individus et les communautés donnent sens à la vie, à la subjectivité et à l’altérité. La plus grande liberté de l’imagination et de l’expérimentation narrative en littérature lui permet non seulement de dialoguer avec la pensée philosophique, mais aussi d’ouvrir des espaces conceptuels qui complètent et enrichissent l’enquête philosophique. Cette dynamique est particulièrement visible dans le contexte rwandais, où la littérature orale — en particulier la poésie — a servi de source essentielle à partir de laquelle Kagamé a reconstruit les fondements intellectuels et historiques du Rwanda. Gishoma raconte que sa première rencontre substantielle avec l’œuvre de Kagamé remonte à sa période d’enseignement au Kigali Institute of Education au début des années 2000. Travaillant avec des étudiantes et étudiants venant à la fois du Rwanda et de la diaspora postérieure aux années 1960, elle cherchait des textes capables de traverser les clivages générationnels et géographiques. Bien que Kagamé soit largement invoqué comme une figure fondatrice des études rwandaises, ses œuvres restaient souvent difficiles d’accès en raison du manque de rééditions, de sorte que de nombreux étudiants ne connaissaient de lui guère plus que le nom, et non la substance de ses écrits. La difficulté à se procurer les textes de Kagamé a d’abord suscité l’intérêt scientifique durable de Gishoma, intérêt qui a ensuite été renforcé par ses interactions avec des chercheurs internationaux et par son constat du décalage persistant entre la réputation internationale de Kagamé et la réception limitée de son œuvre au Rwanda même. Elle rappelle que Kagamé a consacré une grande partie de sa vie intellectuelle à l’écriture en kinyarwanda — selon ses propres mots, principalement à l’intention des Rwandais —, laissant un corpus qui comprend des poèmes publiés et inédits, parmi lesquels le vaste cycle Umulirimbyi wa Nyili-ibiremwa (« Le chantre du Maître de la création »), composé d’environ 150 poèmes relatant les origines de l’humanité. La conversation se tourne ensuite vers la signification culturelle et symbolique de la vache dans la pensée rwandaise. En s’appuyant sur les récits mythologiques des Ibimanuka — les êtres descendus des cieux —, Gishoma montre que la vache est conçue comme une présence primordiale et vivifiante qui relie les mondes humain et non humain. Au-delà de son rôle vital dans la subsistance et la vie sociale, la vache a historiquement nourri l’imaginaire politique, le discours poétique et même les métaphores militaires. Dans le Rwanda contemporain, elle continue de structurer les relations sociales et les dynamiques économiques, par exemple à travers le programme Girinka (« Une vache par famille pauvre ») ou par la préservation du bétail royal comme patrimoine culturel et touristique. Enfin, Gishoma aborde les implications intellectuelles et philosophiques du génocide de 1994 contre les Tutsi. En réponse à la question de savoir si ce génocide constitue une condition de la philosophie africaine contemporaine, elle répond de manière résolument affirmative, en s’appuyant sur des penseurs tels que Patrice Nganang, qui soutiennent que l’humanité doit être repensée à partir de cette rupture. Gishoma souligne que le génocide a introduit une fracture temporelle radicale — un « avant » et un « après » irrévocables — et a plongé les survivants dans une nuit existentielle au cours de laquelle toutes les significations stabilisées se sont effondrées. Elle décrit le génocide comme un moment où l’humain s’est vidé de son humanité, se transformant en un « non-humain » capable d’une violence extrême. La tâche philosophique qui s’ensuit est, propose-t-elle, celle d’une re-humanisation : apprendre du passé, cultiver la résilience et rétablir des formes de vie dans lesquelles la nuit et le jour — la vie et la mort, le traumatisme et le renouveau — peuvent coexister sans enfermer les individus dans l’obscurité du passé.
Entre nuit et lumière : Littérature et philosophie dans la pensée rwandaise (Chantal Gishoma)
Prof. Simphiwe Sesanti introduces the isiXhosa concept inkcuba buchopho—derived from ukuchuba, ‘to peel’—as a compelling translation for the act of philosophizing. Rather than relying on direct transfers from Western philosophical vocabularies, such creative and conceptually grounded translations highlight the generative potential of African languages to articulate distinct modes of thought. In this framing, philosophizing becomes an act of ‘peeling the brain,’ that is moving beyond surface appearances in order to access deeper layers of meaning.
Simphiwe Sesanti on isiXhosa Concepts of Philosophy
Philosophizing in siXhosa and the Re-Africanization of Thought Interview with Simphiwe Sesanti Language of the Interview: English Conducted by Monika Rohmer Questions with timestamps: 00:34 What does it mean to philosophize in isiXhosa? 02:17 What is the concept of “African Renaissance” about? 04:25 Why do you prefer to speak of Re-Africanization instead of Africanization? 06:55 What do you teach your students about Kemet (Ancient Egypt) and how do they react? 10:29 What are your ideas for tackling the imbalances between languages, world regions and genders in the practice of philosophy? 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 expression illustrates that African languages themselves contain rich philosophical vocabularies and do not depend on translation from European thought. Tracing the idea of an African Renaissance to Cheikh Anta Diop’s 1948 call for intellectual renewal in African languages, Sesanti emphasizes that genuine rebirth requires reclaiming Africa’s political, cultural, and spiritual heritage. His notion of Re-Africanization, inspired by Amílcar Cabral, highlights restoration rather than imitation: it seeks to recover Africa’s own intellectual and scientific traditions—from ancient Kemet to contemporary scholarship—rather than merely adapting foreign models. In his teaching, Sesanti challenges the assumption that Africanizing education lowers academic standards. He reminds students that African institutions of learning once served as international centers of knowledge and that international does not mean European. Addressing imbalances of language, region, and gender, Sesanti argues for deliberate corrective action: women must be consciously centered in intellectual life, not as beneficiaries but as equals. He further shows how language encodes philosophical values, noting that the isiXhosa word umlingani (“equal”) better conveys mutual respect than the English “wife.” For Sesanti, to philosophize in African languages is an act of decolonization—a way of reclaiming the authority to think, name, and imagine the world through Africa’s own conceptual resources.
Philosophizing in siXhosa and the Re-Africanization of Thought (Simphiwe Sesanti)
New book on women philosophers in non-European traditions by our associate member Namita Herzl!
In this excerpt from our interview, Prof. Ike Odimegwu, President of the African Philosophy Society, explains his concept of Dialogics — an African philosophical method that seeks understanding through dialogue rather than conflict. Reflecting on the limitations of Hegelian dialectics, he proposes a way of thinking grounded in mutual recognition and integrative personhood. Recorded during the workshop Places of African Philosophies at the Center for Advanced Studies “Philosophizing in a Globalized World”, University of Hildesheim.
An African Alternative to Dialectics: Prof. Ike Odimegwu on Dialogics
Dialogics: An African Method for Philosophizing in a Globalized World Interview with Ike Odimegwu Language of the Interview: English Conducted by Monika Rohmer Questions with timestamps: 00:37 What is the relevance of philosophical societies for African philosophy today? 05:24 What is the relationship between philosophy and politics? 12:57 What is your philosophical method of “Dialogics” about? 26:04 How would you address the problems surrounding unequal power distribution in philosophy? 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 to think and philosophize. While such movements generate vital momentum, their achievements risk being lost without institutional continuity. Philosophical societies, he argues, preserve these gains by creating spaces for dialogue, mentorship, and community among thinkers across generations. Discussing the nexus of philosophy and politics, Odimegwu emphasizes that sound political practice must rest on coherent philosophical foundations. Many political crises, he suggests, stem from a lack of philosophical awareness or consistency. To heal political dysfunctions at their root requires returning to the underlying philosophical assumptions that guide action. Central to his thought is "Dialogics," a method he developed to replace the conflict-based logic of Hegelian dialectics with a relational, non-confrontational form of reasoning grounded in mutual recognition. Through the stages of thesis, enthesis, prothesis, and synthesis, dialogics seeks to reduce differences, deepen commonalities, and integrate opposing positions. Odimegwu has applied this approach to themes such as personhood, justice, and gender relations within African worldviews. Reflecting on inequalities within global philosophy, he calls for mutual recognition among traditions, regions, and genders: each must articulate and develop its own position rather than await representation by others. Equality, for him, arises from openness and dialogue rather than confrontation. His vision of philosophy is thus both integrative and transformative—seeking synthesis through listening, mutual respect, and the shared pursuit of truth.
Dialogics: An African Method for Philosophizing in a Globalized World (Ike Odimegwu)
Philosophizing from Igbo Life-Worlds: Phenomenological Reflections on African Thought Interview with Dominic Ekweariri Language of the Interview: English Conducted by Monika Rohmer Questions with timestamps: 00:35 What could it mean to study places of African philosophies from a phenomenological perspective? 05:00 How do you address the problem of unequal power relations in philosophy and what can we gain from tackling with this? 09:34 What could it mean to philosophize in Igbo or other African languages? 20:23 What kind of role do the Catholic Church and theology play for your way of doing philosophy? 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 final answers but to unsettle what seems self-evident, exposing invisible structures of exclusion (regional, linguistic, gendered) and opening space for more just social orders. Drawing on his native Igbo context, Ekweariri highlights performative modes of philosophizing—councils of elders rich in proverbs and dialogue, music and poetry that evoke reflection, and sculptural archives of communal memory—many of which risk erasure under globalization and precarity. As a priest and phenomenologist, he sees tensions yet no contradiction between faith, reason, and African experience: their common ground is human experience, which he proposes as the point of departure connecting philosophy, theology, and the plural places where thinking takes flesh.
Philosophizing from Igbo Life-Worlds: Phenomenological Reflections on African Thought (Ekweariri)
From Habermas to Timbuktu: Teaching African Philosophies in Morocco Interview with Mohamed Lachhab Language of the Interview: English Conducted by Anke Graness Questions with Timestamps: 00:17 What brought you to philosophy? 10:00 What sparked your interest in Sub-Saharan African philosophy? 20:09 How do you envision the future of the relation between the philosophies of Northern and Southern Africa? In his interview at the Center for Advanced Studies “Philosophizing in a Globalized World” at the University of Hildesheim, Prof. Mohamed Lachhab offered a reflective account of his intellectual trajectory, his engagement with German philosophy, and his recent turn toward African and intercultural philosophical perspectives. 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. After obtaining his degree, he initially taught philosophy for over a decade in Moroccan high schools before embarking on postgraduate research. Balancing a heavy teaching load with scholarly work, he eventually completed his PhD in 2007 on Jürgen Habermas, marking the beginning of his specialization in modern German thought. His path into German philosophy, Lachhab emphasized, was shaped by autodidactic determination. Motivated by the intellectual depth of thinkers such as Kant, Hegel, and Habermas, he taught himself the German language using limited resources in his village, studying through French-language textbooks. This linguistic and intellectual engagement not only expanded his horizons but also distinguished him within Morocco’s predominantly Francophone philosophical community. Over time, however, Lachhab sought to move beyond the label of “the Moroccan Habermasian.” His encounter with intercultural philosophy—particularly through collaborations with Heinz Kimmerle and Franz Wimmer’s networks of dialogue between Arab and German philosophers—led him to reexamine the global dimensions of philosophizing. He has participated in German–Arab collaborative projects and held a postdoctoral research position in Germany (notably at the Lichtenberg Kolleg in Göttingen) during which he broadened his philosophical engagement toward African and intercultural traditions. From this global horizon emerged his current interest in African philosophy, particularly the intellectual traditions of sub-Saharan Africa. His engagement deepened through dialogue with scholars such as Franziska Dübgen, whose book Paulin Hountondji: African Philosophy as Critical Universalism inspired Lachhab to translate key sections into Arabic for teaching purposes. He described this project as an effort to introduce African philosophical thought to Moroccan academia and to foster a broader conversation about the plurality of philosophical traditions. In the interview’s final part, Lachhab reflected on the historical and conceptual connections between North African and Sub-Saharan intellectual worlds. He invoked figures such as Ahmad Bābā of Timbuktu, who taught in Marrakesh in the early seventeenth century, as emblematic of a long-standing reciprocity between these regions. He highlighted how logic, theology, and jurisprudence once circulated across Saharan scholarly networks, linking centers of learning from Timbuktu to Fez, Kairouan, and Cairo. For Lachhab, reviving these intellectual exchanges requires renewed philosophical collaboration that acknowledges the historical continuity of African thought as a shared enterprise.He concluded by emphasizing that the study of African philosophy today should move beyond the mere recovery of texts to engage substantively with the philosophical arguments and modes of reasoning that have shaped the continent’s diverse traditions. His work aims to reopen this dialogue between North and Sub-Saharan Africa, situating Moroccan thought within a broader, global framework of philosophical inquiry.
From Habermas to Timbuktu: Teaching African Philosophies in Morocco (Mohamed Lachhab)
Prof. Amr El Hawary highlights that the Shabaka Stone (25th Dynasty, 712 BC) documents how the central Egyptian concept of a ‘Creation through the Word’ was influenced by other African traditions of thought coming from the South. "It’s not a one-way street, it’s not just coming from the North and then there’s only a reaction in the South."
The Shabaka Stone and the Entangled Histories of African Philosophy
Displacement and Solidarity: Reflections on African Phenomenology Interview with Abraham Olivier Language of the Interview: English Conducted by Abbed Kanoor Questions with timestamps: 00:17 What is African Philosophy for you? 01:59 What is your relation to the experience described in African phenomenology? 04:05 How do you thematize the concept of "displacement" in the context of African phenomenology? 08:54 How do you deal with the phenomenological method and Western phenomenological texts in your work? 14:54 Which specific African phenomena and experiences can help us to deterritorialize and reinterpret Western phenomenology? 19:44 Could you tell us more about the Centre of African Phenomenology that you co-founded? 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 must remain self-critical and solidaristic, seeking to highlight and amplify the voices of African phenomenologists themselves. One of the key conceptual contributions discussed is the notion of displacement, which captures both the disenabling conditions of oppression (restrictions on life, learning, and belonging) and its enabling dimensions, where new forms of solidarity, creativity, and liberation emerge. This framework reverses the classical phenomenological assumption that the subject is the transcendental ground of experience, showing instead how historical and social contexts fundamentally shape subjectivity. Methodologically, the interview emphasizes an influence model rather than a simple application of European phenomenology: Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, and others provide analytic resources, but are always engaged critically and selectively. The outcome is a critical phenomenology attentive to assumptions, situatedness, and the tension between universal and particular perspectives. Questions of community and communality, often linked with Ubuntu, are understood as historically shaped, lived, and personal rather than as abstract generalities. The interview also introduces the recently founded Center for African Phenomenology, which brings together twelve directors across South African universities. With an annual conference each September and a five-year program of events, the center seeks to institutionalize and strengthen African phenomenological research while bridging analytic and phenomenological traditions in the study of lived experience. http://glophi.com
Displacement and Solidarity: Reflections on African Phenomenology (Interview with Abraham Olivier)
Altägyptische Philosophie: Sprache, Denken und geschichtliche Verflechtungen Interview mit Amr El Hawary Interview durchgeführt von Anke Graness Sprache des Interviews: Deutsch Fragen mit Verlinkungen: 01:11 Ist Ägypten überhaupt ein Teil Afrikas? 04:20 Gibt es Philosophie im alten Ägypten? Findet sich darin eine Beziehung zum sub-saharischen Afrika? 07:25 Wo sehen Sie Manifestationen des Philosophierens im alten Ägypten? 11:54 Was halten Sie von den Diskursen zum Weisheitsdenken als einer Form von Sozialphilosophie? Gibt es im altägyptischen Denken noch andere Formen und Themen des Philosophierens? 17:36 Lassen sich Konzepte des sub-saharischen Afrika auf die altägyptische Idee der Ma'at zurückführen? Wo sehen Sie Verbindungen zwischen dem südlichen Afrika und dem alten Ägypten? 28:16 Was halten Sie von der These, dass es sich bei der altägyptischen Kultur um eine schwarze Zivilisation handelte? 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 kulturelle Selbstverständlichkeit dieser Zugehörigkeit. Das Philosophieren im alten Ägypten manifestiere sich nicht in einer systematischen Metasprache, sondern in Formen wie Hymnen, Mythen, Erzählungen und visueller Poesie. Sprachlich sei es auf Zeitlosigkeit ausgerichtet: Verben würden entzeitlicht, Prozesse substantiviert, wodurch Reflexion aus der Zeit in Raum und Leiblichkeit verlagert werde. In Ritualen und Texten sei das Dauerhafte zugleich bewahrt und „vitalisiert“ worden, etwa durch Bestattungspraktiken und rezitative Performanz. Zentral ist für El Hawary der Begriff Ma’at, der nicht nur „Gerechtigkeit“ bezeichnet, sondern auch eine umfassende Weltordnung, eine kosmische Harmonie und die Formgebung abstrakter Ideen. Damit reicht der thematische Rahmen von Ma'at über die Sozialphilosophie hinaus: Fragen nach Freiheit, dem Bösen, nach Ordnung und Chaos sowie nach der Möglichkeit, das Gute zu mehren, ziehen sich als durchgängige Problemfelder durch die altägyptische Denktradition. Im Hinblick auf die Verflechtungen mit dem subsaharischen Afrika betont El Hawary wechselseitige Prozesse statt einseitige Narrative. Die kuschitische 25. Dynastie, die Schabaka-Stele oder die Piye-Stele zeigen, wie afrikanische Perspektiven das ägyptische Denken geprägt und transformiert haben. Farbcodierungen in der Kunst seien primär sozial und ikonographisch, nicht biologisch, dennoch müsse man heutige afrikanische Anliegen und Selbstdeutungen ernst nehmen. Programmatisch skizziert El Hawary eine dekolonisierende Wissenspraxis. Sie zielt darauf, epistemische Lücken zwischen „altem“ und „modernem“ Ägypten zu schließen, indem altägyptische Texte neu übersetzt und damit neu erfahrbar gemacht werden. Durch den Abbau von Sprach- und Wissensbarrieren, die Förderung innerafrikanischer Vernetzungen und die Überwindung konkurrierender Aneignungsdiskurse könne zudem eine solidarische Wissenskultur geschaffen werden, die neue Verflechtungen ermöglicht. http://glophi.com
Altägyptische Philosophie: Sprache, Denken und geschichtliche Verflechtungen (Amr El Hawary)
In this interview, Prof. Bruce Janz reflects on his path into African philosophy, his focus on place as a site for conceptual creation, and the importance of listening in intercultural dialogue. His engagement began in the 1990s during visits to Kenya, where he met figures like Odira Oruka and Emmanuel Eze. Eze’s advice—to listen to what people are saying and not assume you already know—shaped his entire approach. For Janz, African philosophy offers rich resources for rethinking method, identity, and knowledge. Rather than treating it as marginal, he sees it as deeply engaged with the question of how thought arises from lived experience, often marked by colonialism, displacement, and resilience. In his teaching in North America, he introduces concepts from African traditions not to “add diversity,” but to challenge conventional views—for example, expanding the idea of philosophical method beyond logic, or showing how concepts like race vary across contexts. He observes a shift in the field: the debate over whether African philosophy exists has given way to exploring what unique concepts it can contribute globally. Drawing parallels with feminist philosophy, he describes this as a move from recognition to contribution. His own work links African epistemologies with current debates in cognitive science. Janz is optimistic but notes that the legacies of colonialism and racism adapt rather than disappear. The challenge is to remain creative under such conditions by asking new questions instead of repeating old ones. He also sees great potential in dialogue between African and diasporic thought, where differences in place and perspective can spark mutual reflection rather than antagonism. #AfricanPhilosophy #Place #Relationality #Postcolonialism #Diaspora #Listening #Decolonization #SagePhilosophy #ComparativePhilosophy #Enactivism #SituatedKnowledge #Philosophy
Bruce Janz on Odera Oruka and Philosophical Method
Questions with timestamps: 00:30 How did you become a scholar of African philosophy? 04:39 Why do you think it is important to teach African philosophy in the “place” of the US? 06:27 What kind of concepts are you introducing to your students? 09:32 How do you see the future of African philosophy and philosophies in Africa? 12:50 Do you see any problematic aspects and pitfalls in the discourse about African philosophy? 16:01 How do you see the relationship between African philosophy on the continent and in the diaspora? 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 Eze invited him to contribute to the volume Postcolonial African Philosophy, despite Janz's initial hesitation about speaking from a position of privilege. Eze’s advice—to listen closely and engage respectfully with the concerns of African philosophers—became foundational for Janz’s approach to intercultural philosophy. Central to Janz’s work is the concept of place, which he treats not simply as a geographical context but as a generative site for the creation of concepts. He sees African philosophy as deeply engaged with the question of how thought arises from situated experience—often shaped by colonialism, displacement, and ongoing social transformation. Rather than treating African philosophy as marginal, he regards it as a powerful resource for rethinking philosophical method, identity, and epistemology. His teaching in North America incorporates African perspectives not to diversify content, but to challenge dominant assumptions—such as narrow conceptions of philosophical method or universalist accounts of race and truth. He uses figures like Oruka and the sage philosophy tradition to expand notions of what counts as philosophical reasoning, emphasizing relational and culturally embedded approaches. Janz also notes a significant shift within the field: the question of whether African philosophy exists is no longer central. Instead, the focus is now on the specific concepts and contributions that African philosophers can offer global discourse. Drawing a parallel to the development of feminist philosophy, he suggests that African thought is moving from a politics of recognition to one of contribution. His own recent work, particularly on African philosophy and enactivist cognition, exemplifies this turn by connecting African epistemologies with debates in contemporary cognitive science. While optimistic, Janz acknowledges persistent structural challenges, including the enduring effects of colonialism and systemic inequalities in education. He draws on Derrick Bell’s insight that racism—and by extension colonialism—does not disappear but continually reconfigures itself. The task, then, is not to imagine a future free of these legacies but to cultivate new philosophical questions and creative strategies within their ongoing presence. Finally, Janz discusses the relation between African philosophy and diasporic thought, highlighting thinkers such as Sylvia Wynter and Aimé Césaire. He resists reducing their work to a question of identity, emphasizing instead the philosophical potential of engaging with difference across locations. For Janz, diasporic thought brings a reflective dimension that is both inside and outside African experience. Allowing distinct places and traditions to interact fosters conceptual clarity and self-reflection, not antagonism. Throughout the conversation, Janz advocates for a relational, reflexive, and grounded approach to philosophy—one that is attentive to context, open to difference, and committed to conceptual transformation. http://glophi.com
Beyond Recognition: African Philosophy as a Source of Conceptual Innovation (with Bruce Janz)
Teaching Philosophy in Senegal: An Experience of Decolonizing the Minds Lecture by Bado Ndoye Part of the Workshop Places of African Philosophies 00:00 Lecture 21:02 Questions and Answers Rethinking Universality through Decolonization In this lecture, Prof. Bado Ndoye offered a historically and conceptually rich account of philosophical education in Senegal, tracing its colonial entanglements and the intellectual strategies developed to overcome them. Drawing inspiration from Alioune Diop’s vision—“dewesternize in order to universalize”—Ndoye framed decolonization not as a rejection of universality, but as its necessary reconfiguration: a call for all cultures to participate equally in the creative work of humanity. Colonial Histories and the Legacies of Assimilation Ndoye began by outlining the specific colonial history of Senegal as France’s first African colony, emphasizing the institutional consequences of early assimilationist policies. The designation of four Senegalese towns as full-fledged French communes created a paradox: while their inhabitants enjoyed legal status as citizens, their education—especially in philosophy—was shaped entirely by French curricula. Following independence, efforts were made to Africanize most subjects, but philosophy remained largely untouched. The enduring notion that philosophy is by definition universal was often used to legitimize this uncritical adoption of European models. Marxism, Neglect of African Thought, and the Silencing of Alternatives Ndoye traced the dominance of a French-style Althusserian Marxism in Senegalese academic philosophy during the post-independence decades. This ideological framework, while anti-imperialist in rhetoric, often reproduced Enlightenment universalism and Eurocentric historicism. Consequently, leading thinkers such as Léopold Sédar Senghor, Aimé Césaire, and Cheikh Anta Diop were marginalized, dismissed by Marxist philosophers as insufficiently rigorous or ideologically suspect. The effect was a sustained neglect of African philosophical traditions and an enduring skepticism toward efforts at cultural and epistemic reclamation. Turning Points: Rediscovering Senghor and Cheikh Anta Diop The intellectual climate began to shift in the early 2000s. Ndoye highlighted the centenary colloquium for Senghor in 2006 at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar as a key moment in this transformation. Philosophers who had long opposed Senghor’s thought began to reengage with his writings, recognizing their complexity and potential for articulating a genuinely African modernity. Similarly, Cheikh Anta Diop’s work—on precolonial African history, Egyptian antiquity, and national languages—gained renewed attention as students and scholars sought to formulate decolonial frameworks beyond both Eurocentric universalism and nationalist essentialism. The Influence of Transatlantic Exchange and Postcolonial Thought A further inflection point came with the migration of many Senegalese scholars to American universities in the 1990s, where they encountered discourses shaped by the civil rights movement and critical race theory. For the first time, many were confronted with being racially categorized as Black—an experience that catalyzed a new engagement with thinkers such as Frantz Fanon. Lewis Gordon’s philosophical introduction to Fanon, What Fanon Said, played a formative role in this intellectual reorientation, opening up paths for postcolonial and decolonial analysis within Senegalese philosophical inquiry. Conceptual Decentering: The Case for Islamic Philosophy In the second part of his lecture, Ndoye discussed the conceptual dimension of decolonization through the work of Souleymane Bachir Diagne. Diagne’s books—Islam and Open Society and Open to Reason—marked the first sustained effort to re-anchor philosophical inquiry in Senegal within the Islamic intellectual tradition. This was particularly significant given Senegal’s longstanding Muslim majority and the historical connections to West African centers of learning such as Timbuktu and Djenné. By recovering figures like Al-Farabi, Avicenna, and al-Ghazālī as genuine philosophers rather than peripheral theologians, Diagne offered an alternative genealogy of reason, one that resonated with students seeking a philosophical heritage not exclusively rooted in the West. http://glophi.com
Teaching Philosophy in Senegal: An Experience of Decolonizing the Minds (Bado Ndoye)
Philosophizing in African Languages: Past, Present, Future Lecture by Anke Graness July 17, 2025, 2:15 pm (CEST) Cultural Campus, Aula & Live Stream Part of the Lecture Series Philosophizing in African Languages Abstract 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 and languages of education in their colonies, which led to the marginalization of the indigenous languages in many African countries – in political discourse, in the public sphere, but also in science, art and philosophy. It is not least against this background that controversial debates are being held in Africa about the significance of language for philosophizing, the importance of philosophizing in African languages (also as a contribution to decolonization) and the possibilities and limits of such an undertaking. The lecture traces some positions in the debates from the past and present, from Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o and Kwasi Wiredu to Chike Jeffers and the positions represented in our lecture series in the summer semester 2025, and attempts to give an outlook on future research. Ankündigung Dem afrikanischen Kontinent wurde oft abgesprochen, Heimat philosophischer Schulen, Traditionen oder Begriffe zu sein – auch da afrikanische Sprachen als zu wenig entwickelt betrachtet wurden, um abstrakte Begriffe bilden oder komplexe Zusammenhänge erfassen zu können. Dies war eines der Argumente, mit denen die europäischen Kolonialmächte die jeweiligen Kolonialsprachen als Verkehrssprachen und Bildungssprachen in ihren Kolonien einführten, was in vielen afrikanischen Ländern zu einer Marginalisierung der einheimischen Sprachen führte – im politischen Diskurs, im öffentlichen Raum, aber auch in Wissenschaft, Kunst und Philosophie. Nicht zuletzt vor diesem Hintergrund finden in Afrika kontroverse Debatten um die Bedeutung der Sprache für das Philosophieren, um die Bedeutung des Philosophierens in afrikanischen Sprachen (auch als Beitrag zu einer Dekolonisierung) und die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen eines solchen Unterfangens statt. Der Vortrag zeichnet einige Positionen in den Debatten aus Vergangenheit und Gegenwart nach, von Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o und Kwasi Wiredu bis hin zu Chike Jeffers und zu den in unserer Vortragsreihe im Sommersemester 2025 vertretenen Positionen, und versucht, einen Ausblick auf zukünftige Forschungen zu geben. http://glophi.com
Philosophizing in African Languages: Past, Present, Future (Anke Graness)
Between Faith and Justice: Philosophizing as an African Nun Interview with Dr. Christiana Idika Language of the Interview: English Conducted by Jordan Kynes Questions: 01:00 Is the Catholic Church a place of African philosophy? 08:18 How is your approach to recognition and justice informing your work on migration? 13:37 What do you see as the most important step to address the unequal power distributions in the field of philosophy? 17:49 How do your identities of being a philosopher, a nun, a woman, and an African interconnect for you? 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, particularly through seminaries where philosophy has long been taught, often by priests who gradually introduced elements of African philosophical thought. Yet for Idika, institutional inclusion is not sufficient. She calls for a more profound engagement, one in which African philosophy is not simply appended to curricula but emerges from lived experience and existential questioning. Philosophy, she argues, begins when the questioning mind encounters reality, and in this sense, African philosophy must be allowed to engage critically with Christianity, colonial histories, and the lived realities of African communities. The interview further explores Dr. Idika’s scholarly work on recognition and justice, particularly her engagement with John Rawls and Axel Honneth. She explains how these philosophical frameworks—combined with Christian notions of mercy—inform her teaching and activism around migration, where she emphasizes the importance of individual recognition, care, and an ethic that transcends purely legalistic definitions of justice. Reflecting on her multiple roles – as a philosopher, nun, African woman, and educator – Dr. Idika speaks of a unified identity that adapts contextually while remaining grounded in respect, spiritual vocation, and intellectual engagement. http://glophi.com
Between Faith and Justice: Philosophizing as an African Nun (with Christiana Idika)
The Linguistic Politics of Ethiopian Philosophy: Navigating Tradition, Modernity, and Globalization between Ge’ez, Amharic and English Fasil Merawi (Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia) Jonathan Egid (SOAS University of London) July 10, 2025, 2:15 pm (CEST) Cultural Campus, Aula & Live Stream Part of the Lecture Series Philosophizing in African Languages Abstract: 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 that gives us an access to the philosophical heritage that is found in ancient texts. Amharic is the lingua franca that builds a conceptual bridge between ancient texts and modern philosophical discourse. English is in return the language of higher education and academic publication and the philosophical practice that takes place in the institutional academic setting. The lecture also looks at the complex linguistic dynamics within which discourses of social progress shaped ways of doing Ethiopian philosophy and the epistemological and translational challenges that are arising in the process. It will also pay attention to the four trends that emerged in the process and the rift between academic and public philosophy in Ethiopia. Ultimately, it points towards the ways in which we can reimagine philosophical practice in Ethiopia in a manner that is able to affirm linguistic diversity, cultural situatedness, critical engagement and development of intercultural dialogues without falling into the universalist and particularist debates and freeing philosophical practice from the ideology of the state. More information on http://glophi.com
The Linguistic Politics of Ethiopian Philosophy (Fasil Merawi & Jonathan Egid)
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