Defeat – Conscientization – Action

African Contributions to a Hermeneutics of Suffering and Capability

Autores

  • Ernst Wolff Institute of Philosophy, KU Leuven

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/errs.2026.765

Palavras-chave:

African Hermeneutics, Political Philosophy, Conscientization, Transfunctionalization, Capabilities

Resumo

This article explores connections between Paul Ricoeur and African philosophers working in hermeneutics or with core issues of interpretation. It starts out from the view that hermeneutics is not merely an academic discipline, but forms part of a broader practice of conscientization, itself aimed at improving social interaction. Building on prior work on the political orientation of Ricoeur’s hermeneutics and on the emancipatory intent of African philosophical hermeneutics, the article seeks to better coordinate these directions of research. The paper consists of two parts. The first part is historical and provides an orientation to the initial reception of Ricoeur’s work by Africans and in Africa. The second part is systematic and reflects the guiding view of hermeneutics. The work of African philosophers and of Ricoeur are coordinated around three related themes: (1) socio-political defeat as initial motivation, (2) the hermeneutic work of increased awareness or conscientization and (3) philosophical reflection on the action required in response to the demands of practical contexts.

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Publicado

2026-07-30

Edição

Vol. 17 N.º 1 (2026): Ricœur Across the World: Intercultural Receptions and Dialogues

Secção

Articles

Licença

Direitos de Autor (c) 2026 Ernst WOLFF

Licença Creative Commons

Este trabalho encontra-se publicado com aLicença Internacional Creative Commons Atribuição-NãoComercial-SemDerivações 3.0.


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