A Discourse on African Philosophy

A New Perspective on Ubuntu and Transitional Justice in South Africa

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Political
Cover of the book A Discourse on African Philosophy by Christian B. N. Gade, Lexington Books
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Author: Christian B. N. Gade ISBN: 9781498512268
Publisher: Lexington Books Publication: April 18, 2017
Imprint: Lexington Books Language: English
Author: Christian B. N. Gade
ISBN: 9781498512268
Publisher: Lexington Books
Publication: April 18, 2017
Imprint: Lexington Books
Language: English

Many have argued that ubuntu was a formative influence on the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), South Africa’s famous transitional justice mechanism. A Discourse on African Philosophy: A New Perspective on Ubuntu and Transitional Justice in South Africa challenges and contextualizes this view in a way that not only provides new findings and reflections on ubuntu and the TRC, but also contributes to the field of African philosophy. One of Christian B. N. Gade’s key findings, founded on qualitative interviews in South Africa, is that some former TRC commissioners and committee members question the importance of ubuntu in the TRC process. Another is that there are several differing and historically developing interpretations of ubuntu, some of which have evident political implications and reflect non-factual and creative uses of history. Thus ubuntu is not a shared cultural heritage, in the ethnophilosophical sense of a static property characterizing a group. In fact, throughout this book Gade argues that the ethnophilosophical approach to African philosophy as a static group property is highly problematic. Gade’s research presents an alternative collective discourse on African philosophy (“collective” in the sense that it does not focus on any single individual in particular) that takes differences, historical developments, and social contexts seriously.

This book will be of interest to scholars in African philosophy, transitional justice, politics and cultural heritage, and law in South Africa.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Many have argued that ubuntu was a formative influence on the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), South Africa’s famous transitional justice mechanism. A Discourse on African Philosophy: A New Perspective on Ubuntu and Transitional Justice in South Africa challenges and contextualizes this view in a way that not only provides new findings and reflections on ubuntu and the TRC, but also contributes to the field of African philosophy. One of Christian B. N. Gade’s key findings, founded on qualitative interviews in South Africa, is that some former TRC commissioners and committee members question the importance of ubuntu in the TRC process. Another is that there are several differing and historically developing interpretations of ubuntu, some of which have evident political implications and reflect non-factual and creative uses of history. Thus ubuntu is not a shared cultural heritage, in the ethnophilosophical sense of a static property characterizing a group. In fact, throughout this book Gade argues that the ethnophilosophical approach to African philosophy as a static group property is highly problematic. Gade’s research presents an alternative collective discourse on African philosophy (“collective” in the sense that it does not focus on any single individual in particular) that takes differences, historical developments, and social contexts seriously.

This book will be of interest to scholars in African philosophy, transitional justice, politics and cultural heritage, and law in South Africa.

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