Reciprocal Knowledge Transfer

A central feature of colonialism is that it is reflected in our language. This is especially true for terms referring to Africa. Many of these terms are problematic because they perpetuate discourses that are discriminatory or shaped by structural racism. The aim of ACT´s Reciprocal Knowledge Transfer Project is to discuss and overcome linguistic colonial continuities. Therefore, students identify terms and expressions they encounter in their studies that they suspect are racist. In the next step, African* experts were asked to give their expertise and explain if, why or in what respect they would consider the term in fact racist or not.

"African History Expert"

Randy Mwatondange addressing question to Julia Tischler

Julia Tischler is Professor of African History at the University of Basel. She is also chair of the advisory board of ACT and member of the Steering Committee and Directorate of the Centre for African Studies Basel (CASB).

"Black & White"

Dominic Amoah addressing question to Tebuho Winnie Kanyimba

Tebuho Winnie Kanyimba is a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Basel.

"Colourblindness"

Theresa Marx addressing question to Fafali Roy Ziga-Abortta

Fafali Roy Ziga-Abortta is a Research Associate at the chair of Environment and Forest Policy at the Albert Ludwig University Freiburg.

"Entwicklungshilfe"

Ayla Noelani Tiefenbach addressing question to Sindi-Leigh McBride

Sindi-Leigh McBride is a PhD candidate at the Centre for African Studies Basel (CASB).

"Entwicklungsland"

Richard Plankenhorn addressing question to George Mutalemwa

George Mutalemwa is Professor of Sociology and Development Studies at the St. Augustine University of Tanzania.

"Mulato"

Sofia Guimares addressing question to Maria Antonia

Maria Antonia is a Black Rights Activist in São Paulo, Brasil.

"Schwarzafrika"

Lorena Salas Vidal addressing question to Elisa Valentina da Costa Policarpo

Elisa Valentina da Costa Policarpo is a Black Rights Activist and a student at the Centre for African Studies Basel (CASB).

"Stamm"

Sonja Reischle addressing question to Déogratias Maruhukiro

Déogratias Maruhukiro is a Postdoc and Research assistant in the Department of Theology at the Albert Ludwig University Freiburg and a member of ACT.

*African stands here for both: people of African descent and people who grew up on the continent.

We are highly aware that in many ways it is highly problematic to talk of African experts because in the same time - all to often - we are not refering to ‘European’ experts to label experts who are of European descent and fail to provincialize our selves: the project designers as the curators of this project are - in the perspective of a reciprocal logic - all European experts.

That’s why the team of European experts responsible for this project felt from the very first second on obliged to point prominently to the asymmetric power dimension underlying the design, funding and realization of the endavour.