Towards an African Sociological Tradition: A Rejoinder to Akiwowo and Makinde

Abstract

Akiwowo (1986b) and Makinde (1988) raise several issues on the possibility of an African sociological tradition. They argue that sociology can be done in African idioms and they supply us with some concepts, principally those of `asuwada', `ajobi', `ajogbe' and ` ifogbontayese', with which we can begin to work out indigenous sociological theories. In this paper, we accept that it is possible to do sociology in African idioms. But we must specify the concepts to be used, clarify their meaning, suggest their interrelationships in thought and practice and show their applicability to social phenomena. Neither Akiwowo nor Makinde have sufficiently clarified their concepts for doing sociology in Yoruba (their African idiom of choice). We direct attention to some neglected possibilities inhering in the conceptual discoveries made by Akiwowo, especially those regarding the importance of language, philosophy and sociological theory to the development of indigenous explanatory paradigms. We conclude with some general comments on Akiwowo's affirmation of an African sociology of knowledge.

Pour un modèle centre-périphérie dans les sciences sociales

“…Cela arrive, plus souvent dans la pratique même de la recherche et de l'enseignement que dans la discussion théorique : dès qu'une communauté scientifi que suffi samment grande tourne le dos à la soi-disant « communauté internationale » pour s'orienter vers des arènes alternatives -locales ou 31 Pour une critique précoce de l'eurocentrisme dans le domaine des théories du développement, voir Amin (1988). 32 Akiwowo (1990) ; Lawuyi & Taiwo (1990) ; Makinde (1990) ;Akiwowo (1999). Pour une critique, voir Adésínà (2002) ; Keim (2007).…”

Purpose, Human Sociality and Nature in Akiwowo’s Sociology of Knowledge: A Realist Interpretation.

“…In this sense, asuwa is a principle of things in virtue of which di erent things assume di erent forms. (Lawuyi & Taiwo, 1990). b. Asuwada as an expression of the nature of human beings who possess the capacity to form purposive and purposeful bonds and live together as one entity.…”

“…is is asuwada as a state of being in potentia. (Lawuyi & Taiwo: 1990). c. Asuwada as a quality of sociality which involves co-existence and coming together for a common end.…”

“…Finally, I hope to explain these two concerns from a realist ontological standpoint. My explanation hopefully addresses some of the challenges advanced by Lawuyi and Taiwo (1990) …”

Toward A Global Sociology?: Evaluating Current Conceptions, Methods, and Practices

“…This is of course a dismissal of the ongoing ISA debate between those calling for the "internationalization" of sociology and those stressing the "indigenization" of local sociological voices and concepts (Akiwowo 1986;Makinde 1988;Lawuyi and Taiwo 1990;Oommen 1991;Park 1988). It is also the logic that justifies the title of the book: to have called it the Handbook of U.S. Sociobgy would have entailed the subordination of the universalistic, scientific impulse of the discipline to the ideology of nationalistic sentiments.…”