Africa 227: 1/22/09

1/22/09 2:09 PM 1/22/08 Philosophical realism vs philosophical idealism Africa It?s a concrete continent Surrounded by water Boarders are clear realists think it?s a figment Philosophical Realism- Aristotle World is made up of real things that exist independently on the thought about them. There whether we see them, name them, if we are not here they are Exist independently of human imagination Science Philosophical idealism Philosophical idea-ism Things only exist because of the categories we have made up to contain them. Ideas we have invented to put on them City a city wouldn?t exist if we thought of human gradients differently Electrons, ions Categories but human constructions Post modernism, post subjectivism Idealists Think of Africa as a human creation When did we create Africa, the category Idea of Africa originated in Europe Explains how Africa is conceived world wide Greek historian- Herodotus Group of Egyptians sailed around it 20 thousand years ago. European voyages 1500, Portuguese Established definitively that Africa is a continent Expeditions that set Africa for around the world Established outlines, maps of Africa First maps early 1500?s Arabs, S. Asians, SE Asians, Chinese, Africans Traveled to Africa, within Africa Before only knew about portions of Africa but that is different than Africa as a continent What outsiders knew before Portuguese about portions of Africa Had many names for known parts of Africa Understood in a vague way that Africa extended south Ancient Greek and Romans- know Northern parts Word ?Africa? Romans Borrowed by ancient Mediterranean people/Egypt/Phoenician ?Afer?- applied to land around Carthage (classical city in what now is Tunisa) Everything S. of Mediterranean sea were called Africans Middle ages- 10.11.12 century Abyssinia- what we now call Ethiopia Known but some what mysterious place Kongo- Congo Timbuktu Arab Sub-Saharan Africa Didn?t circumnavigate Had some notions and the extent pretty early on Islamic world- 1000 years ago European explorers around 1500?s had idea of look and ideas about Africa. Africa began to exist as entirety Africans identify with Africa When did Africans know about Africa as a whole Know obviously about a portion When did they identify not with portion but whole continent of Africa? Developed sense along with Europeans Europeans map makers, conquerors, explorers almost all of us in human history are told by others who we are. Inspired by European insistence that they live in a continent called Africa What this concept (Africa) meant to different people over the years European Ideas in Africa Early portrayals of Africa in early lit and art in Europe Till about 500 years ago, pictures were largely benign Europeans who noticed Africa treated Africa and Africans with rough equality Medieval depictions had fantasy but no more or different that were constructed about other not as well known places When people don?t know a place they view it with their fantasies- usually fears. Before 500 Europeans thought about Africa? didn?t think about Africa as backwards, feared no more than any other place. Africans seen as another shade of skin. No demonizing, no attention called to African face in a group of people who may be white Writings- very little racism, bizarre speculation, but no inferiority to Europeans Material terms of standard of living were very similar to people in Africa No real difference b/w Europeans of Africans Everyone lived off the land Farmers, barely, rye, wheat Life expectancy was very low Diet was monotonous for both Not well educated, no health benefits No reason to stigmatize Africa because they were pretty similar After 500? Africans took on qualities that are still familiar to us now Defined as poor, uneducated, technologically unsophisticated, undeveloped, nonchristian, inferior, inherently inferior, in need of guidance, governance, health People to despise Diversity of African and peoples ? specificity of Africa became lost- Africa is Africa. 1400?s Europeans became to get a sense of separate places in Africa. Lost in wash of generalization. Pitiable blackness, blur, pitiable indifference Why 500 years ago did it change? standards of living- technology, living, knowledge were rising rapidly during the renaissance rising relative to Africa European economies beginning to take off People living in vibrant countries often lose interest in other countries except what they receive from other countries Irrelevancy Widening gap of living standards main reason- Transatlantic Slave Trade 1500?s to 1800?s shipped to new world justified in human terms? Idea that its populated by people who don?t warrant the concern we might have for others Africans are not really part of our humanity- inherent biological inferiority Transatlantic slave trade: Slavery was an ancient and universal institution before Europe world never seen systematically taken from homeland to new World- millions endured through the 19th century inferiority- endured to our time negative qualities ? 15-1700?s psychological need. Racism came second. Slave trade was first. We are right, they are wrong. They are opposite to us. European Racism- begins in 1500?s to justify slave trade. We live in the legacy still now. Had 500 years to build. History of ideas isn?t simple. As slave trade ramp up 15-1700?s , racism ramp up Race was a more vague concept Later seen as unchangeable During 16-18th century a lot of ideas of race and colors No means clear to educated that race is the quality that people are born with. Think that white may become black if they live in that environment. 19th century- racism began to be systematized and applied to science Stereotypes poverty, chaos, incapacity to self government, basket case Old ideas still much with us Realists want to say they are true- not that they are inferior but that they are kind of a basket case. Different Africa countries have plenty of problems. Some conform to ideas of Africa (incapacity to self government) A lot of stereotypes don?t work. Separate fact and fiction- just that it seems doesn?t mean it isn?t true especially if you don?t know that much about the subject. Do stereotypes of grounding in truth or not? European ideas of Africa last 500 years consequence of slave trade- then US- then global ideas even though 1500s Real knowledge is available Think stereotypes are true because of what you see on tv, because you are only reported what makes sense to you. Things in Africa that makes sense to us are the stereotypes. vicious negative cycle of stupidity ? because you are only showing them what they expect Anti Africa is a human construction. Africa is an idea. It may be a continent but we have filled it up with fears and fantasies (good and bad but both can be misleading). Development of African ideas in Africa Wasn?t slave trade that gave Africans totality of Africa Most in continent were slaves Salve traders didn?t discriminate what parts they take Africans to slaves Africans have no idea which part their ancestors were In the new world ? had to see totality because all they knew was that they came from Africa not which part of Africa. African Americans, afro Caribbeans, afro Brazilians-started seeing Africa as home Saw Africa glorified place as the ancestry homeland- the continent Unified generalized place that have black people, who have great deal in common with each other, concept of the homeland Pan africanism- concept of homeland- 19th century Stress and still stress the essential unity of black people against colonialism and white domination. Emancipated slaves 1900 First conference in London Commonalities of experience of colonialism, racism, essentially the same even though they are from different places around the world. Creates and still creates an idealized place where blacks are together Still here today- essential unity of race and forged by experience of racism, enslavement, colonialism that share same oppression Necessary to know because African ideas about Africa as a category of experience were formed in this discourse of pan africanism. Without discourse they wouldn?t of thought of them as Africans but ideology and discourse caused most to continental unity instead. Identify with political aspirations and movements outside of Africa. definitions- interracial solidarity, describe cultural commonality, unity of values world wide, Defined as a political geographical program culture, racial ideas are so profound and those imposed on their identity is so wrong need mega statement of who they are- unification effort dreamy idea/noble but largely a bad idea dream of unification ? is characterized as much of diversity as in unity. Most existing places in Africa are still too big- its easier to control smaller place too impractical to control smaller places in America its hard even with the same language. Pan Africanism is one of the main ways Africans think of Africa as an entity. 1/22/09 2:09 PM