History of Philosophy: India, Africana, China

Another Caribbean thinker, Walter Rodney of Guyana, explores Africana history from a Marxist perspective. 

Discover the profound impact of Steve Biko on the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa. His activism challenged the status quo, promoting self-awareness and unity among the oppressed. Delve into Biko's philosophies on race and identity, and how his ideas continue to resonate in discussions of resistance and empowerment. His tragic fate at the hands of the Apartheid government underscores the importance of his legacy.

The political and musical revolution of Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat, and the social critique of his cousin, the playwright Wole Soyinka.

How the Rastafari movement grew from trends within Africana philosophy, and then passed into global popular culture in the music of Bob Marley and other reggae artists.

Sun Ra and Parliament-Funkadelic return to claim the pyramids, and Octavia Butler uses science fiction to confront the brutal past of slavery.

In this engaging discussion, Abdias do Nascimento, a prominent figure in Brazilian theater and politics, introduces his powerful concept of Quilombismo, rooted in the legacy of escaped slaves. He highlights the historical significance of settlements like Palmaris in fostering early Black political organization. Nascimento delves into the harsh realities of systemic racism in Brazil, advocating for cultural unity and the importance of community in overcoming oppression. His insights on race and political identity invite listeners to rethink their understanding of Afro-Brazilian empowerment.

The career and ideas of Nelson Mandela up to the time of his imprisonment, in the context of the founding of the African National Congress.

Two scholars of the same name join us to shed further light on Amílcar Cabral.

Amílcar Cabral, leader of a revolution against colonialism in Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, rethinks culture and Marxist theory as bases for his struggle.

The first leader of independent Tanzania grounds his socialist ideas in traditional African values.