Week 1: The Value of African Studies

The Value of African Studies in Today's World

• African studies are essential in understanding the distinctive nature of Africa and its contribution to world civilization.
• African identities are constructed in the face of the mosaic of identities that peoples of African ancestry living within and beyond the continent bear.
• The concept of Africanness is multilayered, including legal, conceptual, and philosophical aspects, such as shared value systems and world views (e.g., "ubuntu" - I am because we are).

Misrepresenting Africa

• There are two types of narratives about Africa: "Except Africa" and "Doomsday narratives".
• These narratives misrepresent Africa as a continent of crisis, with no history, civilization, or development, and that the solution lies outside Africa.
• Examples of misrepresentation include:
  • Africa is the "dark continent".
  • Africans have inferior minds.
  • Poverty, conflicts, and bad governance are prevalent in Africa.
  • Cultural practices are often misunderstood or misrepresented.

Defining Africanness

• Africanness can be defined through various aspects, including:
  • Legal (e.g., citizenship, parentage, naturalization)
  • Conceptual (e.g., shared value systems and world views)
  • Philosophical (e.g., "ubuntu" - I am because we are)

What is African Studies

• African studies is a formally organized multi-disciplinary academic study of the continent of Africa and the African diaspora.
• The study of African studies is three-dimensional, including:
  • Research/knowledge production
  • Dissemination of knowledge and teaching
  • Application of knowledge/transformation of knowledge into policies and social action

Accessing Sources on Africa

• There are various sources of information on Africa, including:
  • Documentary sources (e.g., archaeological information)
  • Non-documentary sources (e.g., oral traditions)

Culture

• Culture is a complex whole that includes knowledge, morals, religion, customs, and habits or any other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society.
• Culture is learnt, pertains to the group, and is transmissible directly and indirectly.
• Variety of sanctions enforce some conformity.
• There are different views on culture, including:
  • It is the way a people think, feel, and believe.
  • It is a convenient shorthand for an ill-defined entity that might be described as "a way of life".

Political Geography of Africa

• Political geography is defined as the physical and conceptual presence of Africa and African cultures, political systems, and values across time and space.
• The physical presence of Africa refers to the map of Africa, its people, traditions, and political institutions.
• The conceptual presence of Africa refers to African presence through its people, cultures, traditions, and practices on the continent and in the diaspora.
• Important facts about Africa include:
  • Africa is the second-largest continent after Asia.
  • It has a land area of a little over 11,700,000 square/km2.
  • It stretches about 8000 kms from Cape Town to Cairo, and 4,800 kms from Dakar to Mogadishu.