Paper short abstract:

This paper seeks to translate the concept of tribe to that of nation to illustrate their cultural similarities. As such, this paper draws from research on intercultural translation, focusing on conceptual rules of language, as well as on political asymmetries between different knowledge systems.

Paper long abstract:

In the 1950s and 60s, European anthropologists carried out research in urban African societies in order to gain insight into their patterns of behaviour as well as their social networks. Based on flawed comparisons to European systems, their categorizations of the varied African societies led them to the conclusion that those societies were ‘tribal’ – a term which undisputedly became associated with primitivity, lack of civilization and anti-Europeanness. From this I draw the conclusion that they engaged in a form of cultural translation without peer consultation with African societies.

Today, African societies are still recognised as tribal societies. References to tribe in Africa are manifold, often referring to economic, social and political failures of the continent, while references to nation in Europe function as epitomies of the political success achieved through economic and democratic superiority.

This paper, therefore, seeks to reverse the gaze through the translation of conceptual meanings of tribe in Africa to conceptual meanings of nation in Europe, by drawing from research on intercultural translation, which demonstrates that direct translation is not always possible. I will focus on identifying conceptual rules of language that produce meanings of concepts. I will also address the political asymmetries produced as a result of unequal power relations between the researchers and the researched. Ultimately, the aim of this paper is to establish equality between African and European systems of knowledge.