Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance

Nyuykongi John Paul

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13

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Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance

Nyuykongi John Paul^*

Published in International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 13, Issue 2)

Received: 7 April 2025 Accepted: 17 April 2025 Published: 9 May 2025

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Abstract

Globalization which seems to be the imposition of western cultural ideologies on the rest of the world, often generates cultural mutations which militate against the latter’s educational and socio-political philosophies. Liberalism and capitalism, carry in themselves built-in systems of thought that are, for instance, destructive to the very essence of African cultural life. Educational and governance principles which determine the global space drum the merits of euro-centric values, while provincializing the rest, Africa inclusive. This paper is a call for collective responsibility towards the epistemic decolonization of educational and governance philosophies in Africa. It focuses on two axes: Firstly, on globalization and its hidden agendas. Here, I argue that the philosophy which engenders the ideology of globalization, especially the goal on Education trivializes non-western approaches to knowledge construction, and at the same time undermining the essence of indigenous languages of instructions. Secondly, I argue that the identity crisis suffered by the subset; African knowledge systems, within the whole; Western politics of millennium development goals need redress. This is because by its very nature, globalizing western approaches to knowledge and education endangers indigenous knowledge systems with all its virtues. Redressing begins with delinking and relinking of knowledge and proceeds to the restoration of Afro-centric approaches to education and governance founded on African indigenous traditional values such as Ubuntu and Ujama’a. African socio-political philosophy will gain its proper place in the global space when the socio-political actors build their ideologies and political philosophies on knowledge of indigenous cultural constructs of governance which have animated the African space and gained reputation over the ages.

Published in	International Journal of Philosophy (Volume 13, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13
Page(s)	65-74
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Globalization, Education, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Governance

References

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[7]	Rawls John, A Theory of Justice, Harvard University Press, Massachusetts, 1971.
[8]	Milai Mihaela, “Epistemic Marginalization and the Seductive Power of Art,” mihaela.milai.ed.ca.uk, Adademia.edu May 2023.
[9]	Fricker Miranda, Epistemic Injustice, Power and the Ethics of Knowing, Oxford University Press, New York, 2007.
[10]	Anderson Luvell, “Epistemic Injustice and the Philosophy of Race,” (Forthcoming) in The Routledge Handbook to Epistemic Injustice, academia.edu May 2023.
[11]	Posholi Lerato, “Epistemic Decolonization as Overcoming the Hermeneutical Injustice of Eurocentrism,” Philosophical Papers, DOI, Published Online, 01 Sep 2020.
[12]	Paulin Hountondji, in Walter D. Mignolo, The Darker Side of Western Modernity, Global Futures Decolonial Options, 2009.
[13]	Bernard N. Fonlon, Genuine Intellectuals, Langaa Research and Publishing, Bamenda, 2009.
[14]	Njoh-Mouelle Ébénézer, De la médiocrité à l’excellence, Éditions CLÉ, Yaoundé, 2013.
[15]	Mignolo Walter D., The Darker Side of Western Modernity, Global Futures, Decolonial Options, Duke University Press, London, 2011.
[16]	Higgs Philip, “African philosophy and the transformation of educational discourse in South Africa,” in Journal of Education, Academia.edu May 2023, No. 30, 2003.
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[21]	Kwadwo A. Okrah, Nyansapo The Wisdom Knot, Routledge, New York, 2003.
[22]	Freire Paulo, Pedagody of the Oppressed, Continuum, London, 1993.
[23]	Waghid Yusef, “African Philosophy of Education Reconsidered: Implications for Pedagogical Encounters,” in International Handbook of Philosophy of Education, Paul Smeyers (ed.), Springer, Ghent, 2018.

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Paul, N. J. (2025). Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance. International Journal of Philosophy, 13(2), 65-74. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13

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Paul, N. J. Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance. Int. J. Philos. 2025, 13(2), 65-74. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13

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AMA Style

Paul NJ. Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance. Int J Philos. 2025;13(2):65-74. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13,
  author = {Nyuykongi John Paul},
  title = {Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance
},
  journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
  volume = {13},
  number = {2},
  pages = {65-74},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20251302.13},
  abstract = {Globalization which seems to be the imposition of western cultural ideologies on the rest of the world, often generates cultural mutations which militate against the latter’s educational and socio-political philosophies. Liberalism and capitalism, carry in themselves built-in systems of thought that are, for instance, destructive to the very essence of African cultural life. Educational and governance principles which determine the global space drum the merits of euro-centric values, while provincializing the rest, Africa inclusive. This paper is a call for collective responsibility towards the epistemic decolonization of educational and governance philosophies in Africa. It focuses on two axes: Firstly, on globalization and its hidden agendas. Here, I argue that the philosophy which engenders the ideology of globalization, especially the goal on Education trivializes non-western approaches to knowledge construction, and at the same time undermining the essence of indigenous languages of instructions. Secondly, I argue that the identity crisis suffered by the subset; African knowledge systems, within the whole; Western politics of millennium development goals need redress. This is because by its very nature, globalizing western approaches to knowledge and education endangers indigenous knowledge systems with all its virtues. Redressing begins with delinking and relinking of knowledge and proceeds to the restoration of Afro-centric approaches to education and governance founded on African indigenous traditional values such as Ubuntu and Ujama’a. African socio-political philosophy will gain its proper place in the global space when the socio-political actors build their ideologies and political philosophies on knowledge of indigenous cultural constructs of governance which have animated the African space and gained reputation over the ages.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance

AU  - Nyuykongi John Paul
Y1  - 2025/05/09
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13
T2  - International Journal of Philosophy
JF  - International Journal of Philosophy
JO  - International Journal of Philosophy
SP  - 65
EP  - 74
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7455
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13
AB  - Globalization which seems to be the imposition of western cultural ideologies on the rest of the world, often generates cultural mutations which militate against the latter’s educational and socio-political philosophies. Liberalism and capitalism, carry in themselves built-in systems of thought that are, for instance, destructive to the very essence of African cultural life. Educational and governance principles which determine the global space drum the merits of euro-centric values, while provincializing the rest, Africa inclusive. This paper is a call for collective responsibility towards the epistemic decolonization of educational and governance philosophies in Africa. It focuses on two axes: Firstly, on globalization and its hidden agendas. Here, I argue that the philosophy which engenders the ideology of globalization, especially the goal on Education trivializes non-western approaches to knowledge construction, and at the same time undermining the essence of indigenous languages of instructions. Secondly, I argue that the identity crisis suffered by the subset; African knowledge systems, within the whole; Western politics of millennium development goals need redress. This is because by its very nature, globalizing western approaches to knowledge and education endangers indigenous knowledge systems with all its virtues. Redressing begins with delinking and relinking of knowledge and proceeds to the restoration of Afro-centric approaches to education and governance founded on African indigenous traditional values such as Ubuntu and Ujama’a. African socio-political philosophy will gain its proper place in the global space when the socio-political actors build their ideologies and political philosophies on knowledge of indigenous cultural constructs of governance which have animated the African space and gained reputation over the ages.

VL  - 13
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Nyuykongi John Paul

Department of Philosophy, The University of Bamenda, Bamenda, Cameroon

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6896-4680

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APA Style

Paul, N. J. (2025). Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance. International Journal of Philosophy, 13(2), 65-74. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Paul, N. J. Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance. Int. J. Philos. 2025, 13(2), 65-74. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13

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AMA Style

Paul NJ. Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance. Int J Philos. 2025;13(2):65-74. doi: 10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13,
  author = {Nyuykongi John Paul},
  title = {Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance
},
  journal = {International Journal of Philosophy},
  volume = {13},
  number = {2},
  pages = {65-74},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijp.20251302.13},
  abstract = {Globalization which seems to be the imposition of western cultural ideologies on the rest of the world, often generates cultural mutations which militate against the latter’s educational and socio-political philosophies. Liberalism and capitalism, carry in themselves built-in systems of thought that are, for instance, destructive to the very essence of African cultural life. Educational and governance principles which determine the global space drum the merits of euro-centric values, while provincializing the rest, Africa inclusive. This paper is a call for collective responsibility towards the epistemic decolonization of educational and governance philosophies in Africa. It focuses on two axes: Firstly, on globalization and its hidden agendas. Here, I argue that the philosophy which engenders the ideology of globalization, especially the goal on Education trivializes non-western approaches to knowledge construction, and at the same time undermining the essence of indigenous languages of instructions. Secondly, I argue that the identity crisis suffered by the subset; African knowledge systems, within the whole; Western politics of millennium development goals need redress. This is because by its very nature, globalizing western approaches to knowledge and education endangers indigenous knowledge systems with all its virtues. Redressing begins with delinking and relinking of knowledge and proceeds to the restoration of Afro-centric approaches to education and governance founded on African indigenous traditional values such as Ubuntu and Ujama’a. African socio-political philosophy will gain its proper place in the global space when the socio-political actors build their ideologies and political philosophies on knowledge of indigenous cultural constructs of governance which have animated the African space and gained reputation over the ages.
},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Globalization and the Marginalization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems of Education and Governance

AU  - Nyuykongi John Paul
Y1  - 2025/05/09
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13
T2  - International Journal of Philosophy
JF  - International Journal of Philosophy
JO  - International Journal of Philosophy
SP  - 65
EP  - 74
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7455
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijp.20251302.13
AB  - Globalization which seems to be the imposition of western cultural ideologies on the rest of the world, often generates cultural mutations which militate against the latter’s educational and socio-political philosophies. Liberalism and capitalism, carry in themselves built-in systems of thought that are, for instance, destructive to the very essence of African cultural life. Educational and governance principles which determine the global space drum the merits of euro-centric values, while provincializing the rest, Africa inclusive. This paper is a call for collective responsibility towards the epistemic decolonization of educational and governance philosophies in Africa. It focuses on two axes: Firstly, on globalization and its hidden agendas. Here, I argue that the philosophy which engenders the ideology of globalization, especially the goal on Education trivializes non-western approaches to knowledge construction, and at the same time undermining the essence of indigenous languages of instructions. Secondly, I argue that the identity crisis suffered by the subset; African knowledge systems, within the whole; Western politics of millennium development goals need redress. This is because by its very nature, globalizing western approaches to knowledge and education endangers indigenous knowledge systems with all its virtues. Redressing begins with delinking and relinking of knowledge and proceeds to the restoration of Afro-centric approaches to education and governance founded on African indigenous traditional values such as Ubuntu and Ujama’a. African socio-political philosophy will gain its proper place in the global space when the socio-political actors build their ideologies and political philosophies on knowledge of indigenous cultural constructs of governance which have animated the African space and gained reputation over the ages.

VL  - 13
IS  - 2
ER  -

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