This analysis of African identities in view of globalization focuses on the historical roots of globalization, treating the effects of globalization on the African continent as a whole. The article explores how Eurocentric and Afrocentric ideas have influenced the debate about how Africa could be positioned in the face of global challenges. These ideas of cultural or racial “exceptionalism” frequently rely on ahistorical perceptions of “fixed” identities, which fosters a unilinear concept of historical continuity that extends from colonialism to globalization. In the South African context, however, it is difficult to invoke “traditional” sources of power because of the proliferation of identities.
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