How Archie Mafeje Deconstructs Eurocentrism in the Western Paradigm of Thought

Thabang Dladla

doi:10.25159/2413-3086/15778

Authors

Thabang Dladla University of Limpopo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7964-8082

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2413-3086/15778

Keywords:

Archie Mafeje, Eurocentrism, African Philosophy, Liberation

Abstract

Western philosophy projects itself as possessing knowledge that is of universal relevance, emanating from no position in time and space, which denies the context within which its discourses arise. Such a claim rests on the assumption that European life is qualitatively superior to all other forms; hence, what they produce as knowledge is applicable to all other societies, regardless of what those particular societies presume to be knowledge, precisely because of the possession of this human quality that is exclusively European. This can be understood as the foundations of racism: the denial of the quality of being human of those nations that are not European. The exclusion of women, Africans and Amerindians from equal normative consideration by Western philosophers (such as Aristotle and Kant) can only serve the political interest of European male dominance. It is from such a realisation that a philosophy of resistance or liberation is born, which is also liberation of philosophy insofar as it challenges the oppressive, exploitative, patriarchal and colonial character of modern Western philosophy, which Archie Mafeje was particularly useful to delineate. This article grapples with the questions of racism and Eurocentrism in the Western paradigm of thought from the position of Africa through Mafeje’s selected writings. It is argued that Mafeje’s theoretical contribution demonstrates a liberatory practice of philosophy and the social sciences in Africa. Such an articulation recognises the inherently political nature of philosophical and social science discourse, something Western social science and philosophy have not been successful in obscuring.

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