Four concepts of Africa
dc.contributor.author | Fourie, Willem | |
dc.contributor.email | willem.fourie@up.ac.za | en_ZA |
dc.date.accessioned | 2015-08-26T07:20:34Z | |
dc.date.available | 2015-08-26T07:20:34Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2015-05-12 | |
dc.description.abstract | What makes the words ‘Africa’ and ‘African’ possible and useful? In this article it is argued that at least four internally coherent concepts of Africa exist, and that none of these concepts are ethically neutral. The article is presented as a contribution to attempts at using the term ‘Africa’ in self-critical, reflexive and constructive ways. It could therefore be of interest to all researchers, particularly those in the humanities and theology, who locate their research within the context of ‘Africa’. It is argued that Africa can be conceived of as a place, a commodity, a condition and an ideal. By drawing on mostly primary sources it is shown that the term ‘Africa’ only relatively recently came to refer to a continent, that Africa as a place and Africa as a condition in need of betterment formed the foundation for its commodification, and that Africa only very recently became a self-description of the people who live on the continent of Africa. Each of these concepts of Africa is shown to be based on a particular logic with both strengths and weaknesses. | en_ZA |
dc.description.librarian | am2015 | en_ZA |
dc.description.librarian | ae2025 | en |
dc.description.sdg | SDG-04: Quality education | en |
dc.description.sdg | SDG-10: Reduced inequalities | en |
dc.description.sdg | SDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutions | en |
dc.description.sponsorship | The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation | en_ZA |
dc.description.uri | http://www.hts.org.za | en_ZA |
dc.identifier.citation | Fourie W, 2015, ‘Four concepts of Africa’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 71(3), Art. #2847, 10 pages. http://dx.DOI.org/ 10.4102/hts.v71i3.2847. | en_ZA |
dc.identifier.issn | 0259-9422 (print) | |
dc.identifier.issn | 2078-8050 (online) | |
dc.identifier.other | 10.4102/hts.v71i3.2847 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/49601 | |
dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
dc.publisher | OpenJournals Publishing | en_ZA |
dc.rights | © 2015. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS OpenJournals. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Africa | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Continent | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Place | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Commodity | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Theology | |
dc.subject | Ethnicity | |
dc.subject | Religion | |
dc.subject | Language | |
dc.subject.other | Theology articles SDG-04 | |
dc.subject.other | SDG-04: Quality education | |
dc.subject.other | Theology articles SDG-10 | |
dc.subject.other | SDG-10: Reduced inequalities | |
dc.subject.other | Theology articles SDG-16 | |
dc.subject.other | SDG-16: Peace, justice and strong institutions | |
dc.title | Four concepts of Africa | en_ZA |
dc.type | Article | en_ZA |