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Léopold Sédar Senghor and the Civilization of the Universal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Kahiudi C. Mabana
Kahiudi C. Mabana*
Affiliation:
University of the West Indies, Barbados
*
Kahiudi C. Mabana, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados. Email: kahiudi.mabana@cavehill.uwi.edu
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Abstract

One among the concepts strongly defended by Léopold Sédar Senghor is what he called the civilization of the universal, which forms an essential component of his thought. This concept has been thoroughly commented and, at times, wrongly or controversially interpreted. My approach consists of a personal reflection on the backgrounds of Senghor’s thought. First of all I will deal with Senghor’s conception of Negritude and what it implies in terms of black identification, recognition of Africa as birthplace of races. Then I will examine the civilization of the universal as defended by Senghor and its link to the thought of Father Teilhard de Chardin, a French palaeontologist. Finally I will present the passionate debate on his work and thought. Senghor was among the African writers and thinkers probably the most admired, the most awarded throughout the world, but also the most criticized and hated.

Type
Articles
Information
Diogenes , Volume 59 , Issue 3-4: Africana Philosophy , November 2012 , pp. 4 - 12
Copyright
Copyright © ICPHS 2013

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