Asante has had an international impact with his work. Books by molefi kete asante author of afrocentricity. Molefi kete asante is the worlds foremost expert on the subject of afrocentricity. This weeks conversation is with molefi kete asante, a professor of africanamerican studies at temple university, known for his pioneering work in the area of afrocentricity. Afrocentrists led by molefe asante have organised their critics into three categories, capitulationists, europeanised loyalists, and maskers. In 1980, asante wrote his landmark book afrocentricity. The philosophy of afrocentricity as expounded by molefi kete asante and ama mazama, central figures of the temple school, is a way of answering all cultural, economic, political, and social questions related to african people from a centered position. Although the word existed before asante s book and had been used by many people. Molefi kete asante, kemet, afrocentricity, and knowledge book. Building on the work of cruse, nkrumah and karenga, asante defines afrocentricity as a paradigmatic intellectual perspective linking research to ethical praxis. The afrocentric idea by molefi kete asante goodreads.
Created during the last quarter of the 20th century, afrocentricity launched terms such as agency, centeredness. In an afrocentric manifesto, molefi kete asante examines and explores the cultural perspective closest to the existential reality of african people in order to present an innovative interpretation on the modern issues confronting contemporary society. Benefits of afrocentricity in exploring social phenomena. The mission of afrocentricity international featured. Afrocentricity molefi kete asante professor and chair, department of african american studies, temple university, usa what is it. Maulana karenga worldencompassing character of his project and its value as a methodology and model for other cultures and disciplines. Molefi asantes groundbreaking text the afrocentric idea offers an honest critique of the power structures behind the rhetorical foundation of how americans view race and ethnic tradition. Afrocentricity international supports the economic, cultural and.
Considered by his peers to be one of the most distinguished contemporary scholars, asante has published 77 books, among the most recent are the dramatic genius of charles fuller, african american traditions, facing south to africa, the history of africa. He is the author or twentyfive books, including afrocentricity. The abstract noun afrocentricity dates to the 1970s, page needed and was popularized by molefi asantes afrocentricity. The longevity of his career is the epitome of what constitutes a true scholar.
The twin realizations were the beginning of the metamorphosis of arthur smith into molefi kete asante he began publishing under the new name in 1977. An afrocentric manifesto, by molefi kete asante cambridge, uk. Lefkowitz singles out molefi asante for particular criticism as the archproponent of a morally destructive cultural relativism 1996, 159. Among the key concepts are agency, location, place, centeredness, and. Selected moments of the 20th century daniel schugurensky. Afrocentricity definition of afrocentricity by medical. Afrocentricity international supports the economic, cultural and educational elevation of african people in an effort to create cultural consciousness.
The central topic of this crossdisciplinary work is the theory of afrocentricity, which mandates that africans be viewed as subjects rather than objects. The theory of social change, which launched the first full discussion of the concept. Asante is known for his writings on afrocentricity, a school of thought that has influenced the fields of sociology, intercultural communication, critical theory, political science, the history of africa, and social work. Molefi kete asante is professor and chair, department of african american studies at temple university.
Molefi asante and an afrocentric curriculum by verharen. From what i took from the book and what i encounter in afrocentric thinkersgroups, im not entirely sure that they mirror each other. Asante suggests that african americans should disencumber themselves from the eurocentric point of view and adopt instead a way of thinking that gives primacy to the. African american studies scholar molefi kete asante, called for this to emphasize the customs of african american cultures and how they have pervaded the history, culture, and behavior of blacks in the united states and around the world. Thus, this book engages the major critiques of afrocentricity, defends the necessity for. In the late l970s molefi kete asante began speaking of the need for an. In the late l970s molefi kete asante began speaking of the need for an afrocentric orientation to data. In afrocentricity, the afrocentric idea, an afrocentric manifesto, and the pyramids of knowledge. One of the first things that can be noticed by african american scholars of religious studies is that there is not much work done by intellectuals of religious studies within the realm of africana studies. This book, along with the afrocentric idea asante, 1987 and kemet, afrocentricity and knowledge asante, 1990, introduced fundamental referential. Like his previous works, this is a profound statement of the afrocentric perspective.
Black pioneers in communication research is a pathbreaking book that displays. Other pivotal works by asante are the afrocentric idea as well as kemet. For lefkowitz, asantes relativism tears at the moral fabric of public education in the united. Afrocentricity is a philosophical paradigm, based on the work of the communication and cultural theorist molefi kete asante, that emphasizes the centrality and agency of african phenomena within the african historical context as the solution to what asante called dislocation. Asante s valued contributions to the afrocentric paradigm and creates another avenue for people interested in afrocentricity access. Molefi kete asantes most popular book is afrocentricity. Molefi asante is the narrow cultural nationalist who poses as the ultimate raceman, but ultimately winds up as chief bootlicker, servant and agent of white corporate power. The central topic of this crossdisciplinary work is the theory of. Afrocentricity, which mandates that africans be viewed as subjects rather than objects. Asante gives us a blueprint for not only dismantling and disposing of the eurocentric gaze within ourselves, but for reconstructing a new, true identity afrocentricity. The role of an afrocentric ideology in reducing religious, regional, and ethnic obstacles to national integration dakar, senegal. An afrocentric manifesto is the most comprehensive response to those critics that charge afrocentricity is a closed system.
The concept of afrocentricity has been defined differently by various scholars. This new edition ofthe afrocentric ideaboldly confronts the contemporary challenges that have been launched against molefi kete asantes philosophical, soci. Molefi kete asante is an africanamerican professor and philosopher. He is also widely credited with being the founder of the afrocentricity school of thought.
Much of the content in this book is very, very good. He is the author of egyptian philosophies and egypt vs. Molefi kete asante s new book, the african pyramids of. Today asante, 53, is head of africanamerican studies at temple university in philadelphia and one of the leading theorists of afrocentricity. Asantes book the afrocentric idea was a more intellectual book about afrocentricity than the earlier popular book. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. The psychology of the african without afrocentricity has become a matter of. Molefi kete asante published 42009 afrocentricity is a paradigm based on the idea that african people should reassert a sense of agency in order to achieve sanity. D professordean, school of english city college of san francisco.
As the father and esteemed theorist of afrocentricity, molefi kete asante is indeed a living legend in the communication and africana studies disciplines. He further stated that afrocentricity is an exercise in knowledge. A work in progress edited by daniel schugurensky department of adult education, community development and counselling psychology, the ontario institute for studies in education of the university of toronto oiseut 1991 molefi asante publishes the afrocentric idea in. Includes a list of african names of gods, a bibliography, and an. More books like kemet, afrocentricity, and knowledge may be found by selecting the categories below. Context and theory molefi kete asante and the afrocentric idea afrocentricity definition afrocentricity materialized as a theory of knowledge in 1980 under molefi kete asantes philosophical thinking while also posing a systematic challenge to western epistemology. Molefi kete asante is chairperson of the temple university dept of african american studies and a leading figure in the afrocentrism school. Department of pan african studies california state university dr. This is the 11th in a series of interviews with philosophers on race that i am conducting for the stone. Molefi kete asante is a professor at temple university who is well known for his works based on afrocentricity, a cultural ideology that focuses on the history of black africans and that rejects eurocentric and orientalist attitudes about african people. Understanding afrocentricity as a social science methodology by marquita pellerin, ph. Molefi asante, professor of africanamerican studies. It emerged in the african american cultural panorama as a set of premises. Contains approximately five hundred alphabetically arranged essays that provide information about african religion, discussing spirituality, ritual, initiation, modes of reasoning, analogies, and other related topics.
Afrocentricity is an intellectual paradigm that privileges the centricity of africans within the context of their own historical experiences. Molefi kete asante born 1942 is an africanamerican scholar, historian, and philosopher, who is currently professor in the department of african american studies at temple university, where he founded the first ph. Molefi kete asante has 77 books on goodreads with 6166 ratings. As often as not, the guy in the most elaborate dashiki is the one working for the man. This new edition of the afrocentric idea boldly confronts the c. Department of political science, miami university molefi kete asante, an afrocentric manifesto. I particularly loved his recognition that a physical revolution is not enough. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. Kemet afrocentricity and knowledge pdf molefi asante kemet afrocentricity and knowledge download as pdf file. Handbook of international and intercultural communication by molefi kete asante 19940525. The afrocentric paradigm contours and definitions ama mazama temple university it has been 20 years since molefi asante 1980 published afrocentricity. Molefi kete asante is the seminal theoretician of afrocentric infusion into curriculum by virtue of four of his 82 books being directly related to examining and advancing an agency centered ideological position in the realm of education, culture, and science.
Toward an african renaissance cambridge, uk and malden, ma polity press, 2007. The afrocentric idea and the cultural turn in intercultural communication studies. Asante s book, kemet, afrocentricity,and knowledge, continues his project of forging a new discipline out of the many strands of black studies. Molefi kete asante is the founder of the african american studies department at temple university. Kemet, afrocentricity, and knowledge by molefi kete asante. Truly asante is worthy of being the top contemporary writer in afrocentricity. Mk asante defined afrocentricity as a manner of thought and action in which the centrality of african interests, values, and perspectives predominate. Afrocentricity in the end, to eliminate racism will also require a rewriting of. Asante s book kemet, afrocentricity, and knowledge continues his project of forging a new discipline out of the many strands of black studies.
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