Issue

Vol. 46 No. 3 (2021): Africa Development

6 - Political Science and African Political Epistemologies: The Dialectics of Developmentalist vs. Emancipatory Approaches

https://doi.org/10.57054/ad.v46i3.1203
Shadrack Wanjala Nasong’o
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8820-4136

Corresponding Author(s) : Shadrack Wanjala Nasong’o

nasongos@rhodes.edu

Africa Development, Vol. 46 No. 3 (2021): Africa Development

Abstract

The premise of this article is that there has been a dialectical duality to the
political science study of Africa, in terms of scholars and focus. The duality
of scholars is represented by African scholars both on the continent and in
the diaspora, on one hand, and Africanist scholars (non-African scholars who
study Africa), on the other. Much of the political study of Africa has focused
on the problematic of development. This political science research focus on
the problematic of development gives epistemological priority to generating
empirical political knowledge research. In contrast, research emphasis on the
problematic of emancipation from oppression and exploitation prioritises an
epistemological conception of knowledge that facilitates radical change as it
grapples with evaluative moral-ethical issues. The purpose of the article is to
examine the dialectical nexus of development- and emancipatory-focused
political study of Africa, and the impact and relevance of the corpus of
political science epistemologies thus generated. The central argument is that
the relevance and implications of political science epistemologies generated
via normative and critical approaches have been more profound than those
generated via strictly positivist and empirical approaches.

Keywords

political science development Epistemologies African scholars Africa
[1]
Nasong’o, S.W. 2021. 6 - Political Science and African Political Epistemologies: The Dialectics of Developmentalist vs. Emancipatory Approaches. Africa Development. 46, 3 (Feb. 2021). DOI:https://doi.org/10.57054/ad.v46i3.1203.
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Author Biography

Shadrack Wanjala Nasong’o

Wanjala S. Nasong’o, Ph.D. is Professor of International Studies and former department chair at Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee, where he has taught since 2005. He teaches courses in comparative politics, international relations, and African politics. He has previously taught at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Nairobi, and Kenyatta University, both in Kenya. Additionally, Prof. Nasong’o has held summer fellowships at Riara University, Egerton University, and St. Paul’s University, all in Kenya. A political comparativist, Prof. Nasong’o’s research interest lies in the areas of democratization, identity politics, social conflict, governance, and development. He is author, editor, and co-editor of nine books, and dozens of peer reviewed book chapters and articles in refereed journals. For his prolific scholarly work, Prof. Nasong’o has been honored with the Rhodes College’s Clarence Day Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Activity, and the Ali Mazrui Award for Research and Scholarly Excellence from the University of Texas at Austin

Professor of International Studies, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Email: nasongos@rhodes.edu

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