A Companion to African–American Philosophy

This wide–ranging, multidisciplinary collection of newly commissioned articles brings together distinguished voices in the field of Africana philosophy and African–American social and political thought. Topics covered include philosophic traditions; the moral and political legacy of slavery; Africa and diaspora thought; gender, race, and racism; legal and social philosophy; and aesthetics and cultural values. The volume provides a comprehensive critical survey of African–American philosophical thought by leading authorities. Addressing key themes, it will serve as a benchmark work of reference for courses in philosophy, social and political thought, legal studies, liberal studies, cultural studies, American studies, and African–American studies.

Notes on Contributors. Preface. Acknowledgments. Part I: Philosophic Traditions. 1. Philosophy and the Afro–American Experience. (Cornel West). 2. African–American Existential Philosophy. (Lewis R. Gordon). 3. African–American Philosophy: A Caribbean Perspective. (Paget Henry). 4. Modernisms in Black. (Frank M. Kirkland). 5. The Crisis of the Black Intellectual. (Hortense J. Spillers). Part II: The Moral and Political Legacy of Slavery. 6. Kant and Knowledge of Disappearing Expression. (Ronld A. T. Judy). 7. Social Contract Theory, Slavery, and the Antebellum Courts. (Anita L. Allen and Thaddeus Pope). 8. The Morality of Reparations II. (Bernard R. Boxill). Part III: Africa and Diaspora Thought. 9. "Afrocentricity": Critical Considerations. (Lucius T,. Outlaw, JR. 10. African retentions. (Tommy L. Lott). 11. African Philosophy at the Turn of the Century. (Albert G. Mosley). Part IV: Gender, Race, and Racism. 12. Some Group Matters: Intersectionality, Situated Standpoints, and black Feminist Thought. 13.Radicalizing Feminisms from "The Movement Era." (Joy A. James). 14. Philosophy and Racial Paradigms. (Naomi Zack). 15. Racial Classification and Public Policy. (David Theo Goldberg). 16. White Supremacy. (Charles W. Mills). Part V: Legal and Social Philosophy. 17. Self–Respect, Fairness, and Living Morally. (Laurence M. Thomas). 18. The Legacy of Plessy V. Ferguson. (Michele Moody–Adams). 19. Some Reflections on the Brown Decision and Its Aftermath. (Howard McGary). 20. Contesting the Ambivalence and Hostility to Affirmative Action within the Black Community. (Luke C. Harris). 21. Subsistence Welfare Benefits as Property Interests: Legal Theories and Moral Considerations.(Rudolph V. Vanterpool). 22. Racism and Health Care: A Medical Ethics Issue. (Annete Dula). 23. Racialized Punishment and Prison Abolition. (Angela Y. Davis). Part VI: Aesthetic and Cultural Values. 24. The Harlem Renaissance and Philosophy. (Leonard Harris). 25. Critical theory, Aesthetes, and Black Modernity. (Lorenzo C. Simpson). 26. Black Cinema and Aesthetics. (Clyde R. Taylor). 27. Thanatic Pornography, Interracial Rape, and the Ku Klux Klan. (T. Denean Sharpley–Whiting). 28. Lynching and Burning Rituals in African–American Literature. (Trudier Harris–Lopez). 29. Rap as Art and Philosophy.(Richard Shusterman). 30. Microphone Commandos: rap Music and Political Ideology. (Bill E. Lawson). 31. Sports, Political Philosophy, and the African American. (Gerald Early). Index.

Tommy L. Lott is Professor of Philosophy at San José State University. He is author of The Invention of Race (Blackwell, 1999), editor of Subjugation and Bondage: Critical Essays on Slavery and Social Philosophy (1998), African–American Philosophy (2001), and co–editor of The Idea of Race (2000), and Philosophers on Race (Blackwell, 2002). John P. Pittman is Chair of the Department of Art, Music, and Philosophy at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. He is editor of African–American Perspectives and Philosophical Traditions (1996) and Associate Editor of the journal Philosophia Africana .

" A Companion to African–American Philosophy is an indispensable and elegant guide to a constellation of inquiries into and about African–American thought and the production of that thought." Wahneema Lubiano, Duke University "Authoritative, compendious, and detailed, this landmark publication sets a standard against which every other reference work in the field must be judged." Wilson J. Moses, The Pennsylvania State University "A new convergence of reflections on the African–American experience by some of the most active philosophers in the United States. An important reference work for scholars and a useful tool in the classroom." Emmanuel Chukwudi Eze, DePaul University "This is the most thorough compilation of contemporary African–American philosophy I have yet seen. The inclusion of a selection of essays on cultural issues is a great addition. From racism to reparations to rap, these essays show how philosophers can illuminate current debates and eliminate persistent confusions in the mainstream discussions of these topics." Linda Martín Alcoff, Syracuse University " A Companion to African–American Philosophy is a valuable reference source. The editors have done an excellent job of representing the essential themes of African–American philosophical thought as well as notable individuals from the field. Libraries that support black history/studies, philosophy, American studies, and contemporary American thought should definitely purchase the C ompanion : it is well worth the cost. The novice will especially gain a wealth of information." Reference Reviews