FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUGUST 2, 2002

Richard H. Bell

WOOSTER, Ohio - As the author of Understanding African Philosophy: A Cross-cultural Approach to Classical and Contemporary Issues, Richard H. Bell, professor of philosophy at The College of Wooster, provides an enlightening look at a sub-Saharan Africa and a foundation for learning more about its culture.

"Parts of Africa, namely Egypt and Ethiopia, have long traditions of written history and roots that pre-date Greek civilization," says Bell. "Others, like the sub-Saharan region, have cultures that were broken up or destroyed by European and Islamic excursions dating back some 500 years. The regional cultures as they were reconstituted under colonial rule were forced into new and subservient identities. Only now are they finding their own voices and claiming the right to be heard as equals on the global stage."

A textbook as well as a general-interest publication, Understanding African Philosophy is a thought-provoking read that provides an introduction to a wide range of classical and contemporary issues in African philosophy and reflects mostly African writers presenting their thoughts on these issues.

"Africa does not have one culture; it is large and diverse," says Bell. "This book brings readers from other cultures into a dialogue with African life and thought. It is important that African authors connect with American readers."

The book reveals what African writers are saying about such critical issues as race, poverty, community, justice, civic responsibility, African identity, and post-colonial development in Africa. "Understanding anything is always tied to its surroundings," says Bell. "This includes language, customs, geography, iconic traditions, and ordinary practices of its people."

For Bell, Understanding African Philosophy reflects many years of engagement with philosophical and anthropological discussions about understanding another culture. His interest in the continent and the people of Africa began in the mid-1970s. "Our Black Studies program was just getting underway, and I wanted to support its development," says Bell. "I received the first of four travel grants to Africa in 1980, and that is when my interest really grew."

Bell's objective is to educate those who are not African about the philosophy of Africa's people. "To understand Africa, attention must be given to its stories, forms of governance, fictional literature, and arts - all forms of narrative self-expression," he says. "In order to understand the philosophy of others, one must be attentive to their modes of expression and sort out how their concerns and interests are expressed. One must see and make room for others' concepts that give expression to their life. To understand African philosophy one must see the world in new ways."

Among current concerns in the subcontinent is the building of modern democracies after their colonial experiences. Bell focuses two chapters on building community and on the reconciliation needed for peace and human development, especially in South Africa through their Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Another section looks at contemporary African literature, music, and art to see how Africans give creative expression to their lives.

However "strange" another's world may look to us, Bell believes we can come to understand and learn from it. His book invites the reader to enter into a conversation with Africa's rich and diverse cultures and the best of their philosophical ideas.

Understanding African Philosophy may be purchased at The College of Wooster's Florence O. Wilson Bookstore (1189 Beall Ave.) or online at Routledge Publishers (www.routledge-ny.com).