Discourse analysis exposes how philosophy serves dominant power interests

Evidence

Tempels draws his religionist arguments from the Luba to make generalized conclusions about all Africans. He was not familiar, of course, with today’s understanding of discursive analysis which recognizes philosophy as a conflict of interests, in which the Western interpretation of reality dominates the field. A discursive analysis of philosophical, religious and cultural interpretations is pleaded, because this method emphasizes the positions of the researcher and the informant in relation to discourse. A key aspect of discourse is that it constructs hegemony. Like all forms of hegemony, it tends to be used by those already in power (religious institutes, academia, states, multinationals, etc.) to reinforce and cement their position even further. — Frans Dokman, Beyond Bantu Philosophy_…, 844

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to postcolonial theory on knowledge production and to the book’s running theme of counter-hegemonic discourse. — connects to: Critical Discourse Analysis exposes latent beliefs disguised as neutral metaphors.