The Postcolonial Turn: Re-Imagining Anthropology and Africa

Contents

v Contents List of Figures ........................................................................................xi Contributors ......................................................................................... xiii Acknowledgements ................................................................................. xv 1 The Postcolonial Turn: An Introduction Adebayo Olukoshi & Francis Nyamnjoh........................................ 1 A Scholarly Debate ..................................................................................1 Intellectual Colonialism versus the Pursuit of Endogeneity..............2 The Core of the Borderlinking Anthropological Endeavour ..........6 Cosmopolitan Sciences and Local Knowledge ............................... 16 The ‘Clash of Civilisations’ Revisited ................................................. 20 Opening up the Research Design in and on Africa......................... 25 Epilogue.................................................................................................. 26 Part 1 A Staunch Critique of Intellectual Colonialism and the Pursuit of Sociocultural Endogeneity................................................... 29 2 Africanity: A Combative Ontology ........................................ 31 Archie Mafeje ............................................................................... 31 Prelude .................................................................................................... 31 Africanity versus Afrocentrism ........................................................... 32 Africanity versus Vindicationism......................................................... 34 There is Already Evidence of this ...................................................... 37 Africanity and the End of African Studies ....................................... 41 vi 3 Against Alterity – The Pursuit of Endogeneity: Breaking Bread with Archie Mafeje Jimi O. Adesina............................................................................. 45 Introduction ........................................................................................... 45 Meanings and Encounters.................................................................... 46 Against Alterity....................................................................................... 48 Negation of Negation: Mafeje on Anthropology .......................... 52 Against Disciplinarity and Epistemology? ........................................ 59 The Pursuit of Endogeneity ................................................................ 60 A Return to Intimacy ............................................................................ 62 Lessons of Mafeje’s Scholarship......................................................... 65 4 Mafeje and Langa: The Start of an Intellectual’s Journey John Sharp ..................................................................................... 71 The Langa Project ................................................................................. 71 Mafeje’s Field Research......................................................................... 75 Rethinking Langa ................................................................................... 81 Speaking Truth to Power ..................................................................... 84 Part 2 Bifocality at the Core of the Borderlinking Anthropological Endeavour.................................................................................... 89 5 What is an Anthropologist? René Devisch.................................................................................. 91 Journey 1: In the Congo, 1965–1974? ............................................... 92 Journey 2: Decolonising the Gaze .................................................... 102 Journey 3: Witness to the Clash of Civilisations ............................ 105 Journey 4: How do I See Tomorrow’s Anthropologist? ............. 111 vii 6 Existential Dilemmas of a North Atlantic Anthropologist in the Production of Relevant Africanist Knowledge Wim M.J. van Binsbergen ........................................................... 117 Introduction ......................................................................................... 117 Anthropology as Intercultural Loyalty............................................. 119 Witnessing ‘the Clash of Civilisations’? ............................................ 122 The Thrice-born Anthropologist...................................................... 128 The Anthropologist as Hero ............................................................. 133 7 Kata Nomon: Letter to René Devisch Valentin Y. Mudimbe.................................................................. 143 .................................................................................................. 146 Meditari .................................................................................................. 160 Orare ...................................................................................................... 174 Coda........................................................................................................ 194 8 The Shared Borderspace, a Rejoinder René Devisch................................................................................197 Intercultural Polylogue and its Ethic of Desire .............................. 201 A Rejoinder to van Binsbergen and Mudimbe .............................. 226 People’s Reappropriation of Local Knowledge ........................... 240 Towards an Intercultural Emancipation .......................................... 252 Part 3 Cross-pollination in African Academe between Cosmopolitan Sciences and Local Knowledge .............................................. 273 9 All Knowledge is first of all Local Knowledge Theophilus Okere, Chukwudi Anthony Njoku & René Devisch................................................................................275 Political, Epistemological and Sociocultural Dimensions ............. 275 The Role of Whelan Research Academy ........................................ 290 LegƟre viii 10 Is there one Science, Western Science? Theophilus Okere.........................................................................297 Explanation of Terms ....................................................................... 298 Western Contribution to Science ...................................................... 303 Other Knowledge Traditions ............................................................ 307 Towards a Pluralistic and Complementary World Science .......... 311 11 Ethnomathematics, Geometry and Educational Experiences in Africa Paulus Gerdes ..............................................................................315 Ethnomathematical Research in Mozambique ............................... 317 Geometry / Mathematics in African History and Cultures ......... 320 Integration of Ethnomathematics into Teacher Education ......... 321 Part 4 Toward the Local Domestication of the Ruling Modern Logic: The ‘Clash of Civilisations’ Revisited................................... 337 12 Immunizing Strategies: Hip-hop and Critique in Tanzania Koen Stroeken ..............................................................................339 Local Impact and Global Relevance ............................................... 344 Breaking Through the Mzee Code: ‘The New Generation’ ........ 348 Survival Strategies: Pessimism and Immunisation ......................... 352 Duels and Brains: Streetwise Philosophy......................................... 357 13 Christian Moderns: Parody in Matricentric Christian Healing Communnes of the Sacred Spirit in Kinshasa René Devisch................................................................................367 Data and Methods .............................................................................. 369 Master Scenarios of Modernisation, Acculturation, and Citizenship ............................................................................................ 371 Deconstructing (post)Colonial Identity and Power Dichotomies376 Liturgy as a Whole-making Performative Site ............................... 380 Parody and the Potentialities of an Intertopos............................... 392 Parody and Critical Encounter with the Otherness....................... 397 Conclusion ............................................................................................ 400 ix 14 Responding to Rooted Cosmopolitanism: Patriots, Ethnics and the Public Good in Botswana Richard Werbner..........................................................................405 Rooted Public Cosmopolitans: From Ghana to Botswana ........ 406 Richard Mannathoko: Family, Ethnic Group, Inner Circle .......... 409 Hope and Three Aspects of Public Cosmopolitanism ................ 411 Cosmopolitanism as Socially Viable: Inclusion and Alliance ....... 414 Civic Culture: Biography and Documentary Practice ................... 414 Civic Culture: The Predicament of Public Cosmopolitanism..... 415 The Partial Measure of the Public Man: Funeral Programmes... 416 If not Cosmopolitan, Worldly Cosmopolitan?................................... 417 Rooted Public Cosmopolitanism: Biography and Ethnography 418 Family Friend: Richard Werbner....................................................... 421 The Senior Statesman’s Speech ......................................................... 425 The Quest for the Horizon: The Promise in the People .............. 429 Afterthought......................................................................................... 431 15 Epilogue: Opening up the Research Design in and on Africa: ‘To Souls Forgotten’ Francis Nyamnjoh........................................................................435 x ...