Politics of Knowledge Production in Africa: A Critical Reflection on the Idea of an African University in Sustainable Development

Abstract

Politics of knowledge production is an attempt to explain the centrality of knowledge in sustainability of human society through time. The article examines how knowledge was produced from the pre colonial, colonial and post colonial Africa and its implications in development. The role of university as the centre piece of knowledge production is interrogated to the extent to which the institution may engineer innovative ideas to catalyse development. The role of politics is also crucial because knowledge production and dissemination operates within specific political trajectories that may constrain or promote it. It is the thesis of the article that Africa’s stunted development agenda is largely due to the trajectories of knowledge production and politics associated with it.

Keywords: key words, Politics, knowledge production, idea of African university, sustainable development