INNOVATION AND CHANGING SOCIETY IN THE OLDEST CONTINENT OF AFRICA: SOCIOLOGY OF AFRICAN PEOPLE

Year 2024, Volume: 20 Issue: 1, 32 - 68, 02.08.2024

Arif Akbaş

Abstract

Africa has been a major colonial geography for centuries, being the second largest and most populous continent in the world. This article will discuss the innovation and changing social structure of Africa, the oldest continent, and the sociology of the peoples living here within the framework of an interpretive approach. In “The Damned of the Earth,” Frantz Fanon mentions that “countries on the path to decolonization are crippled by the future of African countries, the call to create, create new people.” Furthermore, according to the author's definition, an African, an ancient colonial, a Third World person, ‘Europe’, he adds, has gained such a crazy and reckless momentum that it is heading towards the abyss; we would do well to stay away from it. Additionally, as a sociological determination, Fanon states, “In the current conditions of Africa and the world, these independent and poor peoples are reaching social consciousness by taking steps that are rapidly gaining momentum.” In these new conditions, Americans are taking their role as the boss of international capitalism very seriously. They advise European countries to make colonial countries independent in a friendly manner at first. At the second stage, they do not hesitate to show their respect and then their support for the principle of “Africa Belongs to Africans” first. However, even if these definitions seem liberating, colonization policies are still continuing from the bottom up in Africa. Africa is divided into regions belonging to political definitions such as North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, and South Africa, comprising a total of 54 countries. The geography and sociology of each of these countries are different. African sociology can also be studied in terms of east-west comparisons. This article examines the basic elements that make up the social fabric of Africa and traces the social changes from the past to the present. The methodology of historical sociology is based on sociological data to understand the origins of social structures on the continent. In this context, the findings contained in the article cover in detail the changes of tribal communities in various parts of Africa, their transition to sedentary lifestyles, and the social transformations that occur with the development of agriculture. Additionally, the perspective offered by the method of historical sociology also reveals the effects of important historical events such as the slave trade, colonialism, and independence struggles of Africa on the social structure. In this way, the article provides a broad perspective based on the deep knowledge from the past to understand the sociological evolution of Africa.

Keywords

African sociology, African history, Colonization policies, Africa's changing social structure, Colonialism and independence struggles, Post-colonial Africa

Project Number

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EN ESKİ KITA AFRİKA’DA YENİLİK VE DEĞİŞEN TOPLUM: AFRİKA HALKLARININ SOSYOLOJİSİ

Abstract

Afrika, yüzyıllarca büyük bir sömürge coğrafyası olmuştur. Dünyanın ikinci en büyük ve kalabalık kıtasıdır. Bu makalede en eski kıta olan Afrika’nın yenilik ve değişen toplum yapısı ile burada yaşayan halkların sosyolojisi yorumlayıcı bir yaklaşım çerçevesinde ele alınacaktır. Frantz Fanon, “Yeryüzünün Lanetlileri”nde “sömürgesizleştirme yolundaki ülkelere, yeni insan yaratma, oluşturma çağrısı Afrika ülkelerinin geleceği tarafından sakatlandığı” konusundan bahsetmektedir. Yine yazarın tespitince; “bir Afrikalı, eskinin sömürgesi bir Üçüncü Dünya insanı ‘Avrupa’ diye ekliyor, öyle delice ve pervasız bir ivme kazandı ki uçuruma doğru gidiyor, ondan uzak durmakla iyi yapmış oluruz.” Yine sosyolojik bir tesbit olarak Fanon; “Afrika’nın ve dünyanın bugünkü koşullarında, bağımsız ve yoksul olan bu halkları hızla ivme kazanan adımlar atarak toplumsal bilince erişmektedir,” diye belirtmektedir. Bu yeni koşullarda Amerikalılar uluslararası kapitalizmin patronu olma rolünü çok ciddiye alıyorlar. Avrupa ülkelerine sömürge ülkeleri bağımsızlaştırmalarının başta dostça bir tavırla öğütlüyorlar. İkinci aşamada “Afrika Afrikalılarındır” ilkesine önce saygılarını, sonra desteklerini göstermekte tereddüt etmezler. Ancak bu özgürleştirici gibi gözüken tanımlamalar olsa bile Afrika’da yine sömürgeleştirme politikaları alttan alta devam etmektedir. Afrika: Kuzey Afrika, Batı Afrika, Orta Afrika, Doğu Afrika ve Güney Afrika gibi siyasi tanımlamalara ait bölgelere ayrılmıştır. Afrika’da toplam 54 ülke bulunmaktadır. Bu ülkelerin her birinin coğrafyası ve sosyolojisi farklıdır. Afrika sosyolojisi doğu-batı karşılaştırmaları açısından da incelenebilir. Bu makale, Afrika’nın sosyal dokusunu oluşturan temel unsurları incelemekte ve geçmişten günümüze sosyal değişimlerin izini sürmektedir. Tarihsel sosyoloji metodolojisi, kıtadaki toplumsal yapıların kökenlerini anlamak için sosyolojik verilere dayanmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, makalede yer alan bulgular, Afrika’nın çeşitli bölgelerindeki kabile topluluklarının değişimini, yerleşik yaşam biçimlerine geçişlerini ve tarımın gelişimiyle birlikte ortaya çıkan toplumsal dönüşümleri detaylı bir şekilde ele almaktadır. Ayrıca, tarihsel sosyoloji metodunun sunduğu perspektif, Afrika’nın köle ticareti, sömürgecilik ve bağımsızlık mücadeleleri gibi önemli tarihsel olayların toplumsal yapı üzerindeki etkilerini de gözler önüne sermektedir. Bu şekilde, makale, Afrika’nın sosyolojik değişimini anlamak için geçmişten gelen derin bilgi birikimine dayanarak geniş bir bakış açısı sunmaktadır.

Keywords

Afrika sosyolojisi, Afrika tarihi, Sömürgeleştirme politikaları, Afrika'nın değişen toplum yapısı, Sömürgecilik ve Bağımsızlık mücadeleleri, Sömürge sonrası Afrika

Ethical Statement

Araştırma makalesi olduğu için etik beyan gerekmemektedir.

Supporting Institution

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Project Number

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Thanks

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