Discipline of Philosophy

Prof RM Mogobe

College of Human Sciences
School of Humanities
Department: Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology
Professor Emeritus
E-mail: sekhunp@unisa.ac.za

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts, University of South Africa
    Main Subjects Philosophy, English and Political Science
  • Baccalaureate in Philosophy, Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven, (K.U.L), Belgium.
  • Licentiate in Philosophy K.U.L, Belgium. (cum laude)
  • M.Sc (International Relations) University of London: London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom.
  • Thesis Licentiate in Philosophy (cum laude)
    Title Philosophy of Religion: Ian T. Ramsey Considered From the Standpoint of Philosophical Anthropology
  • M. Sc Long Essay Title The Relevance of the Just War Theory to Nuclear Weapons
    Dissertation Doctor of Philosophy (cum laude)
    Title The Legalistic Character Of Power In International Relations: A Philosophical Essay On The Ethics Of Defence In The Nuclear Age
    Presented to the Higher Institute of Philosophy, K.U.L, Belgium 1983.

Books

Books/Monographs

  • Van Eeden kiest voor de maan, isvw uitgevers, Leusden, Nederland, 2020
  • African Philosophy Through Ubuntu (1999, 2nd edition 2005) Mond Books Publishers, Harare Zimbabwe

Edited Books

  • Hegel‟s Twilight Liber Amicorum Discipulorumque Pro Heinz Kimmerle, Rodopi: Amsterdam – New York 2013

Chapters in books

  • On finding the cinerarium for uncremated Ubuntu: on the street wisdom of philosophy, in B de Sousa Santos and Maria Paula Menses, (ed.) Knowledges born in the struggle, Routledge, London, 2020
  • On overcoming epistemic injustice in the education order of South Africa, in Seepe, S., (ed.) Tertiary institutional transformation in South Africa, 2020
  • Motho ke motho ka batho An African perspective on popular sovereignty and democracy, in Mourad, I et al., (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Political Theory, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2020. p. 261-280
  • A philosophy without memory cannot abolish slavery: on epistemic justice in South Africa, in Hull, G., (ed.) Debating African Philosophy Perspectives on identity, decolonial ethics and comparative philosophy, Routledge, London and New York, 2019.
  • Effusion and diffusion in African spirituality, in Kochalumchuvattil, T., (ed.) (2016) African Spirituality: Facts, meanings and values, Asian Trading Corporation, Bengaluru, India. p. 61-
  • Ubuntu Affirming a right and seeking remedies in South Africa, in Ubuntu Curating the Archive (ed.) Praeg, L and Magadla, S., University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, Scottsville, South Africa, 2014. p. 121-136
  • The strategic significance of HIV/AIDS in Africa, in Hegel‟s Twilight, Ramose M B (ed.) Rodopi, Amsterdam 2013 213-252
  • “Ecology Through Ubuntu”, in African Ethics: An Anthology of Comparative and Applied Ethics. Munyaradzi Felix Murove, (ed.). University of KwaZulu – Natal Press. Scottsville, South Africa. 2009. p. 308 – 314.
  • “Towards Emancipative Politics in Modern Africa”, in African Ethics: An Anthology of Comparative and Applied Ethics. Munyaradzi Felix Murove, (ed.). University of KwaZulu – Natal Press. Scottsville, South Africa. 2009. p. 412 – 426. ISBN 978-1-86914-174-5
  • “The Development of Thought in Pan Africanism”, (ed.), Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, USA, 2007.
  • "The King as Memory and Symbol of African Customary Law”, in the Shade of New Leaves. Governance in Traditional Authority: A Southern African perspective. Hinz, M.O., (ed.) LIT Verlag, Berlin. 2006. p. 351-374. ISBN 3-8258-9283-2
  • “Alexis Kagame on the Bantu Philosophy of Be-ing, Aristotle‟s Categoriae, and De Interpretatione”, in Re-ethnicizing the Minds? Cultural Revival in Contemporary Thought. Thorsten Botz-Bornstein and Jürgen Hengelbrock (eds.). Amsterdam, New York.
  • “An African View Of Evil In Nature: Madimabe and Senyama” in Can Nature Be Evil Or Evil Natural? du Toit, C.W., (ed.). University of South Africa Press, Pretoria. 2006. p. 107-116. ISBN 1-86888-398-1
  • “Philosophy: a Particularist Interpretation with Universal Appeal”, in African Philosophy and the Hermeneutics of Culture. Oguejiofor, J. Obi & Onah, G.I.(eds.). LIT Verlag, Münster. 2005. p. 145-159. ISBN 3-8258-8217-9
  • "The Philosophy of the Anglo-Boer War", in A Century is a short time: New perspectives on the Anglo-Boer War. Nexus editorial collected (eds). Pretoria, Afriscot. p. 11-24. ISBN 0-620-35311-2
  • “The Earth „Mother‟ Metaphor: An African Perspective”, in Visions of Nature; Studies on the Theory of Gaia and Culture in Ancient and Modern Times. Elders, F (ed.). 2004.
  • “The Struggle for Reason In Africa”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J. Roux (eds.). Routledge, Great Britain.
  • “The Ethics of Ubuntu”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J Roux (eds.). Routledge, Great Britain. 2003.
  • “The Philosophy of Ubuntu and Ubuntu as a Philosophy”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J. Roux (eds.). Routledge, Great Britain. 2003.
  • “I Conquer, Therefore I Am the Sovereign: Reflections Upon Sovereignty, Constitutionalism, and Democracy in Zimbabwe and South Africa”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J Roux (eds.). Routledge, Great Britain. 2003.
  • “Good Governance: Another Export to Africa” in Philosophy, Democracy and Responsible Governance in Africa. J. Obi Oguejiofor (ed.). LIT Verlag, Munster. 2003. p. 36-63. ISBN 3-8258-7105-3
  • Foreword in "Health, Trade and Human Rights", Théodore H MacDonald. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd: Abingdon, Oxon. 2006. vi-viii. ISBN-10 1 84619 050 9; ISBN-13 978 1 84619 050 6
  • “Globalization and Ubuntu”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J. Roux (eds.), Routledge, Great Britain. 2003.
  • “Rationality and the Question of Diversity in South Africa”, in Research, Identity and Rationalism; Research Institute for Theology and Religion. CW du Toit, (ed.). University of South Africa Press, UNISA, Pretoria. 2002. p. 77-94.
  • “Wisdom In War and Peace”, in After September 11, Globalisation, War and Peace; Research Institute for Theology and Religion. CW du Toit and GJA Lubbe, (ed.). University of South Africa Press, UNISA, Pretoria. 2002. p. 151-178. ISBN 1-86888-233-0
  • “The Liberation of Reason from Racism”. Wahba M. (ed.). Goethe Institute, Cairo. p. 109-115. ISBN 977-19-6534-4
  • “Philosophy and Development”, in Philosophical Focus on Cultural and Traditional Thought Systems in Development, J.M. Nyasani (ed.). Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Kenya. 1998.
  • "Enter The Individual Exit Freedom", in Law, Life and the Images of Man. Fleerackers, F, van Leeuwen, E. and van Roermund, B., Duncker & Humblot (eds.). Berlin. 1996. p. 367-376.
  • “Specific African Thought Structures and Their Possible Contribution to World Peace”, in Kreativer Friede durch Begegnung der Weltkulturen; Schriften zur Triadik und Ontodynamik. Beck, H. and Schmirber, G., (eds.). Band 9, Peter Lang. Frankfurt am Main 1995. p. 227-251.
  • "The Concept of Life as a Universal Wholeness", in Schadel, E. and Voigt, U., (ed.). Sien-Erkennen-Handeln, Band 7, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 1994. p. 67-74.
  • "Life, Universalism and Holistic Thinking", in Universalism Today, Claessens, D. and Mackensen, R. (eds.). Technische Universitat Berlin, Berlin. 1992. p. 585-598.
  • "Self-Determination in Decolonisation”, in Issues of Self-Determination. Twining, W. (ed.). Aberdeen University Press, Aberdeen. 1991. p. 25-32.
  • "A History Denied: African Philosophy and Social Organisation", in Series on Alternative Development. Number 2, September 1986. University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. p. 107-114.

Journal articles

  • Critique of Ramon Grosfoguel‟s “The epistemic decolonial turn”, Alternation 27, 1(2020) p. 1-37
  • Reincarnation, resurrection and the question of representation, in Filosofia Theoretica: Journal of African Philosophy, Culture and Religions, Vol. 8 No. 2 May-August 2019
  • Towards a post-conquest South Africa: beyond the constitution of 1996, in South African Journal on Human Rights, 31 Dec. 2018
  • Wiping away the tears of the ocean, in Theoria, Issue 153, Vol. 64, No. 4 (December 2017): 22-57
  • But the man does not throw bones, in Alternation Special edition 18 (2016)60-71
  • Teacher and student with a critical pan-epistemic orientation: an ethical necessity for Africanising the educational curriculum in Africa, in the South African Journal of Philosophy, 35(4) 2016. p. 546-555
  • Toward the betterment of human relations, in Dialogue and Universalism, No. 4, 2016. p. 69-85
  • Introduction: contests and contrasts in philosophy, in the South African Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 34, issue 4, 2015. pp. 391-394
  • On the contested meaning of “philosophy”, in the South African Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 34, issue 4, 2015. pp. 551-558
  • The concept of identity in Masolo, in Quest, Vol. 25, nos. 1-2, 2014 p. 17-29
  • Dying a hundred deaths: Socrates on truth and justice, in Phronimon, Volume 15.1.2014 p. 67-80
  • “Reconciliation and reconfiliation in South Africa” in Journal on African Philosophy, Issue 5 2012. p. 20-39 ISSN: 1533-1067
  • “But the Chichidodo feeds on cocoa”, in Journal on African Philosophy, Issue 4 2012 p. 5-17 ISSN: 1533-1067
  • Transcender le cosmopolitisme, in Diogene, 235-236, Juillet-Octobre 2011. p. 36-43
  • Sobre a Legitimidade e o Estudo da Filosofia Africana, in Ensaios Filosoficos, Volume IV outobro 2011. p. 6-25 ISSN 2177-4994
  • “Learning inspired education” in Caribbean Journal of Philosophy Vol 2, No 1 2010
  • “The death of democracy and the resurrection of timocracy”. in The Journal of Moral Education. Volume 39, Number 3, September 2010. p. 291-303.
  • “Military Ethics of Fighting Terror: A Response to Kasher and Yadlin”, in Philosophia 2008, 36. p. 209-212.
  • “Birth, death and truth: An essay in memory of Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze” in South African Journal of Philosophy. Volume 27, Number 4, 2008. p. 325 – 331.
  • “In Memoriam: Sovereignty and the „New‟ South Africa”, in Griffith Law Review, A Journal of Social and Critical Legal Studies. Volume 16, number 2, 2007. p. 310-329.
  • “But Hans Kelsen Was Not Born In Africa: A Reply to Thaddeus Metz”, in South African Journal of Philosophy. Volume 26, number 4, 2007. p. 347-355.
  • “The Philosophy of Funding Higher Education After the Cold War: The Case of South Africa”, in Alternation, Interdisciplinary Journal for the Study of the Arts and Humanities in Southern Africa. Durban, 2006. p. 21-48.
  • “Philosophy and Africa‟s Struggle for Economic Independence”, in Politeia, Journal for Political Science and Public Administration. Vol. 25, No. 1, 2006. p. 3-17. ISSN 0256-8845.
  • "Towards Black Theology Without God". In The Journal of Theology and Religion. Volume 29, No 1, December 2005. p. 105-132. ISSN 0378-4142
  • “Poverty: A Creature of Politics and a Question of Justice”, in International Journal of Humanistic Studies. Vol 3, 2004. pp. 36-53. ISSN 1811 – 489X
  • “The Bewaji, Van Binsbergen and Ramose Debate on Ubuntu”, in The South African Journal of Philosophy. Volume 22. No. 4, 2004
  • “In Search Of An African Philosophy Of Education”, in South African Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 18, No. 3, 2004.
  • “I Doubt, Therefore, African Philosophy Exists”, in South African Journal of Philosophy. Volume 22, Number 2, 2003. p. 113-127.
  • “Transforming Education In South Africa: Paradigm Shift Or Change?”, in South African Journal of Higher Education. Vol. 17, No. 3, 2003.
  • “Reply to Ayotunde Bewaji‟s Reflections on the African Renaissance and Ubuntu Philosophy”, in South African Journal of Philosophy. Volume 22, No. 4, 2003.
  • “Africa Between Hope and Despair”, in Philosophy and Social Action. Vol. 28, No. 2, 2002. p. 11-22.
  • “Logos and Justice In Africa‟s International Relations”, in Dialogue and Universalism. No. 1-2, 2002 p. 27-38. PL ISSN 1234-5792
  • “Zimbabwe after Lancaster”, Occasional Paper, March 2001.
  • “Only the Sovereign May Declare War and NATO As Well”, in Studia Moralia. XXXVIII/1 June 2000. p. 197-216.
  • “African Renaissance: A Northbound Gaze”, in Politeia.19,3, 2000. p. 47-63
  • “Title to territory: Its Constitutional Implications for Contemporary South Africa and Zimbabwe”, in Recht in Afrika. Heft 2, Jahrgang 2000. p. 189-210
  • “Sovereignty and Constitutional Democracy: South Africa and Zimbabwe”, in Thamyris. Vol. 6, No. 2, 1999. p. 163-189. ISSN 1381-1312
  • “Human Freedom and the Law of Marriage” in Current Legal Theory. XVI, 1, 1998. p. 23-33.
  • "God Is Late, What Next Prof. Van Der Walt", in Quest, Vol. IX, No. 1, June 1995. p. 85-105.
  • “Violence, Peaceful Human Coexistence and Universalism”, in Dialogue and Universalism. Volume III, No. 1, 1993. p. 89-101.
  • "Steve Biko And The Interpreters Of Black Consciousness: A Response to Lotter" in Acta Academica. Volume 25, Number 2 & 3, December 1993. p. 1-13.
  • "Wars of National Liberation and the Laws of Armed Conflict" in ARSP, Beiheft 46, 1992. p. 9-17.
  • "African Democratic Tradition: Oneness, Consensus and Openness: A reply to Wamba-dia-Wamba" in Quest. Volume VI, Number 2, December 1992. p. 62-83.
  • "Hobbes and the Philosophy of International Relations" in Quest, Volume V, number 1, June 1991. p. 18-35.
  • "In Search of a Workable and Lasting Constitutional Change in South Africa" in Quest, Volume V, number 2, December 1991. p. 4-31.
  • "Hegel And Universalism: An African Perspective" in Dialogue and Humanism. Volume 1, number 1, 1991. p. 75-87.
  • "The Two Hands Of God In South Africa", in Journal of Black Theology in South Africa. Volume 4, number 1, May 1990. p. 18-42.
  • "Ontology of Invisible Beings", in BOLESWA, Vol. 1, number 2, 1989. p. 1-24.
  • "Good Fences Make Good Neighbours: A Reply to Professor Couwenberg", in Civis Mundi, Jaargang no. 25, 3, 1986. 79-84.
    • Chapters in books
  • On finding the cinerarium for uncremated Ubuntu: on the street wisdom of philosophy, in B de Sousa Santos and Maria Paula Menses, (ed.) Knowledges born in the struggle, Routledge, London, 2020
  • On overcoming epistemic injustice in the education order of South Africa, in Seepe, S., (ed.) Tertiary institutional transformation in South Africa, 2020
  • Motho ke motho ka batho An African perspective on popular sovereignty and democracy, in Mourad, I et al., (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Political Theory, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2020. p. 261-280
  • A philosophy without memory cannot abolish slavery: on epistemic justice in South Africa, in Hull, G., (ed.) Debating African Philosophy Perspectives on identity, decolonial ethics and comparative philosophy, Routledge, London and New York, 2019.
  • Effusion and diffusion in African spirituality, in Kochalumchuvattil, T., (ed.) (2016) African Spirituality: Facts, meanings and values, Asian Trading Corporation, Bengaluru, India. p. 61-86
  • Ubuntu Affirming a right and seeking remedies in South Africa, in Ubuntu Curating the Archive (ed.) Praeg, L and Magadla, S., University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, Scottsville, South Africa, 2014. p. 121-136
  • The strategic significance of HIV/AIDS in Africa, in Hegel‟s Twilight, Ramose M B (ed.) Rodopi, Amsterdam 2013 213-252
  • “Ecology Through Ubuntu”, in African Ethics: An Anthology of Comparative and Applied Ethics. Munyaradzi Felix Murove, (ed.). University of KwaZulu – Natal Press. Scottsville, South Africa. 2009. p. 308 – 314.
  • “Towards Emancipative Politics in Modern Africa”, in African Ethics: An Anthology of Comparative and Applied Ethics. Munyaradzi Felix Murove, (ed.). University of KwaZulu – Natal Press. Scottsville, South Africa. 2009. p. 412 – 426. ISBN 978-1-86914-174-5
  • “The Development of Thought in Pan Africanism”, (ed.), Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, USA, 2007.
  • "The King as Memory and Symbol of African Customary Law”, in the Shade of New Leaves. Governance in Traditional Authority: A Southern African perspective. Hinz, M.O., (ed.) LIT Verlag, Berlin. 2006. p. 351-374. ISBN 3-8258-9283-2
  • “Alexis Kagame on the Bantu Philosophy of Be-ing, Aristotle‟s Categoriae, and De Interpretatione”, in Re-ethnicizing the Minds? Cultural Revival in Contemporary Thought. Thorsten Botz-Bornstein and Jürgen Hengelbrock (eds.). Amsterdam, New York.
  • “An African View Of Evil In Nature: Madimabe and Senyama” in Can Nature Be Evil Or Evil Natural? du Toit, C.W., (ed.). University of South Africa Press, Pretoria. 2006. p. 107-116. ISBN 1-86888-398-1
  • “Philosophy: a Particularist Interpretation with Universal Appeal”, in African Philosophy and the Hermeneutics of Culture. Oguejiofor, J. Obi & Onah, G.I.(eds.). LIT Verlag, Münster. 2005. p. 145-159. ISBN 3-8258-8217-9
  • "The Philosophy of the Anglo-Boer War", in A Century is a short time: New perspectives on the Anglo-Boer War. Nexus editorial collected (eds). Pretoria, Afriscot. p. 11-24. ISBN 0-620-35311-2
  • “The Earth „Mother‟ Metaphor: An African Perspective”, in Visions of Nature; Studies on the Theory of Gaia and Culture in Ancient and Modern Times. Elders, F (ed.). 2004.
  • “The Struggle for Reason In Africa”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J. Roux (eds.). Routledge, Great Britain.
  • “The Ethics of Ubuntu”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J Roux (eds.). Routledge, Great Britain. 2003.
  • “The Philosophy of Ubuntu and Ubuntu as a Philosophy”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J. Roux (eds.). Routledge, Great Britain. 2003.
  • “I Conquer, Therefore I Am the Sovereign: Reflections Upon Sovereignty, Constitutionalism, and Democracy in Zimbabwe and South Africa”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J Roux (eds.). Routledge, Great Britain. 2003.
  • “Good Governance: Another Export to Africa” in Philosophy, Democracy and Responsible Governance in Africa. J. Obi Oguejiofor (ed.). LIT Verlag, Munster. 2003. p. 36-63. ISBN 3-8258-7105-
  • Foreword in "Health, Trade and Human Rights", Théodore H MacDonald. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd: Abingdon, Oxon. 2006. vi-viii. ISBN-10 1 84619 050 9; ISBN-13 978 1 84619 050 6
  • “Globalization and Ubuntu”, in The African Philosophy Reader. P.H. Coetzee, A.P.J. Roux (eds.), Routledge, Great Britain. 2003.
  • “Rationality and the Question of Diversity in South Africa”, in Research, Identity and Rationalism; Research Institute for Theology and Religion. CW du Toit, (ed.). University of South Africa Press, UNISA, Pretoria. 2002. p. 77-94.
  • “Wisdom In War and Peace”, in After September 11, Globalisation, War and Peace; Research Institute for Theology and Religion. CW du Toit and GJA Lubbe, (ed.). University of South Africa Press, UNISA, Pretoria. 2002. p. 151-178. ISBN 1-86888-233-0
  • “The Liberation of Reason from Racism”. Wahba M. (ed.). Goethe Institute, Cairo. p. 109-115. ISBN 977-19-6534-4
  • “Philosophy and Development”, in Philosophical Focus on Cultural and Traditional Thought Systems in Development, J.M. Nyasani (ed.). Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Kenya. 1998.
  • "Enter The Individual Exit Freedom", in Law, Life and the Images of Man. Fleerackers, F, van Leeuwen, E. and van Roermund, B., Duncker & Humblot (eds.). Berlin. 1996. p. 367-376.
  • “Specific African Thought Structures and Their Possible Contribution to World Peace”, in Kreativer Friede durch Begegnung der Weltkulturen; Schriften zur Triadik und Ontodynamik. Beck, H. and Schmirber, G., (eds.). Band 9, Peter Lang. Frankfurt am Main 1995. p. 227-251.
  • "The Concept of Life as a Universal Wholeness", in Schadel, E. and Voigt, U., (ed.). Sien-Erkennen-Handeln, Band 7, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 1994. p. 67-74.
  • "Life, Universalism and Holistic Thinking", in Universalism Today, Claessens, D. and Mackensen, R. (eds.). Technische Universitat Berlin, Berlin. 1992. p. 585-598.
  • "Self-Determination in Decolonisation”, in Issues of Self-Determination. Twining, W. (ed.). Aberdeen University Press, Aberdeen. 1991. p. 25-32.
  • "A History Denied: African Philosophy and Social Organisation", in Series on Alternative Development. Number 2, September 1986. University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. p. 107-114.

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

Membership of Learned Societies

  • Afro-Asian Philosophy Association (General Secretary)
  • Inter-African Council of Philosophy (Vice President)
  • International Federation of Philosophical Societies ( Steering Committee Member)
  • International Society for African Philosophy
  • International Society for Universal Dialogue

Membership of Editorial Boards

  • 2007-2008 Politics and Ethics Review
  • 2004 Studies in African Philosophy
  • 2004 International Journal of Humanist Studies
  • 2011 Phronimon

Awards

  • Anyiam-Asigwe – Nigerian Philosophical Association: “Best book of philosophy in Africa”, 2014 [African philosophy through ubuntu]
  • Honorary Research Committee Member 1998-2000 – Leiden University, Department of Anthropology, The Netherlands
  • Leading Philosophers of the World (IBC) 2006
  • UNISA Chancellor's Prize for Research 2001

Special Awards/Merits

  • Recipient of festschrift: The tenacity of truthfulness Philosophical essays in honour of Mogobe Bernard Ramose (2019)
  • Departmental Leadership Training (Stellenbosch University)
  • Special honorary Arts award – Departmental Leadership (Stellenbosch University)