Abstract
The tension between what can be described succinctly as versus dynamics continues to haunt not only African history (and historical anthropology) but also philosophy and even, more generally, the search for solutions to the present-day predicament of the continent. In Achille Mbembe's recent essay on les ecritures africaines de soi (2000)-as usual with him, powerful mixture of philosophy, political analysis, and oracle language-Mbembe highlights the degree to which attempts by philosophers to deconstruct African (and therefore itself) as colonial invention coincide somewhat paradoxically with tendency toward a re-enchantment of tradition. Characteristic of the latter tendency is, in Mbembe's terms, growing insistence on singularization by the revindication of an African science, African democracy.... To Mamadou Diouf, in his recent overview (1999) of the predicament of African history and the relevance of the subaltern approach of Indian historians, the crucial question is comment sortir de la bibliotheque coloniale?-that is, how to get out of the library without falling into the trap of nationalist histories with their celebration of national continuities, from precolonial times up till today. The term library refers, of course, to Valentin Mudimbe's powerful interpretation of the very notion of Africa as colonial invention, and of African traditions as intrinsically shaped by administrators, missionaries, anthropologists, and other colonials (1988).
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call