በአፍሪካ የዘመናዊነት ትርጉም ተዛብቷል
This article is an extract from my Masters (MA) thesis in which I attempted to argue the misconception of Modernity in post-colonial African situations. In this blog page, I tried to present how African conceptions of Modernity misunderstood and how this misunderstanding severely hampered its development in general and African identity in particular.
Due to the impacts of colonialism, neo-colonialism and globalization, modernization
is conceived, by Africans, as synonymous with Westernization or Europeanization.
This in turn, led African countries, lose their identity and indigenous
cultural values. Consequently, as the reconstruction and development programs
(policy and strategy formulations in various aspects) did not take these
indigenous values as their anchoring point, many African countries could not reach
the level of development where they can feed their people, keep their health
and facilitate the infrastructures.
The
thesis is developed following the line of argument of those African
philosophers who argue for the critique of modernity. Kwame Gyekye is the first
philosopher whose works, particularly, “Tradition and Modernity” is used in the
development of my argument. In the first part of the thesis, I have explicated
the notion of modernity. As the idea is too complex to define in few words, for
it is closely tied with the concept culture, I also discuss the notion of
culture and tradition in line with modernity. With regards to the conception of
modernity, I tried to critically reflect on the controversies whether it true
that the whole of Western societies are modern and, not traditional.
Furthermore, fundamental questions, such as:
“Is really the modern superior to the traditional? Is modernity the
opposite of tradition? Are tradition and modernity mutually exclusive concepts?
Is contemporary Africa modern or traditional?
What are the criteria to distinguish between the modern and the traditional?”
are also discussed.
In
the second part, a special attention is given to the Western notion of
modernity. This is because; the controversies and misappropriation of modernity
are deeply rooted in the invention and development of the concept of modernity
in Europe. Thus, I have critically analyzed
and evaluated the origins, aspects and manifestations of modernity. Moreover, I
have showed the logical relationship between modernity and rationality; and the
colonial narratives of “civilizing mission of colonialism” that aimed at
modernizing the “savage” people of Africa.
Furthermore, the Western theorists and philosophers (such as: Kant, Hegel,
Weber, Habermas) conceptions of modernity and its legacy on contemporary Africa is also discussed.
The
third section comprises the critique of modernity in general, and in the post-colonial
African situations, in particular. Although Ethiopia was exceptional to escape
from colonization, she did not manage to free herself from impacts of the so
called “modernizing mission of colonialism”, for no African country was capable
to avoid the mental hegemony of neocolonialism. Thus, some challenges and
consequences of misappropriating modernity in contemporary Ethiopian situations
are presented as substantiation to explicate the magnitude of the problem.
In
the concluding part, I have critically pointed out the significance of using Tsenay’s
critical and Historico-Hermeneutical analysis of African realities as a method
so as to detect the roots and magnitude of the misconception. Once the roots of
the misconception have been clearly pointed out, I clearly argue that deconstruction
of the misconceptions and reconstruction of the idea “modernity” is essential. Indeed, this can not be possible with out
awakening the society’s consciousness; hence, I emphasized the role of
philosophy to secure mental liberation in Africa.
To this end, I tried to critically analyze, interpret and utilize the arguments
of African philosophers (Such as: Messay, Tewodros, Tsenay, Sogolo) for the
role that philosophy plays in bringing about mental decolonization, that
consequently aims at an entire development of the continent.
Conclusion
If
you ask someone, in Ethiopia,
the meaning of modernization, you will get an answer that may label
modernization as synonymous with Westernization or Europeanization; which,
indeed, implies the magnitude of the intellectual hegemony of the West on Africa. In general, postcolonial Africa
is represented by the misconception and misappropriation of the idea modernity
due to the impacts of colonialism and neocolonialism. As mental colonization is
the phenomenon of intellectual, not physical, hegemony, it is usually difficult
to detect or identify it easily with out having deep philosophical outlook.
In
other words, if we make use of our critical attitude, we can easily be aware of
the fact that African conceives western modern values as an exact opposite of,
and superior to the traditional African values. This resulted in uncritical rejection
and replacement of these indigenous cultural elements with the alien western
values. This, however, does not mean that there are no people in Africa who are aware of the apparent confusion. While few
intellectuals and conservative groups have been striving to appropriate
modernity in the postcolonial African situation, the majority seems unaware
about the situation. This is because they are either doing nothing in response
to the challenge, even though they are aware of the problem; or they keep on
telling and retelling the Western discourse on modernity unintentionally. Policy
formulation and decision making processes at the national level are not also
free from the negative impacts of western modernity. Whoever could be the
originator, wherever it may be emerged first, it is undeniable that modernity
posses essential values, without which betterment of human conditions is
inconceivable.
Modernity
is a vital element in the journey of human progress or development. Since
development is the sum total of all aspects of human progress aims at improving
the human conditions, and modernity has the same end, it is obligatory to
conceive modernity appropriately. Just as some aspects of modern western values
speed up our economic development, there are some that weigh down the social
and emotional wellbeing of the African people. Thus, critical investigation and
modification of both the Western and the African values should be highly
demanded so as to meet genuine modernity.
