African Philosophy and Social Cohesion: Dialogue with Amakhuwa Intellectuals in Mozambique and South Africa

Supervisor/s: Maria Paula Meneses and José P. Castiano

Doctoral Programme: Post-Colonialisms and Global Citizenship

The main aim of this thesis project is to understand how Amakhuwa intellectuals think about social cohesion in Mozambique and South Africa. The countries in question began holding general elections in 1994 as the culmination of long processes of peace negotiations and opening up to multi-party and multi-ethnic democracy. Much has been studied about the reconciliation processes in Mozambique and South Africa, with research focussing on the history and political practices of reconciliation and their significance for peace-building and reconciliation processes (Vasco, 2002); reflection on the need to bridge the gap between the theoretical and practical bases of reconciliation, proposing a new conceptualisation whose constitutive attributes are inclusion, truth and justice (Schenoni, 2018); historical analysis of reconciliation processes through the reflections of the actors involved and intellectual practices (Eze, 2010); and analysis of the discourse of truth and reconciliation produced in the artistic space (Stepień, 2004). There are no studies on social cohesion and harmony as concepts that translate into true reconciliation. In fact, Burns, et all (2018) warn that although there is a general consensus that social cohesion influences economic and social development and that promoting a more cohesive society is an important political objective, little progress has been made in implementing and monitoring it politically. It is in this sense that we note the absence of a theory of social cohesion that can serve as a basis for guiding political interventions to promote social harmony. The work will combine two theoretical frameworks, namely 1) Alena Rettová's Afro philosophy and 2) Odera Oruka's philosophy of sagacity, with the aim of getting intellectuals from local communities to think about their own social and political organisation. The research aims to apply two methods and techniques, namely: a) hermeneutic analysis of cultural production and public discourses; and b) conversational philosophy. The thesis will contribute to social and political philosophy by developing a theory of social cohesion from a post-colonial perspective, and to public policy by formulating assumptions that can be used in social and political interventions aimed at promoting peace and social harmony.

Keywords: African Philosophy, Social Cohesion, Amakhuwa, Mozambique and South Africa