Philosophical Perspectives on Everyday Life – African and European Views

Frankfurt was buzzing from September 27th to 29th as the ANSA Conference 2024 brought together thinkers, scholars, and friends for three unforgettable days of dialogue on how African and European philosophies shape everyday life. With the thematic focus on lived experience and practical wisdom, the keynotes set the tone: Dr. Abosede Ipadeola invited us to rethink what it means to be human through African existential perspectives, while Prof. Dr. José P. Castiano and Queeneth N. Mkabela-Castiano grounded us in Ubuntu and ancestry as living philosophies guiding education, politics, and economics. The participants’ contributions enriched the exchange in unique ways: Osée N´tcha explored Mudimbe’s intercultural reflections, revealing how African and European thought remain entwined; Dr. Christopher Boafo led an engaging workshop on the benefits and challenges of Africanness in German academia; Eduardo F. Buanaissa questioned the possibilities of communicative rationality between the Global South and North, urging us to confront colonial legacies; and Innocent Muhwezi offered a comparative analysis of Ubuntu and Existentialism, showing how communal and individual philosophies can complement one another in shaping everyday life. Together, these exchanges created a vibrant atmosphere of curiosity, critical reflection, and intercultural learning—true to the conference’s aim of fostering tolerance, understanding, and a global philosophical perspective.