Domesticating Global Justice: African Perspectives

This two-day conference on normative global theorising in African domestic context brings together UK-based and African scholars in order to foster mutual intellectual exchange over issues of shared moral and political concern. Over the past 20 years global political theorising has become the norm in Western academic institutions. Although most such theorising comes out of Europe and the US, much of it nominally addresses non-Western contexts. Global normative theorists identify and analyse what they regard as relevant global goals and principles. Many seek to influence actual global political processes by bringing normative reasoning to bear on global policy issues. Yet global normative theorists have generally failed to make contact with their academic counterparts in non-Western contexts. Africa in particular continues to be marginalised intellectually. The image of the ‘dark continent’ continues to prevail; a noticeable level of ignorance about African political contexts and related philosophical concerns shape current normative global theorising. In bringing together African, UK, and US-based philosophers, legal theorists, and political scientists, the conference aims to foster mutual appreciation of the diverging political contexts and philosophical concerns from which any intellectually feasible search for globally shareable goals and principles must begin.

The conference takes place at the LSE over two days. There is no registration fee, but places are strictly limited and participants are expected to attend sessions non-selectively. For further information, contact Katrin Flikschuh ([email protected]).


Draft Programme:

Day 1: Friday 6 July 2012

9.15-9.30 Registration

9.30 Welcome: Dr Katrin Flikschuh and Professor Helen Lauer

9.45-11.15 Professor Peter Ekeh (University of Buffalo): ‘Comparative Political Progress: The French Revolution of 1789 and the Fulani Revolution of 1804.’

11.15-11.30 Coffee Break

11.30-13.00 Professor Chandran Kukathas (LSE): ‘Culture, Conquest, and Colonialism: from Vitoria and Las Casas to Gandhi and Fanon.’

13.00-14.15 Lunch (own arrangements)

14.15 – 15.45 Professor Kofi Quashigah (University of Ghana): ‘Justice in the Traditional African Society within the modern Constitutional Set-up.’

15.45-16.00 Coffee

16.00-17.30 Dr Rowan Cruft (University of Stirling): ‘Is respect for someone’s rights a matter of responding to their welfare?’

17.30-18.15 Wine Reception


Day 2: Saturday 7 July 2012

9.30-11.00 Professor Eghosa Osaghae (University of Okada, Benin City): ‘The Problem of Governance in Africa.’

11.00-11.15: Coffee

11.15-12.45 Professor Leif Wenar (KCL): ‘The Oil Curse: Nigeria and the West.’

12.45-13.45 Lunch (own arrangements)

13.45- 15.15 Professor Ajume Wingo (University of Colorado): ‘Election by Contract: A Covenant of Justice in African States’

15.15-15.30 Coffee

15.30-17.00 Dr Simon Hope (University of Stirling): ‘Modes of Practical Reasoning, Modes of Legitimation, and Human Rights.’

17.10- 18.30 Panel Discussion: The Future of Normative Global Thinking Dr Martin Ajei (University of Ghana), Dr Mathias Koenig-Archibugi (LSE), Ms Nancy Myles (University of Ghana), and Dr Lea Ypi (LSE) in debate.