During the Presidential Fellowship, I focused on two research projects. The first is a sequel to my recent book, Deliberative Agency. Beginning with the observation that there are now generations of Africans, and perhaps people in other parts of the world, who have not, and might never experience, what it means to be governed properly, I attempted in Deliberative Agency to explain the meaning of this experience. So, the goal was to offer a conception of contemporary political experience of Africans and black human persons.
The follow up project I worked on during the 2024/2025 academic year considered how people live with the feeling of powerlessness vis a vis political institutions. I attempted to explain how people survive such a condition and demonstrate the significance of everyday experience for political theorizing.
The second project I worked on connects Africana political thought to other traditions of black political thought, especially the ideas that emerged in Europe and the African continent in the 20th Century.
The course I taught
I taught a course titled “African Political Philosophy”. It was a wonderful experience. The students were amazing. One of the things that I really appreciated was coming to class with no clue how the discussion will unfold. I had a lot of fun teaching the course because the students offered creative, sharp, and absolutely brilliant interpretation of the texts we discussed. I recently learned that some of the students formed a reading group to continue the conversation around the issues we discussed in class. It was indeed an honor to have taught such an amazing group of students.
The most rewarding aspects of being part of the Council on African Studies community
At CAS, you immediately get the feeling that Ubuntu is not an abstract ideal. The community is lived. The leadership team working with Prof. Iheka and students made CAS a home. I really enjoyed the lectures and student-led activities. In all, the feeling of being part of a community that was genuinely supportive was very rewarding. I’m sure we will keep the conversations going beyond the time I spent at CAS as a presidential fellow.
My favorite experiences at Yale and/or in New Haven
There are too many, but I would like to highlight two. For New Haven, the East Rock Park, and Peabody Museum. I enjoyed attending many lectures, seminars, and public events. I also had a lot of fun reading and writing in the philosophy department and the impressive library on campus.
By: Uchenna Okeja