'This book is an attempt to make sense of black life and black history from a continental perspective' – Achille Mbembe on Critique of Black Reason

Renown philosopher, political theorist and intellectual, Achille Mbembe, recently launched his latest book, Critique of Black Reason, at the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research (WiSER).

Moderated by Sarah Nuttall, associate professor of literary and cultural studies at WiSER, Mbembe was in conversation with Bongani Madondo, Candice Jansen, Victoria Collis-Buthelezi, Claudia Gastrow, and Rogers Orock.

Nuttall expressly stated that each panelist had 10 minutes to deliver his or her comments on Critique of Black Reason which most of them managed to do.

Mbembe opened the discussion by giving a brief overview of his book and how moving to American made him realise that he had never confronted slavery; this motivated him to write Critique of Black Reason.

The panelists shared their opinions of the book's content, varying from commenting on black student activists, questioning the absence of black women in the book, and the book's relevance in relation to the history of slavery and colonialism.

Nuttall's strict adherence to time-keeping meant that Mbembe was unable to respond to the questions and comments raised by the panel, to which he laughingly replied "Thank you for saving me from flagellation!"

He thanked the panelists for their "subtle, powerful criticism", after which he elaborated on the translation of the original French title, Critique de la raison nègre.

"'Nègre'," Mbembe related to the audience, translates to "an object which is bought or sold, or a currency through which the exchange is made."

After this powerful statement, Nuttall mentioned that WiSER has created a reading group, open to the public, in which books such as Critique of Black Reason will be discussed.

A recording of the discussion will be available soon.

Critique of Black Reason is published by Wits University Press.