Africa and the World The Politics of Freedom
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Brown University • Pembroke Hall • room 305 172 Meeting Street • Providence, Rhode Island
Symposium 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Freedom is a contested political and philosophical value. This symposium will feature four distinguished scholars of African philosophy who will explore various conceptions of the idea of freedom in contemporary African social and political thought. The symposium also will consider how conceptions of freedom in Africa and the African Diaspora relate to other conceptions of freedom in developing new understandings of what it means to be human in the modern world while establishing new frameworks for political community in contemporary societies.
Speakers
Souleymane Bachir Diagne professor of French and philosophy, Columbia University
F. Abiola Irele visiting professor of African and African American studies, Romance languages and literature, Harvard University
Royal Family Staff (abusua poma), wood, gold foil, 1945-1950, gift of Peter R. and Dr. Anita Klaus, from the William C. Mitthoeffer and Renee-Paul Moyencourt Collection, Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Brown University.
Ifeanyi Menkiti professor of philosophy, Wellesley College Nkiru Nzegwu professor of Africana studies and philosophy, interpretation, and culture, Binghamton University
And What about the Human? The Politics of Freedom The Harmon Family Lecture 5 p.m.
Anthony Bogues Harmon Family Professor of Africana Studies with an introduction by Rakim H. Brooks ’09 2009 Rhodes Scholar
The symposium and lecture are supported by funds from the Office of the President and sponsored by the Department of Africana Studies, Department of Philosophy, Cogut Center for the Humanities, International Affairs Office, and the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women. These events are part of the Focus on Africa and the Towards a Global Humanities Initiative. For more information about Focus on Africa, please refer to the web site: www.brown.edu/web/focus-on-africa/