Discription

Indigenous knowledge systems in the 21st century: Recognising and harnessing their worth goes unapologetically against the current of Afro-pessimism that has been a harsh reality for decades under colonial and apartheid control in Africa. In it, like-minded, globally oriented Afrocentric scholars make a cogent case for resuscitating and supporting the indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) of Africa. They also highlight the significance of IKS both to restoring the dignity of the historically suppressed indigenous peoples and their identities, and to the sustainable development of African societies. In doing so, they identify the gaps in and limitations of effective regulation and support of the IKS in the present legal and policy frameworks, and they propose remedies. ‘This book provides an unapologetic account of the importance of IKS over colonized western knowledge systems in aspects of development not only in the African continent but in the global south. The book is providentially published at a time when the decolonization discourse predominates in 21st Century where western knowledge hegemony is being questioned.’ – Sultan Khan, Associate Professor (Department of Sociology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban)