The Dialectics of Transformation in Africa

by Bongmba, Elias K.

• ISBN13: 9781403972118
• ISBN10: 1403972117
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-03-16
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Summary

In the first part of this book, Bongmba argues that the African crisis has resulted from the abuse of political power, prodigal economic activities, and the proliferation of violence. He blames postcolonial leadership for a lack of political will for this crisis and argues that African states must reform their economies, establish democratic rule, practice good governance, create a space for civil society, and institute a renaissance of politics and values. In the second part, Bongmba proposes humanistic interventions centered on the recovery of interpersonal relations.

Author Biography

Elias K. Bongmba is Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Rice University.

Table of Contents

PREFACE	viii
INTRODUCTION	1	(8)
CHAPTER 1 DEFINING THE HUMAN CRISIS IN AFRICA	9	(30)
The Privatization of Power	10	(7)
The Pauperization of the State	17	(6)
The Prodigalization of the State	23	(5)
The Proliferation of Violence	28	(11)
CHAPTER 2 THE GENESIS OF THE AFRICAN CRISIS: THE MANIFESTATION OF A POLITICAL WILL	39	(24)
Mamdani on Citizen and Subject	40	(3)
Independence Opened a Space for Change	43	(3)
Outworking of Political Will: Ahidjo's Political Philosophy in Cameroon	46	(6)
The Single Party as a Mechanism of Political Totality	52	(3)
Totality Over Subjects	55	(8)
CHAPTER 3 RECOVERY IDEAS I: ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENTS, DEMOCRACY, AND GOVERNANCE	63	(32)
Structural Adjustment Program	63	(6)
Hopeful Initiatives: The African Union and Nepad	69	(3)
Democracy	72	(4)
Theorizing Democracy for the Future	76	(8)
The Church and Democracy in Africa	84	(2)
Good Governance	86	(4)
Governance Is a Social Praxis	90	(5)
CHAPTER 4 RECOVERY IDEAS 2: CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE AFRICAN RENAISSANCE	95	(28)
Civil Society	95	(7)
Christian Churches and Faith-Based Organizations as Civil Society	102	(4)
The African Renaissance	106	(1)
Defining the Renaissance	107	(6)
Debating the Renaissance	113	(2)
The African Renaissance in Global Perspective	115	(8)
CHAPTER 5 TOWARD AN INTERSUBJECTIVE POLITICAL COMMUNITY IN AFRICA	123	(22)
Wimbum Articulations of Intersubjectivity	124	(6)
Subjectivity and the Political Community	130	(3)
The Ego and the Alter Ego in Intersubjective Phenomenology	133	(4)
Beyond Husserl to Genuine Intersubjectivity	137	(2)
Intersubjectivity and a New Political Ethics	139	(6)
CHAPTER 6 RETHINKING GENDER RELATIONS: A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION	145	(22)
African Women in Feminist and Gender Discourse	146	(2)
African Widows: A Phenomenology of Eros	148	(11)
The Erotic Is a Realm of Freedom	159	(8)
CHAPTER 7 RETHINKING POWER IN AFRICA: RELIGIOUS AND THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES	167	(32)
Religion and Society: Ambiguity and Promise	168	(3)
Religion and Power in the Post-Patrimonial State	171	(2)
Religion and the Possibility of Peacebuilding	173	(4)
On Axe—Yoruba Perspectives on Power	177	(2)
Theological Perspectives on Power	179	(1)
Power is constitutive of being	180	(3)
Power is derived from God	183	(1)
Those who have political power must not use it for self-aggrandizement	184	(1)
Power should be exercised in the light of human finitude	185	(1)
Power should be tempered with the spirit of Christ	186	(1)
Political power should be used to empower people	186	(1)
Power should be used to strengthen intersubjective relations	187	(2)
Leaders should use their power to promote justice	189	(5)
Political power should be employed to promote freedom	194	(2)
The dynamics of power requires a new theology of the future	196	(3)
CONCLUSION: BEYOND PESSIMISM TO OPTIMISM: IN LOVE WITH AFRICA	199	(14)
NOTES	213	(54)
BIBLIOGRAPY	267