African Psychology: The Emergence of a Tradition

This book aims to serve as a foundational text in the emerging field of African psychology, which centers the knowledge and experience of continental African realities and postcolonial concerns in psychology. Drawing from the author’s key essays as a leading thinker in the field, African Psychology: The Emergence of a Tradition describes this discipline’s meaning and scope, as well as its epistemological and theoretical perspectives.

Part I presents the theoretical context for the book, proposing the Madiban tradition as a framework of inclusion for the study of psychology in African universities. Part 2 focuses on the epistemological, methodological, and theoretical perspectives in African psychology. Part 3 of the book introduces the reader to the field of African therapeutics, and Part 4 highlights the healing rituals and practices provided to the traumatised in contemporary Africa. The ultimate objective of the book is to give postcolonial Africans a fresh vision of themselves and their psychology and culture.

Dr. Augustine Nwoye’s work focuses on African Psychology as a postcolonial discipline. Professor Nwoye has held distinguished teaching positions in several universities in Africa, along with visiting fellowships and lectures at many international universities including the Universities of Cambridge,
Toronto, Stockholm, Howard, and the Holy Cross.