W.E.B. Du Bois and the ideology or anthropological discourse of modernity: the African Union reconsidered

Abstract

Pan-Africanism is usually considered a progressive movement for black socio-political and economic advancement. This focus on activism alone sometimes occludes the profound philosophical issues that inform Pan-Africanist discourse. The last decade has witnessed tremendous changes in the ideological posture of the African Union (AU) as reflected in the change of name from the Organization of African Unity (OAU). This paper explores the historical and philosophical contexts for understanding the agenda of the African Union and highlights the consequences of such an agenda. The paper argues that the establishment of the African Union conforms to certain aspects of W.E.B. Du Bois's philosophy of Pan-Africanism that focuses on economic self reliance, at the same time that it uses Du Bois as a template for critiquing the neoliberal economic dispensation of the African Union implemented through its program, the New Partnership for Africa's Development. This it accomplishes with its emphasis on Du Bois's critique and skepticism of modernism and Western philanthropy.

Keywords:

• W.E.B. Du Bois
• race
• class
• economics
• Pan-Africanism
• African Union
• philanthropy
• modernity
• neo-liberalism

Notes

1. An examination of the objectives of NEPAD: to eradicate poverty; to place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development; to halt the marginalisation of Africa in the globalisation process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy; to accelerate the empowerment of women, suggest points of intersection between the interests of its formulators and those of NGOs and Human Rights groups, and Multinational Corporations in the West.