Olufemi Taiwo
Biographic Data
| ID | 308353 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Olufemi Taiwo |
| GIVEN NAMES | Olufemi |
| FAMILY NAME | Taiwo |
| SIGNATURE | TAIWO O |
| AFFILIATIONS | Georgetown University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0936-8680 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 23 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 53 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 23 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1984 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
On the Stability of Racial Capitalism
What is the connection between capitalism and racial hierarchy? In line with the tradition known as ‘the theory of racial capitalism’ we show that the latter can functionally support the former. As a social construction, race has just those features which allow it to facilitate the sort of stable, inequitable distributions of resources that tend to emerge in capitalist systems. We support this claim using techniques from evolutionary game theory …
On the idea of freedom in modern African political philosophy
When Liberia, at its inception, adopted for her motto, “The Love of Freedom Brought Us Here,” they were registering their embrace of a core tenet of modernity: the idea that freedom was the primary state of humanity and that any form of social living that turned this free being into a bonded phenomenon, forces it to obey dictates and laws not of its own choosing, to bow before rulers it had no hand in electing, and to live at the behest of anothe…
Elite Capture
Reconsidering Reparations
Christopher Columbus’s voyage changed the world forever because the era of racial slavery and colonialism that it started built the world in the first place. The irreversible environmental damage of history’s first planet-sized political and economic system is responsible for our present climate crisis. Reparations call for us to make the world over again: this time, justly. The project of reparations and racial justice in the twenty-first centur…
Vice Signaling
Tosi and Warmke discuss cases where the speaker intends for the audience to take their expressions as evidence of good moral character. However, another possibility exists that similarly exploits the social communicative architecture. A contribution to public moral discourse may also attempt to strut by demonstrating evidence of bad moral character, by purposely failing to meet the evaluative standards of its audience—or, paradigmatically for my …
Material Insecurity, Racial Capitalism, and Public Health
In the influential 1995 article “Social Conditions as Fundamental Causes of Disease,” Bruce Link and Jo Phelan described social and political factors as “fundamental causes” of death and disease. Whitney Pirtle has recently declared racial capitalism another such fundamental cause. Using the case of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, she has argued that racial capitalism's role in that situation meets each of the criteria Link and Phelan's arti…
Who Are the Engineers? Solar Geoengineering Research and Justice
Solar geoengineering research is a small but growing field as concerns arise that reducing emissions will not be sufficient to limit severe climate impacts. With this increasing attention, ensuring that the field advances equitably and inclusively is of immense importance. This commentary is a response to arguments that advocate for abandoning solar geoengineering research altogether because it perpetuates colonialism and promotes injustice. We f…
Akínṣọlá Akìwọwọ
I have written previously about those that I call, regarding African contributions to the discourse of modernity, ‘prophets without honour’.1 Akinṣọla Akiwọwọ deserves inclusion in the ranks of pro
Doing sociology in Africa
In the closing decades of the last century, Professor Akínsolá Akìwowo, in a series of seminal papers, inaugurated what Jìmí Adésíná later dubbed ‘the Akíwowo project’. This project involved (1) showing that there are resources in an African culture – Yorùbá – for doing sociology in ways that are as good as the dominant tradition to be found in Western sociology; and (2) offering some original ideas regarding some explanatory framework that could…
Groundwork for the Practice of the Good Life
Groundwork for the Practice of the Good Life is an important recent work of African materialist thought. Ochieng’s is not a naïve materialism that arbitrarily focuses on land, natural resources and profits. Instead, it is a sophisticated materialism committed to the reality and ethical salience of our institutions, social networks, and projects as they modify and limit our relationships to a physical world that we share with each other. The proje…
Principles for Thinking about Carbon Dioxide Removal in Just Climate Policy
Two themes in Decolonizing Universalism
Serene Khader's recent book Decolonizing Universalism is an important contribution to a number of strands of thought, activism, and scholarship. It is also an ambitious one: the book sets out a tall order for itself. On the one hand, it is an intellectual contribution to the thought and practice of transnational feminism, specifically. This paper aims to draw out lessons from the book by focusing on two of the secondary points Khader makes. The f…
On Rethinking Ownership of Development in Africa
States Are Not Basic Structures
Contemporary political philosophy often operates on a ‘two-tiered’ theoretical treatment of global politics, on which domestic political systems and the principles governing their internal dynamics constitute one tier, and on which the relationships between states and governing multinational institutions constitute a second. One way of grounding and justifying this approach, preferred by Rawls, is called constructivism. Constructivists describe t…
Against African Communalism
Communalism and its cognates continue to exercise a vise grip on the African intellectual imaginary. Whether the discussion is in ethics or social philosophy, in metaphysics or even, on occasion, epistemology, the play of communalism, a concept expounded in the next section, is so strong that it is difficult to escape its ubiquity. In spite of this, there is little serious analysis of the concept and its implications in the contemporary context. …
Looking Back, Facing Forward
Africa Must Be Modern
Read an excerpt Connect with the author: Website Blog New Books in African Studies podcast
How Colonialism Preempted Modernity in Africa
The seven chapters in this book are based on a series of original essays and their various revisions, presented at numerous conferences in the US and abroad over an extended period of time (1992-2003), with updated revisions and footnotes through 2008. The basic focus is on 'the nature of the relations between Africa and modernity' with emphasis on Commonwealth Africa, particularly Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania. Táíwò (philosophy and global Africa…
The love of freedom brought us here
The idea of freedom rarely features at the present time in the discourse of African political philosophy. Yet, there was a time when concern with and extended discussions of freedom dominated African political philosophy. This explains, in part, how a country like Liberia, whose recent history makes an unlikely beacon for those interested in the perennial political philosophical problem of freedom, has for its national motto: "The love of freedom…
The legal subject in modern African law
Colonialism and Its Aftermath
In the discourse about the myriad crises afflicting African countries, it is customary to castigate colonialism and its consequences. It is claimed that colonialism and its aftermath distorted the processes of socio-historical development in the continent and that the current crises are the results of the colonial exploitation of the continent. This manner of reasoning is not limited to critics of colonialism alone. Even its apologists point to t…
Towards an African Sociological Tradition
Akiwowo (1986b) and Makinde (1988) raise several issues on the possibility of an African sociological tradition. They argue that sociology can be done in African idioms and they supply us with some concepts, principally those of 'asuwada', 'ajobi', 'ajogbe' and ' ifogbontayese', with which we can begin to work out indigenous sociological theories. In this paper, we accept that it is possible to do sociology in African idioms. But we must specify …
How Not to Write About Ethics in Nigerian Culture
No abstract
Towards an African Sociological Tradition
Akiwowo (1986b) and Makinde (1988) raise several issues on the possibility of an African sociological tradition. They argue that sociology can be done in African idioms and they supply us with some concepts, principally those of 'asuwada', 'ajobi', 'ajogbe' and ' ifogbontayese', with which we can begin to work out indigenous sociological theories. In this paper, we accept that it is possible to do sociology in African idioms. But we must specify …
Colonialism and Its Aftermath
In the discourse about the myriad crises afflicting African countries, it is customary to castigate colonialism and its consequences. It is claimed that colonialism and its aftermath distorted the processes of socio-historical development in the continent and that the current crises are the results of the colonial exploitation of the continent. This manner of reasoning is not limited to critics of colonialism alone. Even its apologists point to t…
Against African Communalism
Communalism and its cognates continue to exercise a vise grip on the African intellectual imaginary. Whether the discussion is in ethics or social philosophy, in metaphysics or even, on occasion, epistemology, the play of communalism, a concept expounded in the next section, is so strong that it is difficult to escape its ubiquity. In spite of this, there is little serious analysis of the concept and its implications in the contemporary context. …
Who Are the Engineers? Solar Geoengineering Research and Justice
Solar geoengineering research is a small but growing field as concerns arise that reducing emissions will not be sufficient to limit severe climate impacts. With this increasing attention, ensuring that the field advances equitably and inclusively is of immense importance. This commentary is a response to arguments that advocate for abandoning solar geoengineering research altogether because it perpetuates colonialism and promotes injustice. We f…
How Colonialism Preempted Modernity in Africa
The seven chapters in this book are based on a series of original essays and their various revisions, presented at numerous conferences in the US and abroad over an extended period of time (1992-2003), with updated revisions and footnotes through 2008. The basic focus is on 'the nature of the relations between Africa and modernity' with emphasis on Commonwealth Africa, particularly Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania. Táíwò (philosophy and global Africa…
Akínṣọlá Akìwọwọ
I have written previously about those that I call, regarding African contributions to the discourse of modernity, ‘prophets without honour’.1 Akinṣọla Akiwọwọ deserves inclusion in the ranks of pro
Doing sociology in Africa
In the closing decades of the last century, Professor Akínsolá Akìwowo, in a series of seminal papers, inaugurated what Jìmí Adésíná later dubbed ‘the Akíwowo project’. This project involved (1) showing that there are resources in an African culture – Yorùbá – for doing sociology in ways that are as good as the dominant tradition to be found in Western sociology; and (2) offering some original ideas regarding some explanatory framework that could…
Two themes in Decolonizing Universalism
Serene Khader's recent book Decolonizing Universalism is an important contribution to a number of strands of thought, activism, and scholarship. It is also an ambitious one: the book sets out a tall order for itself. On the one hand, it is an intellectual contribution to the thought and practice of transnational feminism, specifically. This paper aims to draw out lessons from the book by focusing on two of the secondary points Khader makes. The f…
How Not to Write About Ethics in Nigerian Culture
No abstract
Towards an African Sociological Tradition
Akiwowo (1986b) and Makinde (1988) raise several issues on the possibility of an African sociological tradition. They argue that sociology can be done in African idioms and they supply us with some concepts, principally those of 'asuwada', 'ajobi', 'ajogbe' and ' ifogbontayese', with which we can begin to work out indigenous sociological theories. In this paper, we accept that it is possible to do sociology in African idioms. But we must specify …
Colonialism and Its Aftermath
In the discourse about the myriad crises afflicting African countries, it is customary to castigate colonialism and its consequences. It is claimed that colonialism and its aftermath distorted the processes of socio-historical development in the continent and that the current crises are the results of the colonial exploitation of the continent. This manner of reasoning is not limited to critics of colonialism alone. Even its apologists point to t…
The legal subject in modern African law
How Colonialism Preempted Modernity in Africa
The seven chapters in this book are based on a series of original essays and their various revisions, presented at numerous conferences in the US and abroad over an extended period of time (1992-2003), with updated revisions and footnotes through 2008. The basic focus is on 'the nature of the relations between Africa and modernity' with emphasis on Commonwealth Africa, particularly Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania. Táíwò (philosophy and global Africa…
The love of freedom brought us here
The idea of freedom rarely features at the present time in the discourse of African political philosophy. Yet, there was a time when concern with and extended discussions of freedom dominated African political philosophy. This explains, in part, how a country like Liberia, whose recent history makes an unlikely beacon for those interested in the perennial political philosophical problem of freedom, has for its national motto: "The love of freedom…
Africa Must Be Modern
Read an excerpt Connect with the author: Website Blog New Books in African Studies podcast
Looking Back, Facing Forward
Against African Communalism
Communalism and its cognates continue to exercise a vise grip on the African intellectual imaginary. Whether the discussion is in ethics or social philosophy, in metaphysics or even, on occasion, epistemology, the play of communalism, a concept expounded in the next section, is so strong that it is difficult to escape its ubiquity. In spite of this, there is little serious analysis of the concept and its implications in the contemporary context. …
States Are Not Basic Structures
Contemporary political philosophy often operates on a ‘two-tiered’ theoretical treatment of global politics, on which domestic political systems and the principles governing their internal dynamics constitute one tier, and on which the relationships between states and governing multinational institutions constitute a second. One way of grounding and justifying this approach, preferred by Rawls, is called constructivism. Constructivists describe t…
Groundwork for the Practice of the Good Life
Groundwork for the Practice of the Good Life is an important recent work of African materialist thought. Ochieng’s is not a naïve materialism that arbitrarily focuses on land, natural resources and profits. Instead, it is a sophisticated materialism committed to the reality and ethical salience of our institutions, social networks, and projects as they modify and limit our relationships to a physical world that we share with each other. The proje…
Principles for Thinking about Carbon Dioxide Removal in Just Climate Policy
Two themes in Decolonizing Universalism
Serene Khader's recent book Decolonizing Universalism is an important contribution to a number of strands of thought, activism, and scholarship. It is also an ambitious one: the book sets out a tall order for itself. On the one hand, it is an intellectual contribution to the thought and practice of transnational feminism, specifically. This paper aims to draw out lessons from the book by focusing on two of the secondary points Khader makes. The f…
On Rethinking Ownership of Development in Africa
Material Insecurity, Racial Capitalism, and Public Health
In the influential 1995 article “Social Conditions as Fundamental Causes of Disease,” Bruce Link and Jo Phelan described social and political factors as “fundamental causes” of death and disease. Whitney Pirtle has recently declared racial capitalism another such fundamental cause. Using the case of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, she has argued that racial capitalism's role in that situation meets each of the criteria Link and Phelan's arti…
Who Are the Engineers? Solar Geoengineering Research and Justice
Solar geoengineering research is a small but growing field as concerns arise that reducing emissions will not be sufficient to limit severe climate impacts. With this increasing attention, ensuring that the field advances equitably and inclusively is of immense importance. This commentary is a response to arguments that advocate for abandoning solar geoengineering research altogether because it perpetuates colonialism and promotes injustice. We f…
Akínṣọlá Akìwọwọ
I have written previously about those that I call, regarding African contributions to the discourse of modernity, ‘prophets without honour’.1 Akinṣọla Akiwọwọ deserves inclusion in the ranks of pro
Doing sociology in Africa
In the closing decades of the last century, Professor Akínsolá Akìwowo, in a series of seminal papers, inaugurated what Jìmí Adésíná later dubbed ‘the Akíwowo project’. This project involved (1) showing that there are resources in an African culture – Yorùbá – for doing sociology in ways that are as good as the dominant tradition to be found in Western sociology; and (2) offering some original ideas regarding some explanatory framework that could…
Elite Capture
Reconsidering Reparations
Christopher Columbus’s voyage changed the world forever because the era of racial slavery and colonialism that it started built the world in the first place. The irreversible environmental damage of history’s first planet-sized political and economic system is responsible for our present climate crisis. Reparations call for us to make the world over again: this time, justly. The project of reparations and racial justice in the twenty-first centur…
Vice Signaling
Tosi and Warmke discuss cases where the speaker intends for the audience to take their expressions as evidence of good moral character. However, another possibility exists that similarly exploits the social communicative architecture. A contribution to public moral discourse may also attempt to strut by demonstrating evidence of bad moral character, by purposely failing to meet the evaluative standards of its audience—or, paradigmatically for my …
On the idea of freedom in modern African political philosophy
When Liberia, at its inception, adopted for her motto, “The Love of Freedom Brought Us Here,” they were registering their embrace of a core tenet of modernity: the idea that freedom was the primary state of humanity and that any form of social living that turned this free being into a bonded phenomenon, forces it to obey dictates and laws not of its own choosing, to bow before rulers it had no hand in electing, and to live at the behest of anothe…
On the Stability of Racial Capitalism
What is the connection between capitalism and racial hierarchy? In line with the tradition known as ‘the theory of racial capitalism’ we show that the latter can functionally support the former. As a social construction, race has just those features which allow it to facilitate the sort of stable, inequitable distributions of resources that tend to emerge in capitalist systems. We support this claim using techniques from evolutionary game theory …
Political science (19 works) · Sociology (14 works) · Law (12 works) · Philosophy (12 works) · Epistemology (10 works) · African cultural and philosophical studies (7 works) · Politics (7 works) · History (6 works) · Economics (5 works) · Law (5 works)