Understanding African Philosophy: A Cross-cultural Approach to Classical and Contemporary Issues (Philosophy and the Human Situation)

Understanding African Philosophy serves as a critical guide to some of the most important issues in modern African philosophy. Richard Bell introduces readers to the complexity of Africa, the legacy of colonialism, the challenges of post independence Africa, and other recent developments in African Philosophy. Chapters discuss the value of African oral and written texts for philosophy, concepts of "negritude," "African socialism," and "race," as well as current discussions in international development ethics connected to poverty and human suffering. Two chapters are focused on moral issues related to community, justice, and civic responsibility. Bell's sensitivity to and engagement with the complications of cross-cultural understandings help non-African readers connect with African culture and thought. Machine generated contents note: 1. Understanding Another Culture Understanding Others and Ourselves A Procedure from an Aesthetic Point of View "Found in Translation" 2. Foundations of Modern African Philosophy Ethnophilosophy and the "Negritude" Movement Critical, Scientific Philosophy Sage Philosophy 3. Liberation and Postcolonial African Philosophy African Humanism and Socialism Postcolonial African Thought The Question of "Race" 4. African Moral Philosophy I: Community and Justice Persons, Individualism, and Communalism Suffering and Injustice Poverty and Human Development 5. African Moral Philosophy II: Truth and Reconciliation Linking Communalism, Ubuntu, and Restorative Justice Understanding the Grammar of Justice after Apartheid "Not All Storytelling Heals": Criticisms of the TRC Process Justice and Political Transformation 6. Narrative in African Philosophy: Orality and Icons The Philosophical Significance of Oral Narratives Rational Dialogue, Democracy, and the Village Palaver Finding Pictures and Fictitious Narratives "Surprising" Iconic Forms and the Aesthetic Consciousness Revisited 7. Some Concluding Remarks. Understanding African Philosophy serves as a critical guide to the most important issues in modern African philosophy. Richard H. Bell introduces readers to the complexity of Africa, the legacy of colonialism, the challenges of post-independence Africa, and other recent developments in African philosophy. Chapters discuss the value of African oral and written texts for philosophy, concepts of "negritude," "African socialism," and "race," as well as current discussion in international development ethics connected to poverty and human suffering. Two chapters are focused on moral issues related to community, justice, and civic responsibility. Bell's sensitivity to and engagement with the complications of cross-cultural understandings help non-African readers connect with African culture and thought. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 18 Understanding Another Culture......Page 20 Foundations of Modern African Philosophy......Page 40 Liberation and Postcolonial African Philosophy......Page 56 African Moral Philosophy I: Community and Justice......Page 78 African Moral Philosophy II: Truth and Reconciliation......Page 104 Narrative in African Philosophy: Orality and Icons......Page 128 Some Concluding Remarks......Page 154 Notes......Page 158 Bibliography......Page 190 Index......Page 202 Bell introduces readers to the complexity of Africa, the legacy of colonialism, and the challenges of post-independence Africa, and other developments. He also discusses the concepts of negritude, African socialism and race Richard H. Bell. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [171]-181) And Index.