The art and act of Rapping is a form of scientific research that takes place, in part, through introspection and sociocultural reflection. The Umfundisi Rap Technique and the theory of Ubuntu Rap are undergirded by the notion that to Rap is to research and reflect. That is, the act and art of Rapping involves, if not requires, the interrogation of one’s own physical and/or social circumstances and reveals one’s worldview through the conscious and subconscious signaling of their psychosocial location. To locate a text is to recognize the predispositions and philosophical objectives of an author and interpret such language, attitude, and direction based on their proximity to/distance from an Afrocentric psychology. However, what if there were a way to quantifiably measure location? What might such signposts and signals actually look like and how exactly might such “signposts” (or “words”) relate to underlying attitudes and directions? Moreover, could the expression of Ma’at itself, or maybe some kind of psychosocial well-being, be measured? If it were possible to measure a person’s psychosocial attitude and direction, might that also mean that there could be a way to gauge what kinds of cultural notions an author’s location is nearest to? The early MCs that held initial reverence and significance within their communities were those who could move the crowd with displays of rhetorical dexterity and celebrations of community. Rap’s current condition where a substantial proportion, if not an overwhelming majority, of the contemporary Rap lyrics and aesthetics that receive the largest amounts of social and financial elevation endorse hegemonic social philosophies of xenophobia, patriarchal violence, and other forms of psychological & physical subjugation has, for the most part, largely been agreed upon by most who have sought to examine Rap through an Afrocentric lens. Analyzing the conversation of thoughts particularly between the works of Tricia Rose, Joan Morgan, M.K. Asante, Jr., Jeff Chang, S. Craig Watkins, and Byron Hurt reveals two exceptionally noteworthy “crossover” events that brought forth the end of the era of Rap in which its overall orientation was primarily dictated by (and through) Afrikan agency amidst capitalist influences and duplicitous assurances of money, power, and assimilation from patriarchal Eurocentristic corporate structures at the cost of the Afrikan cultural communal spirit. The theory of Ubuntu Rap serves to emphasize the need for a very specific form of Afrocentric creative expression that addresses a very specific crisis. There is an intellectual and spiritual yearning, both conscious and subconscious, throughout the Afrikan diaspora for a framework of communication that is wholeheartedly and emphatically grounded in community, harmony, and sustainability. Ultimately, that is this project’s purpose and functional aspect: what routes can Rappers draw to navigate their way across the map of language & human speech toward a kind of maa kheru, or “trueness of voice”, designation? Such yearnings were the underlying driving force behind this project's intentions to imagine Ubuntu Rap as a particular canon/sub-genre of Rap grounded in Afrikan cultural ethical notions of community, harmony, and sustainability and to construct an Afrocentric research project that envisions the Umfundisi Rap Technique as a valid and practical method for the production of Ubuntu Rap. / Africology and African American Studies

No / Is there an alternative to the undemocratic and unaccountable power of capitalist philanthropy? If people in sub-Saharan Africa at grass roots level are to regain control of their futures, they must bet everything on democracy. But the challenge this presents should not be underestimated. We need social relations through which solutions can be determined with individuals and community groups to serve their needs and over which they exert a high degree of direct responsibility. In the spirit of Ubuntu or ‘oneness’, local communities understand what is required to meet their diverse needs, whether they are revenue-generating options or changing behaviours and conditions that inhibit social transformation. Who owns and controls philanthropy, and how other forms of influence become attached to it, are questions that lie at the heart of any transformational agenda. A local ecosystem model starts from a very different set of principles – it reduces the domination and influence of capitalist philanthropy in global development and instead empowers local communities to drive forward change.

In post-colonial Africa, conceptions of the nature and purposes of development as well as the theories and strategies for achieving them have remained a territory traversed predominantly by non-African social scientists. In this context, social scientists studying Africa's development proclaimed, at the dawn of the 1990s, a "paradigmatic crisis" and embarked on a quest for new paradigms . In advancing this quest, a number of "homegrown" development strategies have emerged. This work argues that these are mere adaptations and reconstructions of dominant Eurocentic paradigms that exaggerate the value of economic goods and wealth creation founded on a competitive marketplace by making them immutable features of development. Yet the ethic of competition theoretically condones a trajectory of killing in the quest for wealth accumulation. In this way, internalist epistemologies perpetuate epistemicide and valuecide in Africa's strides towards development. The stranglehold of internalist epistemologies has resulted in the impasse of rationality. By this we mean that Reason, apotheosized since the Enlightenment, has advanced humanity out of barbarism to "civilization" but has now placed humanity on the brink of unredeemable barbarism. Reason, through its manifestations in the philosophy of Mutual Assured Destruction and global warming, has condemned humanity to willful but avoidable suicide. Since the subjects and objects of development must be one and the same, development is necessarily culture-derived and culture-driven, with the preservation and improvement of human dignity and welfare as its ultimate aims. Accordingly, we defend the thesis that it is necessary for a framework meant for Africa's development to be founded on indigenous knowledge and values, if it is to succeed. And at this moment of impasse reached by Reason, an African ethics-based development paradigm, predicated on humaneness and "life is mutual aid", can restore Reason to sober rationality and liberate Africa's development efforts from the intoxicating prison of profit making. Hence the institutions and frameworks devoted to Africa's development, such as the Constitution and Strategic Plan of the African Union as well as NEPAD, must incorporate salient features of the philosophic ethic emanating from the knowledge and ontological systems of indigenous Africa into visions of the African future. / Philosophy / D. Phil. (Philosophy)

The purpose of the study was to develop a short course to inculcate the spirit of Ubuntu amongst the student nurses at Limpopo College of Nursing at Limpopo Province. A sequential explanatory research design was used and data was collected from one hundred and fifteen student nurses at the three (3) campuses for quantitative phase by means of structured interviews and ten (10) level III student nurses from each campus for qualitative phase by means of focus group discussions and reflective diaries. Ten (10) lecturers at the three campus participated in focus group discussions. Quantitative data analysis was done through descriptive analysis and findings were presented in frequencies, tables and charts. The qualitative data analysis was done through Tesch’s eight steps. There were similarities and differences in the themes and subthemes that were presented by all participants. There were also conflicting views from the same participants during qualitative and quantitative phases. The excerpts were presented to support all themes. The study found that Ubuntu needs to be inculcated through formal teaching and mentoring and that Ubuntu should be included in curriculum. Limpopo College of Nursing consists of student nurses from diverse cultures most of which are: Tsonga, Venda and Northern Sotho. They render nursing care to people of diverse cultures as globalisation has encouraged people to travel to different places. Media portrayal of the nursing care in public hospitals and clinics in South Africa is that of negativity. This is partially valid because, for example, the deterioration in nursing care in the public hospitals and clinics is as well evident in Limpopo Province in Mopani District (Bond 2002:1; Mohale & Mulaudzi 2008:61). Furthermore, Ubuntu is not effective if there is no correlation of theory and practice and evaluation of it in the clinical areas. Based on the findings and conclusion of the study, a short course on Ubuntu was developed after the consensus was reached among the participants and the experts who were consulted. / Health Studies / D. Lit. et Phil. (Health Studies)

In post-colonial Africa, conceptions of the nature and purposes of development as well as the theories and strategies for achieving them have remained a territory traversed predominantly by non-African social scientists. In this context, social scientists studying Africa's development proclaimed, at the dawn of the 1990s, a "paradigmatic crisis" and embarked on a quest for new paradigms . In advancing this quest, a number of "homegrown" development strategies have emerged. This work argues that these are mere adaptations and reconstructions of dominant Eurocentic paradigms that exaggerate the value of economic goods and wealth creation founded on a competitive marketplace by making them immutable features of development. Yet the ethic of competition theoretically condones a trajectory of killing in the quest for wealth accumulation. In this way, internalist epistemologies perpetuate epistemicide and valuecide in Africa's strides towards development. The stranglehold of internalist epistemologies has resulted in the impasse of rationality. By this we mean that Reason, apotheosized since the Enlightenment, has advanced humanity out of barbarism to "civilization" but has now placed humanity on the brink of unredeemable barbarism. Reason, through its manifestations in the philosophy of Mutual Assured Destruction and global warming, has condemned humanity to willful but avoidable suicide. Since the subjects and objects of development must be one and the same, development is necessarily culture-derived and culture-driven, with the preservation and improvement of human dignity and welfare as its ultimate aims. Accordingly, we defend the thesis that it is necessary for a framework meant for Africa's development to be founded on indigenous knowledge and values, if it is to succeed. And at this moment of impasse reached by Reason, an African ethics-based development paradigm, predicated on humaneness and "life is mutual aid", can restore Reason to sober rationality and liberate Africa's development efforts from the intoxicating prison of profit making. Hence the institutions and frameworks devoted to Africa's development, such as the Constitution and Strategic Plan of the African Union as well as NEPAD, must incorporate salient features of the philosophic ethic emanating from the knowledge and ontological systems of indigenous Africa into visions of the African future. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Phil. (Philosophy)

It is typically said that there are two questions that political philosophy seeks to address: ‘who gets what?’ and ‘who decides on who gets what?’ South Africa, along with much of the rest of the world, has answered the second question badly and currently ranks as one of the world’s most unequal societies. Counter-intuitively, South Africa maintains a social-political order that (re)produces this inequality along with great enthusiasm for ubuntu, an African ethic that at a minimum requires that we treat each other humanely. However, due to the view that ubuntu has been co-opted in support of South Africa’s unjust system, ubuntu has largely been ignored by radical thinkers. The aim of this thesis is therefore to explore the possibility of an ubuntu-based political philosophy, with the core assumption that political philosophy is rooted in ethical theory. Three tasks are therefore undertaken in this thesis. Firstly, ubuntu is articulated as an ethic. Secondly, it is compared to similar Western ethical theories in order to determine if there are distinguishing characteristics that make ubuntu a more appropriate founding ethic for South African political philosophy. Finally, whether ubuntu can find real-world applicability will be assessed by looking at the way ubuntu has been used in the law

The Rainbow Nation is a critical analysis of the notions of community in the thinking of Desmond Tutu. An attempt is being made in this study to demonstrate that the ideal of the Rainbow Nation –an inclusive human community- is a defining motif in Tutu's theological and biblical hermeneutical work. The main discussion in the research project begins by raising a fundamental question which serves as the basis for an analytical construct to examine Tutu's understanding and view of community. The second part of this study focuses on Tutu's early life experiences of community within the South African context. Tutu's writings, sermons, public addresses and statements are systematically and chronologically arranged and presented. This study concludes that Tutu's theology against the apartheid system and his vision for new South Africa, the Rainbow Nation- an inclusive South African Community- rests on triadic doctrines: The Imago Dei, creation of man in the image of God, The Delicate Networks of Interdependence (African Spirit of Ubuntu) and Ecclesiology, which represents the kingdom of God on earth. It is no wonder that out of an oppressive condition Tutu sought a universal vision of inclusive humanity which transcends the barriers of race, class, tribe, ethnicity, religion and other forms of sectarianism. The fundamental problem addressed here, is the notions of community. Its importance and relevance lies in its examination of his approach to the logical development understanding, and realisation of the ideal of the Rainbow Nation. A serious contention in this study is that a critical analysis of the problem in Tutu's thinking can yield insight into the conception, character and realisation of a more inclusive, loving and caring human community. However the author of this study is aware of the fact that one cannot possibly exhaust all the salient aspects of the rainbow nation as a model of an inclusive human community. What this study is attempting to provide here is the insight into the thinking of Desmond Tutu that makes contribution to the discussion of the realisation of the beloved human community. The model of human inclusive community proposed here is functional not contemplative theoretical. Human inclusive community has always been a dynamic force and has social implications which cannot all be covered by this study. / Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Systematic Theology)

When violence towards fellow humans deteriorates to the extent of setting fire on others, it becomes a matter of grievous concern and a subject of empirical research. This study therefore inquires into xenophobic violence in South Africa of 2008 and tries to understand the victims‟ plight in the light of their conception of the image of God. To achieve this, a questionnaire survey among migrant victims from other African countries was conducted, analysed and critiqued. The findings established a deep feeling of animosity from a section of a South Africans with consequent loss of property, physical harm and death, as well as emotional trauma. The study deduces that such hostile treatment by hosts results from a loss of African humanity, Ubuntu. Going forward a theology of the image of God is critical for human relations in South Africa and essential for reconciliation between migrants and locals. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2005 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this dissertation is to demonstrate that a dialogue can be established between wisdom in Proverbs 1 - 9 and ubuntu. This dialogue becomes evident from a close reading of Proverbs 1 - 9 and from a study of the correspondence between the worldviews found in ancient Israel and Africa respectively. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu is a Zulu saying that has its equivalent in nearly every sub- Saharan culture. Briefly, it translates to: "A human being is a human being because of (other) human beings." This points to a uniquely African view of human beings. This communal emphasis is also found within the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. The sages of the Old Testament attach great importance to harmony in the community and strongly emphasise obedience to wisdom as a way of accomplishing this harmony. The dialogue between wisdom and ubuntu is especially challenging from an academic point of view. On the one hand, wisdom highlights valuable aspects of African ways of life, principles and ideas that are often overlooked or ignored. On the other hand, ubuntu holds the promise of a nonwestern tradition that has been misread and marginalised in history, but that is reclaiming its place. A close reading is used to interpret the particular words, images and organisation of the scenes or passages in Proverbs 1 - 9. The interaction between the worldviews of ancient Israel and Africa leads us to further conclusions, identifying gaps in our knowledge and pointing to directions that could be followed in hermeneutics of which scholars have been unaware up to now. It also helps to sharpen the focus on wisdom by suggesting new perspectives of interpretation. The dialogue between wisdom and ubuntu leads us to fresh, exciting insights and a deeper understanding of issues that are of central concern in the field of wisdom theology research. In Proverbs 1 - 9, wisdom theology is redefined from an ubuntu perspective. The dialogue between wisdom and ubuntu thus leads us to a new development within wisdom theology. It helps us appreciate the new emphasis on communality. This does not happen in isolation. i1Ji1' m~tl'is identified as the primal source of wisdom. It must be regarded, however, in combination with the emphasis on living in communion with others. The essence of the new understanding - an existential understanding of wisdom - leads us towards appreciating the interrelatedness between human beings. Creation theology can be understood as deed/consequence theology, where the intimate relationship between experiencing divine awe and living in communion with others becomes evident. The dialogue between wisdom and ubuntu redefines the deed/consequence or causality aspect of wisdom theology as the "goal" of the wise. It is not the aim of this dissertation to copy some previously developed theological approach from one context into another, but rather to stimulate creative hermeneutical thinking with regard to African views on Old Testament wisdom literature. In this study we come to the conclusion that Afrocentric hermeneutics has the potential to be more responsive to the context of the Old Testament wisdom literature than Western theological exegesis has been. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die oogmerk van hierdie proefskrif is om aan te dui dat daar 'n dialoog bestaan tussen wysheid in Spreuke I - 9 in die Ou Testament en die Afrikakonsep ubuntu. Hierdie dialoog word duidelik wanneer 'n mens Spreuke 1 - 9 noukeurig lees en wanneer jy die ooreenkomste bestudeer tussen die verskillende wereldbeelde wat in antieke Israel en Afrika aangetrefword. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu is 'n Zoeloegesegde waarvoor gelyksoortige begrippe in feitlik elke Afrikakultuur suid van die Sahara bestaan. Dit kan vertaal word as: "'n Mens is 'n mens as gevolg van (ander) mense." Dit dui op 'n unieke Afrika-wereldbeeld. Hierdie klem op die lewe in gemeenskap vind ons ook in die wysheidsliteratuur van die Ou Testament. Die Ou-Testamentiese wysheidsleraars heg groot waarde aan harmonie binne die gemeenskap en rig 'n sterk appel tot gehoorsaamheid aan die wysheid om harmonie te bewerkstellig. Die dialoog tussen wysheid en ubuntu bied 'n groot uitdaging veral vanuit 'n akademiese perspektief. Aan die een kant beklemtoon wysheid talle waardevolle aspekte van die Afrikaleefwyse, -beginsels en -idees wat dikwels misgekyk word. Aan die ander kant kry die konsep ubuntu sy regmatige plek binne die verstaan van 'n niewesterse tradisie wat dikwels in die verlede gemarginaliseer is. 'n Noukeurige lees van die teks van Spreuke 1 - 9 word gebruik om sekere begrippe en parafrases beter te verstaan. Die interaksie tussen die wereldbeelde van antieke Israel en Afrika lei daartoe dat nuwe denkrigtings in die hermeneutiek, wat tot op hede nog nie ontgin is nie, geidentifiseer word. Die dialoog tussen wysheid en ubuntu bied dus aan navorsers 'n instrument om Spreuke 1 - 9 vanuit 'n nuwe hermeneutiese perspektief te lees. Die interaksie tussen die verskillende wereldbeelde van antieke Israel en Afrika lei tot verdere konklusies; leemtes in ons verstaan en vertolking word byvoorbeeld uitgewys. Verder bied dit nuwe perspektiewe op die veld van die interpretasie van wysheid. Die dialoog tussen wysheid en ubuntu lei tot nuwe, opwindende insig en 'n beter verstaan van kwessies wat binne die navorsing oor wysheidsteologie van belang is. Die wysheidsteologie in Spreuke I - 9 word geherdefinieer vanuit 'n ubuntu-perspektief. Die dialoog tussen wysheid en ubuntu lei dus tot 'n nuwe ontwikkeling binne die wysheidsteologie. Dit stel ons in staat om die k1em op gemeenskaplikheid beter te verstaan. Hierdie nuwe verstaan vind egter nie in isolasie plaas nie. i1VPn~rl' is steeds die vertrekpunt vir die verstaan van wysheid. Die bogenoemde dialoog kan beter verstaan word deur die klem wat gele word op die lewe in gemeenskap met andere. Die kern van hierdie nuwe verstaan - 'n eksistensiele verstaan van wysheid - bring in ons 'n groter bewuswording van die onderlinge verbondenheid tussen mense. Skeppingsteologie kan verstaan word as oorsaak/gevolg-teologie, waar die noue verhouding tussen ontsag vir God en lewe in verbondenheid met andere duidelik word. Die dialoog tussen wysheid en ubuntu herdefinieer die oorsaaklgevolg- of kousaliteitsaspek van wysheidsteologie as die "doel" van die wysheidsleraar. Die doel van hierdie proefskrif is nie om 'n teologiese benadering vanuit een konteks op 'n ander een van toepassing te maak nie, maar eerder om kreatiewe hermeneutiese denke te stimuleer aangaande Afrikaperspektiewe op Ou-Testamentiese wysheidsliteratuur. Deur hierdie studie kom ons tot die gevolgtrekking dat Afrosentriese hermeneutiek die potensiaal het om 'n beter verstaan tot die konteks van Ou- Testamentiese wysheidsliteratuur te bied as wat Westerse teologiese eksegese kon.

<p>This study deals with theories of community, justice, and freedom within liberalism, communitarianism, African philosophy and theology. The study maintains that there are different latitudes on how to formulate and articulate theories of community, justice and freedom informed by particualr moral experiences with bearing on different views of human. People differ and their claims on moral matters are influenced by contexts in which they find themselves, which means that cultural diversity has bearing on different interpretations of what it means to be a human being. Given the importance of this diversity, of particular significance in this study is the relationship between various theories of justice and freedom and different understandings of the relationship between the individual and the community. The study endorses that any contemporary discourse on community, justice, and freedom to be adequate should take notice on the political, economic, and cultural aspirations of the people it seeks to address itself. It argues that there might be alternative theories of community, justice, and freedom which may give a fuller appreciation to the fact that there are different understandings of what community implies as well as what justice and freedom means. One such alternative is the African view of human, that of "ubuntu", which maintains that "to be" is "to belong". In this view a person is because of others, and by inference one's humanity, including one's sense of personhood, is affirmed by affirming the humanity and personhood of others. The first aim of the study is to examine how we should understand different theories of justice and freedom within Western political philosophy, and African political theory and theology. The second aim is to analyse how different theories of justice and freedom are related to different conceptions of the relationship between the individual and the community. The third and final aim is to propose an adequate theory of community, justice, and freedom from an African perspective.</p>