Overview

Left Universalism, Africacentric Essays presents a defense of universalism as the foundation of moral and political arguments and commitments. Consisting of five intertwined essays, the book claims that centering such arguments and commitments on a particular place, in this instance the African world, is entirely compatible with that foundational universalism. Ato Sekyi-Otu thus proposes a less conventional mode of Africacentrism, one that rejects the usual hostility to universalism as an imperialist Eurocentric hoax. Sekyi-Otu argues that universalism is an inescapable presupposition of ethical judgment in general and critique in particular, and that it is especially indispensable for radical criticism of conditions of existence in postcolonial society and for vindicating visions of social regeneration. The constituent chapters of the book are exhibits of that argument and question some fashionable conceptual oppositions and value apartheids. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars in the fields of social and political philosophy, contemporary political theory, postcolonial studies, African philosophy and social thought.

Full Product Details

9781138611788

Table of Contents

Reviews

'Left Universalism, Africacentric Essays provides a powerful critique that Africacentrism in no way needs to reject universalism. Indeed, the danger that Ato Sekyi-Otu points to in his original book is that we reduce Africacentrism to ethnophilosophy and, therefore, reduce its range as if it were only a local philosophical perspective. This is a well-argued and clearly written defense of universalism without in any way undermining his powerful critique of eurocentrism. It will be an important book in many diverse fields from anthropology, sociology, and political science, to key departments in the humanities such as comparative literature and philosophy.' - Drucilla Cornell, Emeritus Professor of Comparitive Literature, Political Science, and Gender Studies, Rutgers University 'Ato Sekyi-Otu's Left Universalism, Africancentric Essays is that rare intellectual gift-offering that one encounters between long gaps: elegant in conception, astute in its execution, and proffering some serious revisions to the entire landscape of African thought. His propositions on the relevance of a left universalism for conceptualizing an ethics of African identity are going to set the terms of the debate not just in philosophy but well beyond. It is superb.' - Ato Quayson, author of Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism 'This book is a much-needed text in contemporary political philosophy written by a giant in African political thought. It addresses the unfortunate tendency to treat key theoretical concepts such as universality and individuality as imports into the African context instead of part of the already critical discourses of African societies. Through skillful analysis and a sober understanding of theory as addressing reality, Ato Sekyi-Otu takes on many classic tropes of postmodern political theory and avowed anti-liberalism. He brings to the fore core insights of revolutionary theories of social change in which the outrage at degradation entails antidotes of dignity, respect, and transformation of social and material conditions that impede their potential. Here, political science meets philosophy, literature, sociology, history, and more, because, as should be evident, none alone could address the gravity and scope of this problem without ignoring disciplinary shortcomings. Disciplinary nationalism falls sway to reality, as it should. I expect this work to be, as it were, a classic of contemporary political theory.' - Lewis R. Gordon, Honorary President of the Global Center for Advanced Studies and author of Existentia Africana

'Left Universalism, Africacentric Essays provides a powerful argument that Africacentrism in no way needs to reject universalism. Indeed, the danger that Ato Sekyi-Otu points to in his original book is that we reduce Afrocentrism to ethnophilosophy and, therefore, reduce its range as if it were only a local philosophical perspective. This is a well-argued and clearly written defense of universalism without in any way undermining his powerful critique of eurocentrism. It will be an important book in many diverse fields from anthropology, sociology, and political science, to key departments in the humanities such as comparative literature and philosophy.' - Drucilla Cornell, Emeritus Professor of Comparitive Literature, Political Science, and Gender Studies, Rutgers University 'Ato Sekyi-Otu's Left Universalism, Africancentric Essays is that rare intellectual gift-offering that one encounters between long gaps: elegant in conception, astute in its execution, and proffering some serious revisions to the entire landscape of African thought. His propositions on the relevance of a left universalism for conceptualizing an ethics of African identity are going to set the terms of the debate not just in philosophy but well beyond. It is superb.' - Ato Quayson, author of Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism 'This book is a much-needed text in contemporary political philosophy written by a giant in African political thought. It addresses the unfortunate tendency to treat key theoretical concepts such as universality and individuality as imports into the African context instead of part of the already critical discourses of African societies. Through skillful analysis and a sober understanding of theory as addressing reality, Ato Sekyi-Otu takes on many classic tropes of postmodern political theory and avowed anti-liberalism. He brings to the fore core insights of revolutionary theories of social change in which the outrage at degradation entails antidotes of dignity, respect, and transformation of social and material conditions that impede their potential. Here, political science meets philosophy, literature, sociology, history, and more, because, as should be evident, none alone could address the gravity and scope of this problem without ignoring disciplinary shortcomings. Disciplinary nationalism falls sway to reality, as it should. I expect this work to be, as it were, a classic of contemporary political theory.' - Lewis R. Gordon, Honorary President of the Global Center for Advanced Studies and author of Existentia Africana

'Left Universalism, Africacentric Essays provides a powerful argument that Afrocentrism in no way needs to reject universalism. Indeed, the danger that Ato Sekyi-Out points to in his original book is that we reduce Afrocentrism to ethnophilosophy and, therefore, reduce its range as if it were only a local philosophical perspective. This is a well-argued and clearly written defense of universalism without in any way undermining his powerful critique of eurocentrism. It will be an important book in many diverse fields from anthropology, sociology, and political science, to key departments in the humanities such as comparative literature and philosophy.' - Drucilla Cornell, Emeritus Professor of Comparitive Literature, Political Science, and Gender Studies, Rutgers University 'Ato Sekyi-Otu's Left Universalism, Africancentric Essays is that rare intellectual gift-offering that one encounters between long gaps: elegant in conception, astute in its execution, and proffering some serious revisions to the entire landscape of African thought. His propositions on the relevance of a left universalism for conceptualizing an ethics of African identity are going to set the terms of the debate not just in philosophy but well beyond. It is superb.' - Ato Quayson, author of Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism 'This book is a much-needed text in contemporary political philosophy written by a giant in African political thought. It addresses the unfortunate tendency to treat key theoretical concepts such as universality and individuality as imports into the African context instead of part of the already critical discourses of African societies. Through skillful analysis and a sober understanding of theory as addressing reality, Ato Sekyi-Otu takes on many classic tropes of postmodern political theory and avowed anti-liberalism. He brings to the fore core insights of revolutionary theories of social change in which the outrage at degradation entails antidotes of dignity, respect, and transformation of social and material conditions that impede their potential. Here, political science meets philosophy, literature, sociology, history, and more, because, as should be evident, none alone could address the gravity and scope of this problem without ignoring disciplinary shortcomings. Disciplinary nationalism falls sway to reality, as it should. I expect this work to be, as it were, a classic of contemporary political theory.' - Lewis R. Gordon, Honorary President of the Global Center for Advanced Studies and author of Existentia Africana

'Left Universalism, Africacentric Essays provides a powerful argument that Afrocentrism in no way needs to reject universalism. Indeed, the danger that Ato Sekyi-Otu points to in his original book is that we reduce Afrocentrism to ethnophilosophy and, therefore, reduce its range as if it were only a local philosophical perspective. This is a well-argued and clearly written defense of universalism without in any way undermining his powerful critique of eurocentrism. It will be an important book in many diverse fields from anthropology, sociology, and political science, to key departments in the humanities such as comparative literature and philosophy.' - Drucilla Cornell, Emeritus Professor of Comparitive Literature, Political Science, and Gender Studies, Rutgers University 'Ato Sekyi-Otu's Left Universalism, Africancentric Essays is that rare intellectual gift-offering that one encounters between long gaps: elegant in conception, astute in its execution, and proffering some serious revisions to the entire landscape of African thought. His propositions on the relevance of a left universalism for conceptualizing an ethics of African identity are going to set the terms of the debate not just in philosophy but well beyond. It is superb.' - Ato Quayson, author of Oxford Street, Accra: City Life and the Itineraries of Transnationalism 'This book is a much-needed text in contemporary political philosophy written by a giant in African political thought. It addresses the unfortunate tendency to treat key theoretical concepts such as universality and individuality as imports into the African context instead of part of the already critical discourses of African societies. Through skillful analysis and a sober understanding of theory as addressing reality, Ato Sekyi-Otu takes on many classic tropes of postmodern political theory and avowed anti-liberalism. He brings to the fore core insights of revolutionary theories of social change in which the outrage at degradation entails antidotes of dignity, respect, and transformation of social and material conditions that impede their potential. Here, political science meets philosophy, literature, sociology, history, and more, because, as should be evident, none alone could address the gravity and scope of this problem without ignoring disciplinary shortcomings. Disciplinary nationalism falls sway to reality, as it should. I expect this work to be, as it were, a classic of contemporary political theory.' - Lewis R. Gordon, Honorary President of the Global Center for Advanced Studies and author of Existentia Africana

Author Information

Ato Sekyi-Otu is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Social Science and the Graduate Programme in Social and Political Thought at York University, Toronto, Canada. He is the author of Fanon’s Dialectic of Experience.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available