This is a very interesting conversation about the politics of knowledge, and the construction of alternative universes of meaning in the shaping of African historiographies and the communities that they serve. It is especially intriguing in the contemporary historical context since we are entering a phase of global history where the Asia-Pacific region is becoming the epicenter of the global political economy...
Having “listened in” on the conversation between Moses and Mamadou, I can only echo Paul’s initial response to the inaugural PQF dialogue between Pius and Ato by saying: What a feast indeed! There is so much to say and yet so little new to add. One thing that should be said before going any further is “hats off” to the Convener, Pius, for orchestrating this meeting of minds. The very pairing of these two historians, one who emphasizes a discipline focused approach to African History with the other who tends to lean toward an engagé scholarship tradition, sets the stage for revisiting one of the foundational debates of the field of African History; this is the debate about the role of the historian in contemporary African realities...