TALK | Philosophical Reflections on African Diaspora Theories: Is Afrofuturism Utopian?

Talk and Discussion with Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola

Philosophical Reflections on African Diaspora Theories: Is Afrofuturism Utopian?

Thu 15 May 2025 | 7:15 PM | Sculpture Hall

Part of the opening of The Currency-tɛknoʊmædʒɪkɛs Projekt

Followed by a discussion with
Elom 20ce, Musquiqui Chihying, Gregor Kasper und Kwamou Eva Feukeu (artists of The Currency-tɛknoʊmædʒɪkɛs Projekt)

Event in English

One of the ways by which diasporic communities maintain their ties to their homelands is by developing theories and ideologies aimed at engendering or enhancing the development of those regions. Historical evidence indicates that the level or pace of a country’s (or continent’s) development is closely linked to the quality of ideas and blueprints put forth by its intellectuals and think tanks. African diasporic communities across the world have been active in formulating ideas focused on the continent’s unity, economic growth, and development. For example, theories such as Pan-Africanism, Negritude, and Afrocentrism have been proposed for the continent by individuals of African descent living in the diaspora. Afrofuturism has also been one of the more recent of such theories and ideas in this context. However, given that the emergence of Afrofuturism slightly differs from earlier African diasporic theories, it is imperative to critically examine the theory vis-à-vis its pragmatism. This discussion centers on the question of Afrofuturism’s feasibility, exploring whether it is philosophically sound or a mere quixotic idea. 

Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola is a feminist African philosopher. Currently, she is a research fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies at the University of Hildesheim in Germany. Her research interests include African philosophy (especially, feminist African philosophy), global political philosophy, Black feminist studies, epistemology, ethics, and postcolonial studies. She has worked as a faculty member and academic researcher at different universities and research institutes, including the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Katholische Universität, Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany; University of Leeds, United Kingdom; The New Institute, Germany. She is the author of Feminist African Philosophy: Women and the Politics of Difference (Routledge, 2023). Her latest publication is “Omoluabi Feminism: Political Leadership through an African Lens”, Research Handbook on Feminist Political Thought, M. Caputi & P. Moynagh (Eds.), (Edward Elgar, 2024). She is the convener and first coordinator of the League of African Women Philosophers (https://leagueofafricanwomenphilosophers.org/).

In Cooperation with the Africa Centre for Transregional Research at the University of Freiburg. This event is also part of a programme series celebrating the 5th anniversary of the ACT.