Combats pour le Sens

Published here in French by Cameroon based Langaa RPCIG 'The Struggle for Meaning' is a landmark publication by one of African philosophy's leading figures Paulin J. Hountondji best known for his critique of ethno-philosophy in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In this volume he responds with autobiographical and philosophical reflection to the dialogue and controversy he has provoked. He discusses the ideas rooted in the work of such thinkers as Husserl and Hountondji's former teachers Derrida Althusser and Ricoeur that helped shape his critique. Applying his philosophical ideas to the critical issues of democracy culture and development in Africa today he addresses three crucial topics: the nexus between scientific extraversion and economic dependence; the nature of endogenous traditions of thought and their relationship with modern science; and the implications - for political pluralism and democracy - of the emergence of 'philosophies of subject' in Africa. While the book's immediate concern is with Africa the densely theoretical nature of its analyses and its bearing on current postmodern theories of the ìotherî will make this timely and elegant translation of great interest to many disciplines especially ethnic gender and multicultural studies.