Abstract
The idea of ‘indigenous knowledge’ is a relatively recent phenomenon that, amongst other things, constitutes part of a challenge to ‘western’ thinking and conceptualization. Advocates of indigenous knowledge maintain that its study has profound educational and ethical relevance and also emphasise its significance in antiracist, antisexist and postcolonialist discourse, in general, and in terms of the ‘African Renaissance’, in particular. This paper argues the following: (1) ‘indigenous knowledge’ involves at best an incomplete, partial or, at worst, a questionable understanding or conception of knowledge; (2) as a tool in anti-discrimination and anti-repression discourse, ‘indigenous knowledge’ is largely inappropriate. I show, further, that in the development of ‘knowledge’, following some necessary conceptual readjustments in our understanding of this term, there is considerably greater common ground than admitted by theorists. It is this acknowledgement, not adherence to a popular concept of debatable plausibility that has profound educational, ethical and political consequences.
Resumen
La idea de “conocimiento indígena” es un fenómeno relativamente reciente que, entre otras cosas, constituye parte de un desafío al pensamiento y la conceptualización “occidentales”. Los abogados del conocimiento indígena sostienen que su estudio tiene una importancia profunda para la educación y la ética, a la vez que enfatizan su significancia en el discurso antirracista, antisexista y postcolonial en general, y en términos de “Renacimiento Africano” en particular. Este artículo argumenta que (1) “conocimiento indígena” implica un entendimiento o concepción de “conocimiento” incompleta o parcial, incluso cuestionable; (2) como herramienta en el discurso anti-discriminatorio y anti-represivo, el concepto de “conocimiento indígena” es inapropiado. Más aún, muestro que en el desarrollo de “conocimiento”-siguiendo algunos reajustes conceptuales necesarios para nuestro entendimiento del término-existe un plano de consenso mayor al que admiten los teóricos. Las profundas consecuencias educacionales, políticas y éticas son consecuencia de este reconocimiento, y no de la adhesión a un concepto popular de plausibilidad debatible.
Résumé
L’idée d’une « connaissance autochtone » est un phénomène relativement récent qui, parmi d’autres choses, constitut une partie du défi posé à la façon de penser et à la conception occidentale. Les défenseurs de la connaissance autochtone maintiennent que son étude a une profonde pertinence pédagogique et éthique en insistant sur sa signification antiraciste, antisexiste et le discours postcoloniale, en général, et sur les termes de la « renaissance africaine », en particulier. Cet article argumente que : (1) la connaissance autochtone implique au mieux une incomplète, une partielle ou au pire une questionnable compréhension ou conception de la connaissance ; (2) et que comme un outil du discourt antidiscriminatoire et antirépressif, la « connaissance autochtone » est largement inappropriée. Je montre aussi que le développement de la « connaissance », suivant certains réajustements nécessaires de notre compréhension de ce terme, qu’il y a un plus grand ensemble d’opinions communes que ce qui est accepté par les théoriciens. C’est cette considération qui a de profondes conséquences pédagogiques, éthiques et politiques plutôt que l’adhérence à un concept populaire de présomptions discutables.
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Horsthemke, K. The Idea of Indigenous Knowledge. Arch 4, 129–143 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11759-008-9058-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11759-008-9058-8