5 - Ethnicism and the Democratization of Civil Society: Envisioning Changes in the Proximal and Causal Ideologies of ‘Marginality’ in Africa and America
Corresponding Author(s) : Irene Omolola Adadevoh
Afrika Zamani,
No. 9-10 (2002): Afrika Zamani: An Annual Journal of African History
Abstract
This paper focuses on the possibilities of transforming social and political marginality by democratising the ethnic groups in societies replete with multiethnic social construction of ‘underclass’ conflict such as America and Africa to engage prioritised issues targeted at promoting the interests of collec- tive existence in the sustenance of national goals in both continents. Although the concept of ethnicity embraces several interesting aspects of our empirical experience, they nonetheless have theoretical significance as metaphors of so- cial struggle for democratic principles of equality and justice.
The paper argues that in order to develop a broader based democratic agenda that would eclipse the intense controversies in the pursuit of sexual equality within the ethnic systems, there is a vital need for a democratic reconstruction of governance strategies that erstwhile have created complex difficulties in re- assessing the continental social systems of nationalism and ethnicism, and much more that failed to examine the anti-racist and anti-tribal interactive approaches of the community alliance.
It examines the basis for the lack of resistance to the institutionalised ethnic relations of power that continue to prop systems of domination, victimization and exploitation in both Africa and America. It analyses the theoretical and practical hierarchic trend of ethnicism and feminism, which makes them sour- ces of social dysfonction. More significantly, in postulating an effective possibility of reconstructive challenges characterized by mainstream view which equates feminism with ethnic co-operation, the paper also critically deconstructs the onslaught of ‘sexual sociality’, and ‘democratic sexism’ in the United States and, more profoundly, in Africa.
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- Andersen & al., 1995, Race, Class and Gender, USA, Wadsworth, Publishing Company.
- Appelbaum, R.P. and Chambliss, W.J., 1995, Sociology, New York, Harpers and Collin.
- Aristotle, 1962, The Politics, trans. T.A. Sinclair, Harmondsworth, Penguin.
- Asante, M. K., 1991, Afrocentricity, Tredon N.J., Africa World Press.
- Barrow, R., 1973, Athenian Democracy, London, Macmillan Press.
- Barth, F., (ed.), 1970, Ethnic Groups and Boundaries, Bergen, Oslo, Universities Forlaget.
- Berlin, I., 1969, Four Essays On Liberty, London, Oxford University Press.
- Brinkley, A., 1997, The Unfinished Notion: A Concise History of the American People, vol. 1. USA, Mc Graw Hill Companies Inc.
- Campebell, A., 1997, Western Primitivism and African Ethnicity, London, Cassell.
- Cyrus & Rohw, (eds.), 1987, Readings in African Political Philosophy, Nairobi, Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.
- Davidson, B., 1991, Africa in History, New York, Macmillan
- Depress, L. A., 1975, Ethnicity and Resources Competition in Plural Societies, The Hague, Mouton.
- Depress, L. A., 1967, Cultural Pluralism and Nationalist Politics in British Guiana, Chicago, Rand Nally.
- Deutsch, H., 1945, The Psychology of Women: A Psychoanalytic Interpretation, New York, Grune and Statton.
- Ehrenreich, B., 1999, ‘The Real Truth About Female Body’, in Time, March 15: 4.
- Finley, M., 1973, Democracy: Ancient and Modern, London, Macmillan Press.
- Fox-Genovese, E., 1982, ‘Placing Women’s History’ in New Left Review 133.
- Franklin, J. H., 1974, From Slavery To Freedom, New York, Alfred A. Knopf.
- Goldstein, J. S., 1999, International Relations, USA, Longman.
- Gordon, M. M., 1964, Assimilation in American Life, New York, Oxford Univer- sity Press.
- Gordon, A. A., 1996, Transforming Capitalism and Patriarchy, USA, Lynne Rienner Publishers.
- Grimshaw, J., 1986, Feminist Philosophers: Women Perspectives on Philosophical Traditions, London, Wheat Sheaf Books Ltd.
- Heater, B. D., 1964, Political Ideas in the Modern World, London, George G. Harp Co. Ltd.
- Hoselitz, B. F., 1987, Non-Economic Barriers to Economic Development, London, Edward Arnold/Headline Plc.
- Jaggar, A., 1983, Feminist Politics And Human Nature, USA, Rowman & Allanhed Publisher.
- Kasfir, N., 1976, The Shrinking of a Political Arena: Participation and Ethnicity in African Politics With A Case Study of Uganda, University of California Press.
- Katz, M. B., (ed), 1993, The “Underclass“ Debate, Princeton, Princeton Univer- sity Press.
- Kuper and M. G. Smith (eds), 1969, Pluralism in Africa, Berkeley, University of California Press Turton.
- Lovenduski, T., 1986, Women and European Politics: Contemporary Feminism And Public Policy, London, Wheat Sheaf Books Ltd.
- Maccia, E.S., 1975, Women and Education, Charles C. Thomas, Springfield 111.
- Machinyre, A., 1973, ‘The Essential Contestability of Some Social Concepts’, Ethics, 84.
- Macpherson, C. B., 1976, Democratic Theory: Essays in Retrieval, Oxford, OUP.
- Martin et al., 1995, A Concise History of America And Its People, New York, Harper Collins college publisher.
- Mazrui, A. A., 1975, ‘Ethnic Stratification and the Military Agrarian Complex: the Uganda Case’, in N. Glajer & D. P Moyniha (eds). Harvard University Press.
- Model, S., 1993, ‘The Ethnic Niche and the Structure of Opportunity: Immigrants and Minority In New York City’, in M. B. Katz (ed.), The “Underclass” Debate, Princeton University Press.
- Ngugi, W., 1997, Writers in Politics, London, Viller’s Publications.
- Nkrumah, K., 1962, Towards Colonial Freedom, London, Panaf Books Ltd.
- Osaghae, E., 1994, Ethnicity & the Management in Africa: The Democratisation Link, Lagos, Malt House Press Limited.
- Otite, O., 1990, Ethnic Pluralism and Ethnicity in Nigeria, Ibadan, Shanesson Ltd.
- Otite, O., 1975, ‘Resources Competition and Inter-Ethnic Relations in Nigeria’, in L. A. Depress (ed.), Ethnicity and Resource Competition in Plural Society.
- Parson, T., 1975, ‘Some Therorical Considerations on the Nature and Trends of Change Ethnicity’, in N. Glazer and D. P. Moyniha (eds). Ethnicity: Theory and Experience, Harvard University Press.
- Post, K. and Vickers M., 1973, Structure and Conflict in Nigeria 1960-1966, London, Heinemann.
- Riggs, FW., 1994, ‘Ethno-Nationalism, Industrialism and the Modern State’. In Third World Quarterly, 15, 4.
- Said, A. A. & Simmons L. R, 1975, ‘The Ethnic Factor in World Politics’, in Society, 12, 2.
- Schaar, J. H., 1964, Escape From Authority, New York, Harper and Row.
- Shumpeter, J. A., 1954, Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, London, Allen and Unwin.
- Sithole, M., 1992 ‘Political Conflicts in Zimbabwe: The Dominance of Ethnicity Over Class’, CODESRIA, Seminar on Ethnic Conflicts in Africa.
- Smith, M. C., 1986 ‘Institutional and Political Conditions of Pluralism’, in L. Kuper & M. G. Smith (eds), Pluralism in Africa, Berkeley, University of California Press, Turton.
- Sugrue, T. J., 1993, ‘The Structure of Urban Poverty: The Reorganization of Space and Work in Three Periods of American History’ in M.B. Katz, The ‘Underclass’ Debate, Princeton, Princeton University Press.
- Women in Nigeria and Policy Recommendations to 2000 AD, 1992, Zaria, Ahmadu Bello University Press Ltd.
- Zimmerin, A., 1929, The Prospect of Democracy, London, Chatto and Windus.
References
Andersen & al., 1995, Race, Class and Gender, USA, Wadsworth, Publishing Company.
Appelbaum, R.P. and Chambliss, W.J., 1995, Sociology, New York, Harpers and Collin.
Aristotle, 1962, The Politics, trans. T.A. Sinclair, Harmondsworth, Penguin.
Asante, M. K., 1991, Afrocentricity, Tredon N.J., Africa World Press.
Barrow, R., 1973, Athenian Democracy, London, Macmillan Press.
Barth, F., (ed.), 1970, Ethnic Groups and Boundaries, Bergen, Oslo, Universities Forlaget.
Berlin, I., 1969, Four Essays On Liberty, London, Oxford University Press.
Brinkley, A., 1997, The Unfinished Notion: A Concise History of the American People, vol. 1. USA, Mc Graw Hill Companies Inc.
Campebell, A., 1997, Western Primitivism and African Ethnicity, London, Cassell.
Cyrus & Rohw, (eds.), 1987, Readings in African Political Philosophy, Nairobi, Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.
Davidson, B., 1991, Africa in History, New York, Macmillan
Depress, L. A., 1975, Ethnicity and Resources Competition in Plural Societies, The Hague, Mouton.
Depress, L. A., 1967, Cultural Pluralism and Nationalist Politics in British Guiana, Chicago, Rand Nally.
Deutsch, H., 1945, The Psychology of Women: A Psychoanalytic Interpretation, New York, Grune and Statton.
Ehrenreich, B., 1999, ‘The Real Truth About Female Body’, in Time, March 15: 4.
Finley, M., 1973, Democracy: Ancient and Modern, London, Macmillan Press.
Fox-Genovese, E., 1982, ‘Placing Women’s History’ in New Left Review 133.
Franklin, J. H., 1974, From Slavery To Freedom, New York, Alfred A. Knopf.
Goldstein, J. S., 1999, International Relations, USA, Longman.
Gordon, M. M., 1964, Assimilation in American Life, New York, Oxford Univer- sity Press.
Gordon, A. A., 1996, Transforming Capitalism and Patriarchy, USA, Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Grimshaw, J., 1986, Feminist Philosophers: Women Perspectives on Philosophical Traditions, London, Wheat Sheaf Books Ltd.
Heater, B. D., 1964, Political Ideas in the Modern World, London, George G. Harp Co. Ltd.
Hoselitz, B. F., 1987, Non-Economic Barriers to Economic Development, London, Edward Arnold/Headline Plc.
Jaggar, A., 1983, Feminist Politics And Human Nature, USA, Rowman & Allanhed Publisher.
Kasfir, N., 1976, The Shrinking of a Political Arena: Participation and Ethnicity in African Politics With A Case Study of Uganda, University of California Press.
Katz, M. B., (ed), 1993, The “Underclass“ Debate, Princeton, Princeton Univer- sity Press.
Kuper and M. G. Smith (eds), 1969, Pluralism in Africa, Berkeley, University of California Press Turton.
Lovenduski, T., 1986, Women and European Politics: Contemporary Feminism And Public Policy, London, Wheat Sheaf Books Ltd.
Maccia, E.S., 1975, Women and Education, Charles C. Thomas, Springfield 111.
Machinyre, A., 1973, ‘The Essential Contestability of Some Social Concepts’, Ethics, 84.
Macpherson, C. B., 1976, Democratic Theory: Essays in Retrieval, Oxford, OUP.
Martin et al., 1995, A Concise History of America And Its People, New York, Harper Collins college publisher.
Mazrui, A. A., 1975, ‘Ethnic Stratification and the Military Agrarian Complex: the Uganda Case’, in N. Glajer & D. P Moyniha (eds). Harvard University Press.
Model, S., 1993, ‘The Ethnic Niche and the Structure of Opportunity: Immigrants and Minority In New York City’, in M. B. Katz (ed.), The “Underclass” Debate, Princeton University Press.
Ngugi, W., 1997, Writers in Politics, London, Viller’s Publications.
Nkrumah, K., 1962, Towards Colonial Freedom, London, Panaf Books Ltd.
Osaghae, E., 1994, Ethnicity & the Management in Africa: The Democratisation Link, Lagos, Malt House Press Limited.
Otite, O., 1990, Ethnic Pluralism and Ethnicity in Nigeria, Ibadan, Shanesson Ltd.
Otite, O., 1975, ‘Resources Competition and Inter-Ethnic Relations in Nigeria’, in L. A. Depress (ed.), Ethnicity and Resource Competition in Plural Society.
Parson, T., 1975, ‘Some Therorical Considerations on the Nature and Trends of Change Ethnicity’, in N. Glazer and D. P. Moyniha (eds). Ethnicity: Theory and Experience, Harvard University Press.
Post, K. and Vickers M., 1973, Structure and Conflict in Nigeria 1960-1966, London, Heinemann.
Riggs, FW., 1994, ‘Ethno-Nationalism, Industrialism and the Modern State’. In Third World Quarterly, 15, 4.
Said, A. A. & Simmons L. R, 1975, ‘The Ethnic Factor in World Politics’, in Society, 12, 2.
Schaar, J. H., 1964, Escape From Authority, New York, Harper and Row.
Shumpeter, J. A., 1954, Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, London, Allen and Unwin.
Sithole, M., 1992 ‘Political Conflicts in Zimbabwe: The Dominance of Ethnicity Over Class’, CODESRIA, Seminar on Ethnic Conflicts in Africa.
Smith, M. C., 1986 ‘Institutional and Political Conditions of Pluralism’, in L. Kuper & M. G. Smith (eds), Pluralism in Africa, Berkeley, University of California Press, Turton.
Sugrue, T. J., 1993, ‘The Structure of Urban Poverty: The Reorganization of Space and Work in Three Periods of American History’ in M.B. Katz, The ‘Underclass’ Debate, Princeton, Princeton University Press.
Women in Nigeria and Policy Recommendations to 2000 AD, 1992, Zaria, Ahmadu Bello University Press Ltd.
Zimmerin, A., 1929, The Prospect of Democracy, London, Chatto and Windus.