The Familiar Witches’ Brew’: Towards an African Philosophy of Religion

Haynes, Patrice (2015) The Familiar Witches’ Brew’: Towards an African Philosophy of Religion. Journal of Dharma: Dharmaram Journal of Religions and Philosophies, 40 (4). pp. 423-442. ISSN 0253-7222

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Abstract

This paper indicates how the idea of African philosophy – specifically, African philosophy of religion – can both expose the ‘whiteness’ of the curriculum in undergraduate philosophy programmes and offer an expanded vision of philosophy. It first highlights the Eurocentric character of the curriculum in academic degree programmes such as philosophy in the UK and beyond. Thereafter it considers the notion of African philosophy, particularly as this has been viewed by key western philosophers to be an impossibility. The paper then outlines how postcolonial, African scholars have sought to envisage African philosophy. It is argued that the attempt to seek a pure, authentically African philosophy is misguided. The paper then turns to ways in which an African philosophy of religion might be configured before ending with some brief comments on certain problems raised in the attempt to deliver an intercultural curriculum.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information and Comments:	Permission granted in email dated 4/10/16
Keywords:	Curriculum, Whiteness, African Philosophy, Religion, God, Conceptual Decolonization
Faculty / Department:	Faculty of Creative Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities
Depositing User:	Patrice Haynes
Date Deposited:	28 Apr 2016 16:41
Last Modified:	16 Dec 2024 14:39
URI:	https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/1065

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