“African Humanism” and a Case Study from the Swahili Coast

Humanism is, by its very nature, a term with transcultural and even universal appeal, as it invokes the inherent qualities supposedly possessed by all members of the human species. Yet what qualifies human beings generally as “human” or even “humane” may differ from one society or cultural framework to another. This applies within Africa as well as outside it. In this paper, I sketch out some comparative features from across the continent, using the term “African humanism” as pragmatic shorthand in which the adjective “African” points to a variety of regional and cultural contexts that qualify and determine the range of visions and versions of humanism that have been meaningful in, or for, Africa (for alternative discussions, see Macamo, 2009, Lategan, 2009).