This course studies the exclusionary effects of the Western philosophical canon, as well as efforts to repair them. Postcolonial Theory and Intercultural Philosophy represent two different approaches geared towards such repair. We will study them and some classic authors that created these approaches. We will look into their historical contexts, and analyze where they conflict and where they complement each other. We will do all of this by means of critical text-reading, group dialogue, and forming one?s own (argued) view of the course materials in writing.

The Western canon is a term we use for the body of philosophical work that self-identifies as rooted in ancient Greek philosophical thought and reached its pinnacle in the North-European Enlightenment. It is supposed to be most rational and has a universal reach to enlighten ?all mankind?. The canon construed its own history of rational progress (Park 2013), while projecting an ?other? to differentiate itself from. This other historically comprised a variety of thinkers from many parts of the world that may be sexualized (e.g. female thinkers?) racialized (as ?black? or ?indian?) or culturalized (as Asian, African, indigenous native American, etc.).

Postcolonial Theory is the name for a body of critical thought that arose around the time of political decolonization and that persisted in the decades after up till now as a critique of neocolonial situations. It also includes critiques of racial oppression in its systemic forms.

Intercultural Philosophy has its roots in the increasing encounters between people through globalization, migration and communication by all kinds of different means. In Europe it had its systematic formulation in the 1990s and is based upon thinkers of dialogue such as Hans-Georg Gadamer. We will also study a new African approach, based upon the concept and practice of conversation.