International records / Internet Archive

On the Renaissance of African Modes of Thought - The Example of the Belief in Magic and Witchcraft. In: Schmidt, Burghart / Schulte, Rolf (eds.): „Witchcraft in Modern Africa: Witches, witch-hunts and magical imaginaries” (in German: Hexenglauben im modernen Afrika: Hexen, Hexenverfolgung und magische Vorstellungswelten). Verlag Dokumentation & Buch (DOBU), Hamburg, 2007: 39-61

ABSTRACT & RÉSUMÉ: The analysis of African occult belief systems provides a unique example for demonstrating that seemingly outdated and exotic African modes of thought, such as the belief in magic and witchcraft, are modern and have significant impact on social, economic and political structures. Official approaches, designed to cope with the problems of witchcraft violence in Africa, have since the advent of colonial rule, been based on eurocentric views and colonial jurisdiction, legitimised by Western social science. These answers are inadequate; in fact, they constitute part of the proble…