6 - Moving beyond Poststructural Paralysis: Articulating an Ethic of Diaspora Collaboration
Corresponding Author(s) : Nelson Masanche Nkhoma
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 16 No. 1-2 (2018): Journal of Higher Education in Africa: Special Issue on Scholars on the Move: Reclaiming the African Diaspora to Support African Higher Education
Abstract
Scholars in African higher education agree on the importance of collaboration with scholars in the diaspora. Despite this agreement, two major obstacles affect the implementation of collaboration: the politics of identity and difference and the common view of ethics as power. Literature on diaspora and collaborations tends to gloss over fundamental issues on the ethics of collaborations. In this article I reflect on how these two points of paralysis can be overcome by adopting an African humanist ethic that can drive the building of functional institutions to foster collaboration between and among scholars in Africa and those in diaspora. The article argues that in order to contribute to meaningful development in Africa, scholars need to move beyond the politics of identity and ethics as oppressive power.
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- Acemoglu, D., and Robinson, J.A., 2013, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty, London: Profile Books.
- Aikins, K., and White, N., 2011, Global Diaspora Strategies Toolkit: Harnessing the Power of Global Diasporas, Dublin: Diaspora Matters.
- Asante, M.K., 1987, The Afrocentric Idea, Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
- Chiwoza, B., 2010. Practical UMunthu Psychology: An Indigenous Approach to Harmonious Living: Balaka: Montfort Media.
- Coetzee, P.H., and Roux, A.P.J., eds, 2004, The African Philosophy Reader, London: Routledge.
- Faist,T.,2010,‘Towards Transnational Studies: World Theories, Transnationalisation and Changing Institutions’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol.36, No.10, pp. 1665–1687.
- Foucault, M., 1979, The History of Sexuality, London: Allen Lane.
- Guo, S., ed., 2013, Transnational Migration and Lifelong Learning: Global Issues and Perspectives, London: Routledge.
- Habermas, J., 1976, ‘The Analytical Theory of Science and Dialectics’, in Theodor W. Adorno, Hans Albert, Ralf Dahrendorf, Jürgen Habermas, Harald Pilot and Karl R. Popper, The Positivist Dispute in German Sociology, trans. Glyn Adey and David Frisby, London: Harper & Row. pp. 131–162.
- Haraway, D., 1991, ‘A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist- Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century’, in Donna Haraway, Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature, New York: Routledge, pp. 149–182.
- Hartsock, N., 1987, ‘Foucault on Power: A Theory for Women?’ in L.J. Nicholson, ed., Feminism/Postmodernism, New York: Routledge. pp. 158–172.
- Ho, E.L.E., Boyle, M., and Yeoh, B.S.A., 2015, ‘Recasting Diaspora Strategies through Feminist Care Ethics’, Geoforum, Vol. 59, pp. 206–214, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.08.004
- Ionescu, D., 2006, Engaging Diasporas as Development Partners for Home and Destination Countries: Challenges for Policymakers, Geneva: International Organization for Migration.
- Kagan, S., 1989, The Limits of Morality, New York: Oxford University Press.
- Kagan, S.L., 1991, United We Stand: Collaboration for Child Care and Early Education Services, New York: Teachers College Press.
- Lemert, C., ed., 1999, Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classic Readings, 2nd ed, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
- Mahroum, S., 2001, ‘Europe and the Immigration of Highly Skilled Labour’, International Migration, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 27–43.
- Martín Alcoff, L., 2011, ‘An Epistemology for the Next Revolution’, Transmodernity: Journal of Peripheral Cultural Production of the Luso-Hispanic World, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 68–78.
- Mbeki, T., 2006, State of the Nation Address 2006. Available online at http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mbeki/2006/tm0203.html
- Meyer, J.B., 2001, ‘Network Approach versus Brain Drain: Lessons from the Diaspora’, International Migration, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 91–110.
- Musopole, A.C., 1994, Being Human in Africa: Toward an African Christian Anthropology, Vol. 65, New York: Peter Lang.
- Muxe Nkondo, G., 2007, ‘Ubuntu as Public Policy in South Africa: A Conceptual Framework’, International Journal of African Renaissance Studies, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 88–100.
- Niebuhr, R., 1932, Moral Man and Immoral Society, New York: Scribner’s.
- Nkhoma, M.N., 2014, ‘Under the Invisible Hand? Market Influences on Community-Engaged Scholarship in Malawian Higher Education’, Reconsidering Development, Vol. 3, pp. 1–15.
- Prinsloo, E.D., 1998, ‘Ubuntu Culture and Participatory Management’, in P.H. Coetzee and A.P.J. Roux, eds, Philosophy from Africa: A Text with Readings, Johannesburg: Thomson.
- Ruiz, L. J., 1999. In pursuit of the body politic: Ethics, spirituality, and diaspora. Transnational Law Contemporary Problems 9(2), 633-652.
- Vertovec, S., 2010, ‘Towards Post Multiculturalism? Changing Communities, Conditions and Contexts of Diversity’, International Social Science Journal, Vol. 61, No. 199, pp. 83–95.
- West, C., 1990, ‘The New Cultural Politics of Difference’, in R. Ferguson, M. Gever, T.T. Minh-Ha and C. West, eds, Out There: Marginalization and Contemporary Cultures, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. pp. 19–32.
- Zeleza, P.T., 2004, ‘The African Academic Diaspora in the United States and Africa: The Challenges of Productive Engagement’, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 261–275.
- Zeleza, P.T., 2010, ‘African Diasporas: Toward a Global History’, African Studies Review, Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 1–19. Available online at http://www.jstor.org/stable/4086310
References
Acemoglu, D., and Robinson, J.A., 2013, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty, London: Profile Books.
Aikins, K., and White, N., 2011, Global Diaspora Strategies Toolkit: Harnessing the Power of Global Diasporas, Dublin: Diaspora Matters.
Asante, M.K., 1987, The Afrocentric Idea, Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
Chiwoza, B., 2010. Practical UMunthu Psychology: An Indigenous Approach to Harmonious Living: Balaka: Montfort Media.
Coetzee, P.H., and Roux, A.P.J., eds, 2004, The African Philosophy Reader, London: Routledge.
Faist,T.,2010,‘Towards Transnational Studies: World Theories, Transnationalisation and Changing Institutions’, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, Vol.36, No.10, pp. 1665–1687.
Foucault, M., 1979, The History of Sexuality, London: Allen Lane.
Guo, S., ed., 2013, Transnational Migration and Lifelong Learning: Global Issues and Perspectives, London: Routledge.
Habermas, J., 1976, ‘The Analytical Theory of Science and Dialectics’, in Theodor W. Adorno, Hans Albert, Ralf Dahrendorf, Jürgen Habermas, Harald Pilot and Karl R. Popper, The Positivist Dispute in German Sociology, trans. Glyn Adey and David Frisby, London: Harper & Row. pp. 131–162.
Haraway, D., 1991, ‘A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist- Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century’, in Donna Haraway, Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature, New York: Routledge, pp. 149–182.
Hartsock, N., 1987, ‘Foucault on Power: A Theory for Women?’ in L.J. Nicholson, ed., Feminism/Postmodernism, New York: Routledge. pp. 158–172.
Ho, E.L.E., Boyle, M., and Yeoh, B.S.A., 2015, ‘Recasting Diaspora Strategies through Feminist Care Ethics’, Geoforum, Vol. 59, pp. 206–214, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.08.004
Ionescu, D., 2006, Engaging Diasporas as Development Partners for Home and Destination Countries: Challenges for Policymakers, Geneva: International Organization for Migration.
Kagan, S., 1989, The Limits of Morality, New York: Oxford University Press.
Kagan, S.L., 1991, United We Stand: Collaboration for Child Care and Early Education Services, New York: Teachers College Press.
Lemert, C., ed., 1999, Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classic Readings, 2nd ed, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Mahroum, S., 2001, ‘Europe and the Immigration of Highly Skilled Labour’, International Migration, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 27–43.
Martín Alcoff, L., 2011, ‘An Epistemology for the Next Revolution’, Transmodernity: Journal of Peripheral Cultural Production of the Luso-Hispanic World, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 68–78.
Mbeki, T., 2006, State of the Nation Address 2006. Available online at http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/mbeki/2006/tm0203.html
Meyer, J.B., 2001, ‘Network Approach versus Brain Drain: Lessons from the Diaspora’, International Migration, Vol. 39, No. 5, pp. 91–110.
Musopole, A.C., 1994, Being Human in Africa: Toward an African Christian Anthropology, Vol. 65, New York: Peter Lang.
Muxe Nkondo, G., 2007, ‘Ubuntu as Public Policy in South Africa: A Conceptual Framework’, International Journal of African Renaissance Studies, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 88–100.
Niebuhr, R., 1932, Moral Man and Immoral Society, New York: Scribner’s.
Nkhoma, M.N., 2014, ‘Under the Invisible Hand? Market Influences on Community-Engaged Scholarship in Malawian Higher Education’, Reconsidering Development, Vol. 3, pp. 1–15.
Prinsloo, E.D., 1998, ‘Ubuntu Culture and Participatory Management’, in P.H. Coetzee and A.P.J. Roux, eds, Philosophy from Africa: A Text with Readings, Johannesburg: Thomson.
Ruiz, L. J., 1999. In pursuit of the body politic: Ethics, spirituality, and diaspora. Transnational Law Contemporary Problems 9(2), 633-652.
Vertovec, S., 2010, ‘Towards Post Multiculturalism? Changing Communities, Conditions and Contexts of Diversity’, International Social Science Journal, Vol. 61, No. 199, pp. 83–95.
West, C., 1990, ‘The New Cultural Politics of Difference’, in R. Ferguson, M. Gever, T.T. Minh-Ha and C. West, eds, Out There: Marginalization and Contemporary Cultures, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. pp. 19–32.
Zeleza, P.T., 2004, ‘The African Academic Diaspora in the United States and Africa: The Challenges of Productive Engagement’, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 261–275.
Zeleza, P.T., 2010, ‘African Diasporas: Toward a Global History’, African Studies Review, Vol. 53, No. 1, pp. 1–19. Available online at http://www.jstor.org/stable/4086310