History of psychology in Ghana since 989AD

Abstract

Psychology as taught in Ghanaian universities is largely Eurocentric and imported. Calls have been made to indigenize psychology in Ghana. In response to this call, this paper attempts to construct a history of psychology in Ghana so as to provide a background for the study of the content and process of what psychology would and/or ought to become in Ghana. It does so by going as far back as the University of Sankore, Timbuktu established in 989AD where intellectual development flourished in the ancient Empire of Mali through to the 1700s and 1800s when Black Muslim scholars established Koranic schools, paying particular attention to scholarly works in medicine, theology and philosophy. Attention is then drawn to Anton Wilhelm Amo's dissertation, De Humanae Mentis "Apatheia" and Disputatio Philosophica Continens Ideam Distinctam (both written in 1734) as well as some 18th and 19th century Ghanaian scholars. Special mention is also made about the contributions by the Department of Psychology at the University of Ghana (established in May 1967) in postcolonial Ghana as one of the first departments of psychology in Anglophone West Africa. The paper also discusses the challenges associated with the application of psychological knowledge in its current form in Ghana and ends by attempting to formulate the form an indigenous Ghanaian psychology could to take.

Raising a new generation in a postcolonial era through decolonised early childhood development and care services

“…Early childhood can be described as the phase of human growth and development that spans from birth to about eight years old (Oppong, 2017; Santrock, 2018). This phase of growth and development is characterised by significant physical development, including brain development (Santrock, 2018).…”

Conceptualising personhood, agency, and morality for African psychology

“…While some African psychologists and scholars believe that a documented history of psychology in Africa is a good way to enable and sustain intellectual continuity (e.g., S. Oppong, 2017), a few others consider the conceptualisations, orientations, and goals of African psychology as a good starting point for the advancement of indigenous psychological science and practice in postcolonial Africa (Nwoye, 2015; Ratele, 2017a).…”

Indigenous psychology in Africa: Centrality of culture, misunderstandings, and global positioning

“…Black people had ways of understanding themselves that predate scientific psychology as understood in the Anglo-American or Western orientation (Oppong, 2017). It is quite accurate to say that early systematic studies on Black people began with European scholars, notwithstanding the observed human nature reflected in African proverbs and adages.…”

“…Early studies on Africa sought to decouple Africa from ancient Egypt to eliminate any possibilities of agency ascribed to Black people (Diop, 1955(Diop, /1974(Diop, , 1981(Diop, /1991Obenga, 2004). Anton W. Amo's master's thesis on the rights of Black people in Europe (in 1729) and doctoral dissertation on the apathy of the human mind (in 1734) were part of the early efforts by Africans to study themselves and as an example of early psychological studies by Africans (as cited in Oppong, 2017). Similarly, the work by Alexander Crummell (1819-1898), Edward Wilmot Blyden (1832-1912, W. E. B.…”