Interrogating African Communitarianism from a Feminist Perspective

In this chapter, I consider how African communitarian philosophy might be interpreted and understood differently from a feminist philosophical point of view. Specifically, after pointing out the key features defining African communitarian existence, I expose what such an approach entails to feminist philosophical ideals such as power, gender equality, justice and human rights. Most of the thinkers who have so far addressed issues surrounding the ideas of social and political existence in African philosophy seem to accept African communitarian philosophy as a basic and plausible idea of existence that is responsible for shaping human social and political relations within the greater part of sub-Saharan Africa. However, in these interpretations little has been done to examine the normative implications of the African communitarian view of existence on structures of human society such as gender oppression, differences, inequalities and injustice. I argue that African communitarians have generally been insincere and unsympathetic to the structure of society in general. I provide reasons why it is reasonable to consider African communitarian philosophy differently by taking into consideration the feminist philosophical perspectives. Ultimately, this article is also a deliberate invitation to further debates and discussions that seek to bring feminist questions into dialogue with African communitarian philosophy.