Pan-African Political Philosophy
In the late 1890s and early 1900s, a network of intellectuals from the Black Diaspora, horrified by the continued expansion of European colonialism into Africa, emerged to explain major developments in world politics. As they argued, colonialism replaced indigenous systems with European-style states, structured the international political economy, and shaped the emergence of contemporary racial divisions. We will read philosopher Charles Mills’s The Racial Contract, The Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey among others to ask: How did racism shape capitalism? What are the metaphysics of racial identity? Can Black people find liberation in post-colonial states? We will see how pan-African philosophy adapted to international events, such as the end of WWI, WWII, the UN, and eventual independence from colonialism.