Correcting the Eyesight: Cosmopolitanism in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

Asım Aydin

doi:10.7596/taksad.v4i2.470

Abstract

Correcting the Eyesight: Cosmopolitanism in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart Abstract The evolutionary process of separatist efforts such as colonialism, imperialism, globalization, neo-colonialism or any nationalism are outdated because global resources are becoming scarce every day, so such terms as human solidarity, Cosmopolitanism, and co-existence will have to endure in order to make use of the resources in the most optimum way. Mankind will have to understand that global sameness has to prevail despite long years of hostility, violence and bloodshed. In line with such an understanding, cosmopolitanism, as a term refers to world citizenship and 'a tolerance for things and people who are different’ and 'morality which is not rooted locally, but globally.’ Chinua Achebe tries to change the African images created by the writers depending on Eurocentric and Afrocentric perspectives. He handles the same periphery from an unusual viewpoint that is because he utilizes a different approach in representing Africa and composes counter discourses in response to colonial, imperial and racial discourses presented in colonial contexts.

Highlights

The evolutionary process of separatist efforts such as colonialism, imperialism, globalization, neo-colonialism or any nationalism are outdated because global resources are becoming scarce every day, so such terms as human solidarity, Cosmopolitanism, and coexistence will have to endure in order to make use of the resources in the most optimum way
The same Africa is transformed repeatedly into becoming something which is not itself, at all. When considered from this viewpoint, this study aims at depicting the true picture of Africa and blackness by consorting to the more objective viewpoint of Cosmopolitanism and contrasting it with Afrocentrism and Eurocentrism, both being opposite and rival viewpoints
When tolerance comes to the foreground, it does get clearer as to why such an intellectual understanding as Cosmopolitanism is important in establishing a global community, and how difficult it is

Summary

Introduction

The evolutionary process of separatist efforts such as colonialism, imperialism, globalization, neo-colonialism or any nationalism are outdated because global resources are becoming scarce every day, so such terms as human solidarity, Cosmopolitanism, and coexistence will have to endure in order to make use of the resources in the most optimum way. 2 Karabuk University, asimaydin@karabuk.edu.tr, African continent as a subject matter is a complex issue, since Africa and its blackness are created and recreated from the viewpoint of different cultural perspectives. Cosmopolitanism aims at creating one world with many peoples, this objective should not be confused with globalization.

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Conclusion