Philosophy in Africa and the African Diaspora

Race and Racism: Black Existential Philosophy for Peace Studies

“…For Outlaw, the field also includes and is nourished by "those who recognize the legitimacy and importance of the issues and endeavors that constitute the philosophizing of persons or African-descended and who contribute to the discussions of their efforts" (Outlaw, 1996: 76). Other authors however, following Paul Hountondji's concept of African philosophy argue that defining Africana philosophy involves the work of African and people of African descent, and must take into account, the author, the audience, the philosophical tradition, emphasized points (Mosley and Ferguson II, 2011). In a much discussed formulation Hountondji declares that African philosophy is made by Africans, and defined as philosophical by the authors.…”

“…(Jones, quoted in Mosley and Ferguson II, 2011) Jones, Mosley and Ferguson II (2011: 461) distinguish between "Africana philosophers and the philosophy of the Black experience": the former would include all Black philosophers, is more general in its scope and includes themes of interest and approaches to philosophy, whereas the latter is a part and a manifestation of Africana that specifically deals with the theorization and reflection of the African and the diasporic experiences. However, as they point out there are black philosophers who contribute to philosophy of science, philosophy of value, or philosophy of history, for example, and are not part of the Africana tradition, even though their experience is informed by their African diasporic condition (Mosley and Ferguson II, 2011).…”

“…(Gordon, 2006: 79) The rigid ontological divide between being and nonbeing, reason and unreason, historicity and ahistoricity dominant in philosophy, "the last bastion of implicit whiteness" (Ahab 2017): "bring blacks 'in' […] subverts philosophical purity and relevance, whereas keeping blacks 'out' maintains those dimensions of philosophy" (Gordon, 1997b: 29). Thus, the existence of Africana or black philosophy appears as a "semantic monstrosity" (Mosley and Ferguson II, 2011) in light of the history of racial affiliation, which is associated with the self-appointed guardians/lovers of wisdom, reason and thought. Immanuel Kant rejected the statement of an African carpenter as follows:…”

“…Philosophy has remained remarkably untouched by the debates over 'multiculturalism', canon reform, and ethnic diversity racking the academy; both demographically and conceptually, it is one of the 'whitest' of the humanities (Mills, quoted in Mosley and Ferguson II, 2011: 462) Considering the social, historical and political dimensions in which Africana philosophy arises, and the hegemonic position of European philosophy, Africana philosophy does not claim to be a fully autonomous field delinked from the history of philosophy and European philosophy. This does not mean that Africana philosophy does not have an identity and a tradition of its own, and different sub-identities, (Mosley and Ferguson, 2011).…”