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Deconstructing African Development from Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu Ethics and African Socialism to Dignified Humanness

Received: 2 January 2021    Accepted: 22 January 2021    Published: 12 March 2021
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Abstract

This paper argues that there is a need to reconstruct a new paradigm for poverty policy planning in Africa because Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu ethics and African Socialism as proposed paradigms for Africa’s development are untenable. This is so because the above trio are sexist, androcentric and oblivious to structural injustices that feminize poverty in Africa. The paper further argues that even in the Western world, the neo-liberal GDP metric has been challenged and the search for alternative development indicators and paradigms is on. In addition, there is a fully fledged post-neo-liberalism movement in Latin America and a de-growth and post-growth social movement in the West against neo-liberalism and its nebulous economic growth understanding of wellbeing. The paper contends that Africa cannot afford to remain aloof to all these developments. There is therefore a need to develop Pan African paradigms to articulate an endogenous perspective to African development. The paper thus advocates for the Dignified Humanness Paradigm (DHP) as an alternative to neo-liberalism, Ubuntu ethics and African Socialism. The paper also surmises that the actualization of the DHP requires an immediate awakening of the Pan African Moral Consciousness since this will militate on decolonization of the African mind from the amoral neo-liberal economism.

Published in International Journal of Science, Technology and Society (Volume 9, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijsts.20211002.12
Page(s) 43-54
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ubuntu, Neo-liberalism, African Development, Socialism, Dignified Humanness

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Kizito Michael George. (2021). Deconstructing African Development from Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu Ethics and African Socialism to Dignified Humanness. International Journal of Science, Technology and Society, 9(2), 43-54. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsts.20211002.12

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    ACS Style

    Kizito Michael George. Deconstructing African Development from Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu Ethics and African Socialism to Dignified Humanness. Int. J. Sci. Technol. Soc. 2021, 9(2), 43-54. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsts.20211002.12

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    AMA Style

    Kizito Michael George. Deconstructing African Development from Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu Ethics and African Socialism to Dignified Humanness. Int J Sci Technol Soc. 2021;9(2):43-54. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsts.20211002.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijsts.20211002.12,
      author = {Kizito Michael George},
      title = {Deconstructing African Development from Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu Ethics and African Socialism to Dignified Humanness},
      journal = {International Journal of Science, Technology and Society},
      volume = {9},
      number = {2},
      pages = {43-54},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijsts.20211002.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsts.20211002.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsts.20211002.12},
      abstract = {This paper argues that there is a need to reconstruct a new paradigm for poverty policy planning in Africa because Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu ethics and African Socialism as proposed paradigms for Africa’s development are untenable. This is so because the above trio are sexist, androcentric and oblivious to structural injustices that feminize poverty in Africa. The paper further argues that even in the Western world, the neo-liberal GDP metric has been challenged and the search for alternative development indicators and paradigms is on. In addition, there is a fully fledged post-neo-liberalism movement in Latin America and a de-growth and post-growth social movement in the West against neo-liberalism and its nebulous economic growth understanding of wellbeing. The paper contends that Africa cannot afford to remain aloof to all these developments. There is therefore a need to develop Pan African paradigms to articulate an endogenous perspective to African development. The paper thus advocates for the Dignified Humanness Paradigm (DHP) as an alternative to neo-liberalism, Ubuntu ethics and African Socialism. The paper also surmises that the actualization of the DHP requires an immediate awakening of the Pan African Moral Consciousness since this will militate on decolonization of the African mind from the amoral neo-liberal economism.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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    AB  - This paper argues that there is a need to reconstruct a new paradigm for poverty policy planning in Africa because Neo-liberalism, Ubuntu ethics and African Socialism as proposed paradigms for Africa’s development are untenable. This is so because the above trio are sexist, androcentric and oblivious to structural injustices that feminize poverty in Africa. The paper further argues that even in the Western world, the neo-liberal GDP metric has been challenged and the search for alternative development indicators and paradigms is on. In addition, there is a fully fledged post-neo-liberalism movement in Latin America and a de-growth and post-growth social movement in the West against neo-liberalism and its nebulous economic growth understanding of wellbeing. The paper contends that Africa cannot afford to remain aloof to all these developments. There is therefore a need to develop Pan African paradigms to articulate an endogenous perspective to African development. The paper thus advocates for the Dignified Humanness Paradigm (DHP) as an alternative to neo-liberalism, Ubuntu ethics and African Socialism. The paper also surmises that the actualization of the DHP requires an immediate awakening of the Pan African Moral Consciousness since this will militate on decolonization of the African mind from the amoral neo-liberal economism.
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Author Information
  • Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda

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