AFRICA: «POST-COLONIAL LIBRARY»

10.31857/S032150750008720-4

Tatiana M. GAVRISTOVA, Dr.Sc. (History), Professor, P.G.Demidov University, Yaroslavl ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

    The article is devoted to the evolution of postcolonial narrative in Africa and African Diaspora. The author focuses on African studies - the creative works of prominent African scholars and their contribution to the development of modern humanities: history, philosophy, social and cultural anthropology, economics.

    Vumbi Yoka (Valentine Yves) Mudimbe, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Toyin Falola, Achill Mbembe, Dambiza Moyo following the principle of objectivity reconstruct the pictures of the Past and the Present, creating images of modern free Africa, with its problems and achievements. The relay of their ideas deserves special attention. Their works are in demand thanks the original research vectors closely connected with the works of their predecessors: African authors and philosophers of postmodernism.

    Postcolonial and colonial discourses are inextricably linked.«Postcolonial library» exists now not only as an alternative to «colonial library», but also as its continuation. The books of «postcolonial library» have been translated into many languages and integrated the compulsory reading range for university students in Europe and America. Among them world bestsellers as V.Y.Mudimbe’s « The Invention of Africa» (1988), К.A. Appiah’s «In My Father’s House: Africa in the Philosophy of Culture» (1992), A. Mbembe’s «On the Postcolony» (2000), D. Moyo’s «Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa» (2009), T. Falola’s «Ibadan: Foundation, Growth and Change. 1830-1960» (2012); etc. The involvement of the postcolonial discourse is growing, and Africa, contrary to stereotypes, is gaining its own intellectual history.

    Africans become actors not only in the field of African, but also Global Studies, as evidenced by the bias of their ideas and the interest that the media show. In the context of globalization and digitalization, they are quite able of declaring themselves using the capabilities of virtual space. Scholars appear on many media platforms, include TED Talks, Hard Talk and Podcasts.

«Colonial library», postcolonial discourse, narrative, history, philosophy, afropolianism, identity, Africa