Logical and Theoretical Foundations of African Environmental Ethics

[English] The paper observed that the various ethics that constitute the system of African environmental ethics are not based on or linked to any known African ontology and formal logic. It argued that the contextualisation of African environmental ethics on African ontology and African logic is essential since Western ontology and logic do not serve to adequately explain and provide proper meanings to the various concepts and propositions employed in the African environmental ethics. Therefore, the paper aimed to, and indeed, link and establishes African environmental ethics on a definite and sound African ontology and formal logic based on Ibuanyidanda complementary ontology and Ezumezu integrativist logic. [Annang] Nwed ndun̄ọ ami akondo ada akud ate k’ idem mme ido ukpeme nkan-n̄kuk ke Africa ada nsan nsan ye ọntọlọgy ye lọgik Africa. Nnwed ami abenne awọ́d ate ke ọntọlọgy ye lọgik mfia agwo iwamma ke adinam awan̄a mme nsio nsio akpọ-ikọ, adaha ikọ, mme usem, ye mme edu ake 'adọhọke ke mme ido ukpeme nkan-n̄kuk ke Africa. Ntak ade anam ukpep mkpọ ami anwana ndiben ido ukpeme nkan-n̄kuk Africa n̄ka n̄ke kọọn̄ ke ọntọlọgy ye lọgik afọnnọ nte itiat ikaba, ade anam anye asan̄a 'ke kem ye Ibuanyidanda Ontology ye Ezumezu Logic

Poor Philanthropist II: New approaches to sustainable development

The second title in the Poor Philanthropist Series, this monograph represents the culmination of a six-year journey; a journey characterised in the first three years by in-depth qualitative research which resulted in an understanding of philanthropic traditions among people who are poor in southern Africa and gave rise to new and innovative concepts which formed the focus of the research monograph The Poor Philanthropist: How and Why the Poor Help Each Other, published by the Southern Africa-United States Centre for Leadership and Public Values in 2005

An analysis of the Gutsaruzhinji polity in Zimbabwe.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.The absence of a sound and robust African political ideology grounded in Africa‘s traditional and cultural philosophy of hunhu/ubuntu has led to Africa‘s continued subjugation and domination by both Western and Eastern bloc nations. Africa has been compelled to choose between capitalism or socialism which are both foreign ideologies. The author strongly contests the above view and provides an alternative ideology which is in all respects African and grounded in Africa‘s richest philosophy of hunhu/ubuntu. Gutsaruzhinji, both as a philosophy and political ideology is entrenched in traditional African cultural ideals rooted in the hunhu/ubuntu philosophy. It is the author‘s contention that gutsaruzhinji is an authentic African philosophy, tested in Zimbabwean politics, deserves to be assigned both regional and international status. The author believes, it is time for ubiquitous philosophy that can be employed to extricate Africa and its people from perpetual poverty and inequalities perpetrated by colonialism. Gutsaruzhinji focuses on effectively meeting the social and economic needs of all citizens who had been marginalised by colonial apartheid development trajectory. This will immediately see the abandonment of both capitalism and socialism as guiding ideologies in African social, economic and political development. Gutsaruzhinji was nurtured throughout the pre-colonial period and is evident in such traditional practices as nhimbe or majangano or letseka, where free labour and service was given to enable every member of the community to get food and be self-sufficient. The merit of this thesis is that it brings a new African political thought and consciousness needed to continue embracing hunhu/ubuntu values which are key to the survival of African Philosophy and good governance. The two important vehicles of African identity and survival, hunhu/ubuntu and gutsaruzhinji are set to continue defending the African intellectual territory and political landscape to eternity. This thesis is intended to also assist in extricating and blending African philosophies like Ujamaa, Consciencism, Negritude and Humanism from the label ―African Socialism and bond them with hunhu/ubuntu philosophy, making them an integral part of gutsaruzhinji polity. Africa will for the first time adopt and use its own political ideology to better the livelihood of its citizens

Editorial: Now, the theory of Ubuntu has its space in social work

In this issue, we published short articles that show application of ubuntu in social work. We prioritized articles that showed how ubuntu could be used and applied in social work as well as those with a visual model representing ubuntu. Advances in technology and rapid growth of social media requires that we promote and use visual learning tools for social work especially for the young learner. This special issue’s objective was to accelerate use of concepts, models, theories and approaches that fill the gaps left by western approaches that are being put aside as Africa decolonises social work. Another objective was to encourage participation of young writers in decolonisation and indigenisation. In this editorial article, we define ubuntu, summarise existing ubuntu models in social work before sharing information about this special issue of the African Journal of Social Work (AJSW)

Exploring Possibilities of an Undergirding Umunthu Philosophy in Malawi’s Social Studies Curriculum

The article explores possibilities of integrating Umunthu values into the social studies in Malawi with the purpose of reforming the curriculum into one that is relatable and relevant to the local needs of the society. To achieve this, it examines the relationship that exists between various aspects of education and the society, requiring the need for reliance on local knowledge production through Umunthu as an undergirding philosophy. Data for the study was collected through semi-structured interviews with Social Studies teachers, students, parents and university lecturers. It also involved analysis of other available secondary sources on Umunthu, Social Studies and education. The findings of the study were analysed within the framework of two main theories: the Reconstructionist Theory and the Southern Theory. In relation to the findings, the paper concludes that a successful deployment of Umunthu as a guiding philosophy for Social Studies would require incorporation of its core principles into the curriculum, tailoring it to focus on forging a national identity and to necessitate education for Malawians. The paper then argues that implementation of a reformed curriculum reflecting the discussed propositions requires concerted efforts from various stakeholders in curriculum development and implementation. Keywords: Curriculum, Education, Malawi, Social Studies, Umunth

Voices from Below—Africa’s Contribution to the Development of the Norm of Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights

The long conversations about corporate responsibility predominantly take place in forums and conferences in the Global North. Yet, the majority of the human rights abuses and their impacts are felt by peasants, farmers, children, and women in local communities in the Global South who do not have a voice in the institutionalized governance systems that animate global affairs. This thesis answers the question of how norms and human rights institutions in Africa can influence the corporate responsibility to respect (CR2R) norm as embedded in pillar II of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Through the theory of social constructivism, this thesis examines how the CR2R norm is changing the dominant narrative that MNCs do not have human rights responsibilities in international law. In light of the CR2R norm’s status as a social and (growing) legal norm, this thesis asks how norms and human rights institutions in Africa can contribute to the interpretation and application of the CR2R norm. The central argument is that international law-making, especially in human rights, should be an inclusive process that promotes an exchange of norms and ideas between the Global North and South divide. The ultimate goal of this thesis is to generate conversations about the potential role that norms and human rights institutions in Africa can play in the development of the CR2R norm. As a start, this thesis puts Africans at the center of the CR2R norm development discussion in terms of the inclusion of their views to affect the prescriptive and policy implications of emergent human right norms and principles

Ubuntu pedagogy – transforming educational practices in South Africa through an African philosophy: from theory to practice

Education in South Africa, and Africa at large, has always been construed from Eurocentric perspectives despite Africa being rich with indigenous philosophies and knowledge systems such as the Ubuntu philosophy. In this paper, we bring forth the viability of Ubuntu pedagogy, which draws from the indigenous Ubuntu philosophy, for the promotion of co-existence, social cohesion and inclusivity in education. Drawing from the Collective Fingers Theory, we examine the extent to which the principles of Ubuntu philosophy can cultivate and restore African indigenous values and cultures in diverse educational settings. We draw from literature to position Ubuntu pedagogy within educational practices. Themes emerging from the subject literature are: Collective Fingers theory, Ubuntu philosophy, principles of Ubuntu pedagogy. As a transformative approach, Ubuntu pedagogy, when embraced with the understanding and dignity it deserves, has a potential not only for reconnecting students with their indigenous values, heritage and cultures, but it also has a capacity to cultivate Ubuntu social values of solidarity, co-existence, respect and cooperation among students. We recommend Ubuntu pedagogy as a transformative and decolonial approach that promotes inclusion and social justice. The paper provides principles that guide the possible and effective implementation of Ubuntu pedagogy in diverse educational settings and implications for practice. The paper contributes to the ongoing debates on the  decolonisation of education and the role of Ubuntu philosophy in the restoration of African values in the South African education system

The angst of the Dehumanized: Ubuntu for Solidarity

This article attempts to delve into the multiple forms of violence experienced by South African women, within the theoretical framework of the ecological model of abuse proposed by Lori L. Heise (1998). The objective of the article is to explore how the communitarian dimension of ubuntu is absent when the womenfolk is in question. Their existence itself appears to be insignificant compared to their counterparts. Ubuntu cannot be lived or practiced while some are excluded from this concept. Gender inequality and inequitable status of existence cannot be part of ubuntu, as “I am, because you are” or the meaning of ubuntu cannot be fully experienced in such unbalanced circumstances. The violence against women by members of the same community and family is quite alarming. It is evident in such instances that women are commodified for the benefit of men due to their patriarchal nature. The subtle ways in which patriarchy operates, silence women and make them incapable of standing for their rights or resisting the oppression. The article thus discusses the oppressive social systems that exist in South Africa and their implications for the practical living of ubuntu

Ethics and leadership: A critical analysis of cultural resources for ethical leadership in Southern Africa.

Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2019.There is no doubt that there is a leadership problem of crisis proportions in Southern Africa and in Africa in general. This leadership crisis is not exclusively in the realm of politics, it can be found in business and even in some religions. Our media is usually replete with stories about unethical leadership that in most cases manifest itself in the form of corruption in government, companies, schools, universities, sporting organisations, just to mention a few. In all these instances there is no doubt that unethical leadership implies eroded integrity, insatiable accumulation of wealth and a general lack of concern for the wellbeing of others. Whilst Southern African cultures are endowed with traditional ethical resources such as Ubuntu/Unhu this study contents that our vital resource for ethical leadership undoubtedly will only come from traditional cultures of the indigenous people in Southern Africa.The main presumption of the study is that by employing traditional ethical resources for ethical leadership, a successful leader should be someone who is able to provide comprehensive wellbeing to those under his or her leadership. This shall be elaborated by drawing on some examples from traditional Zulu, Sotho and Shona cultures mainly cherished features of ethical leadership. With the main aim being to demonstrate that in these cultural traditions ethical leadership converged on the principle that one should live and lead in a way that gives primacy to the good of others where the final aim is to maximise inclusive well-being and social well-being and social harmony. With the above in mind the study comparatively analysed the contemporary conception of Western models of leadership, power and ethics with a view to assess their relevancy and applicability to Africa. In the process it was observed that the foundation for contemporary Western leadership practice, ethics and power discourse were deeply embedded in their cultural foundations of individual and atomistic views which primed the individual rights over general societal or community consideration unlike the African cultural heritage of Ubuntu which primes community over individual. The end result of the comparative analysis pointed to deficiencies in the adopted leadership frameworks of the West hence the resultant critical analysis of traditional cultural resources for ethical leadership. The analysis while noting the need and potential for usability of the traditional cultural resources also noted the practical globalisation trend as calling for innovation, independence of thought and ingenuity in the application of Ubuntu philosophy in modern society with its current trends and challenges. Ubuntu7 philosophy was concluded to undergird the new framework for A new paradigm of ethical leadership in Southern Africa in particular and Africa in general

Ubuntu: An African contribution to (re)search for/with a 'humble togetherness'

This article is a discussion in two parts. The first part addresses the Southern African indigenous philosophy of Ubuntu, providing it with a working definition and situating it within African epistemology and the socio-political contexts of its invocation. It raises critical concerns about Ubuntu's embrace in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its promulgation as an ideology within the nation-building project of post-apartheid South Africa. Such concerns are referenced with respect to Ubuntu's formulation within the advocacies of cultural nationalism. Nevertheless, the discussion commits to perspectives of possibility towards disrupting neoliberalism and decolonizing hegemonic meanings, and advances a debate towards transformation and transcendence within a post-apartheid context. The second part follows on from the arguments in the first part, which set the stage for a narrative journeying of a more personal nature. It offers a reflexive account of how Ubuntu was used as a guiding principle for engagement in fieldwork and the structuring of a qualitative research methodology. The narrative tone is somewhat different to that of the first part, which offers critical perspectives within a broad socio-political discussion. The second part moves from a national level to a local level. It locates more personal interactions and a search for a ‘humble togetherness' within the context of a township school in South Africa. The article closes with a somewhat cautionary note on how a philosophy such as Ubuntu might be taken up in a political institutional forum that has unwanted implications, but it also advocates for Ubuntu in providing legitimizing spaces for transcendence of injustice and a more democratic, egalitarian and ethical engagement of human beings in relationship with each other. In this sense, Ubuntu offers hope and possibility in its contribution to human rights