African Philosophy and the Epistemic Marginalization of Women

This book examines the underexplored notion of epistemic marginalization of women in the African intellectual place. Women's issues are still very much neglected by governments, corporate bodies and academics in sub-Saharan Africa. The entrenched traditional world-views which privilege men over women make it difficult for the modern day challenges posed by the neglect of the feminine epistemic perspective, to become obvious. Contributors address these issues from both theoretical and practical perspectives, demonstrating what philosophy could do to ameliorate the epistemic marginalization of women, as well as ways in which African philosphy exacerbates this marginalization. Philosophy is supposed to teach us how to lead the good life in all itsramifications; why is it failing in this duty in Africa where the issue of women’s epistemic vision is concerned?The chaptersraise feminist agitations to a new level; beginning from the regular campaigns for various women’s rights and reaching a climax in an epistemic struggle in which the knowledge-controlling power to create, acquire, evaluate, regulate and disseminate is proposed as the last frontier of feminism.

Acknowledgements Dedication Preface Introduction Addressing the Epistemic Marginalization of Women in African Philosophy and Building a Culture of Conversations Dr. Jonathan O. Chimakonam (University of Calabar, Nigeria and University of Pretoria, South Africa) Henry Odera Oruka and the Female Sage: Re-evaluating the Nature of Sagacity Dr. Pius Mosima (BIRD, University of Bamenda, Cameroon) Women and Ubuntu: Does Ubuntu Condone the Subordination of Women? Dr. Rianna Oelofsen (University of Fort Hare, South Africa) African Philosophy, its Questions, the Place and the Role of Women and its Disconnect with its World Dr. Olajumoke Akiode (University of Lagos, Nigeria) Dialogues and Alliances: Positions of Women in African Philosophy Drs. Renate Schepen (University of Humanistic Studies Utrecht/VU Amsterdam, Netherlands) Dealing with the Trauma of a Loss: Interrogating the Feminine Experience of Coping with Spouse’s Death in African Traditions Dr. Elvis Imafidon (Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria) Human Rights Discourse: Friend or Foe of African Women’s Sexual Freedoms? Prof. Louise du Toit (University of Stellenbosch, South Africa) African Philosophy’s Injustice against Women Prof. Bernard Matolino (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) Conceptual Decolonization in African Philosophy: The Women Perspective Prof. Oladele Balogun (Olabisi Onabanjo University, Nigeria) Women in the history of African Philosophy and the Imperative of ‘Her-Storical’ Perspective in the Contemporary African Philosophy Dr. Mesembe I. Edet (University of Calabar, Nigeria) Buffeted: Developing an Afro Feminist Response to Environmental Questions Dr. Betty Wambui (State University of New York, Oneonta) Ecofeminism in Africa: The Contribution of Wangari Maathai Dr. Anke Graness (University of Vienna) Women in the Kitchen of Philosophy: Re-Asking the Questions of African Philosophy Dr. Egbai Uti Ojah, (University of Calabar, Nigeria) Are Women Marginalized in African Philosophy? Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma (Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria)

Jonathan O. Chimakonam Ph.D, is a senior lecturer at the University of Calabar, Nigeria. Louise du Toit Ph.D, is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.