An Intercultural and Decolonial Introduction to Philosophy
Was können Sie in diesem Kurs lernen?
Subject Competence
You will:
- gain a foundational overview of philosophy beyond Anglo-European boundaries;
- reflect on philosophical problems of global relevance;
- develop an awareness of epistemic injustices within philosophy and their wider implications;
- become familiar with key philosophical concepts and the challenges they raise in intercultural contexts;
- understand the difficulties involved in writing a philosophical introduction at all;
- learn to identify similarities and differences across philosophical traditions;
- engage with lesser-explored areas within Anglo-European philosophy;
- grasp the (tentative) distinction between intercultural and decolonial philosophy;
- develop sensitivity to the intercultural dimension of philosophy.
Methodological Competence
You will:
- sharpen your critical and analytical thinking;
- cultivate the ability to ask fundamental questions and to reflect on thinking itself;
- acquire methodological tools for formulating and addressing philosophical questions;
- learn to engage with decolonial and intercultural challenges in philosophical inquiry;
- become familiar with philosophical exercises that can be used both in everyday life and in academic contexts.
Gliederung
1.1 Introduction to Chapter 1
1.2 What Is a Decolonial and Intercultural "Introduction" to Philosophy?
1.3 Defining "Intercultural" Philosophy
1.4 Defining "Postcolonial" Philosophy
1.5 What Does "Philosophy” Mean?
1.6 The Art of Argument
1.7 "Western-European Philosophy" Is a Tautology?
1.8 Test Your Knowledge
1.9 Further Material
1.10 Literature
2.1 Introduction to Chapter 2
2.2 Where Should We Begin?
2.3 Why Intercultural Philosophy Matters
2.4 The Language of Philosophy
2.5 Excursus: The Influence of Politics on Philosophy Teaching
2.6 So, What Does "Philosophy" Actually Mean?
2.7 Advantages and Disadvantages of Categories
2.8 Test Your Knowledge
2.9 Further Material
2.10 Literature
3.1 Introduction to Chapter 3
3.2 What Is Epistemology?
3.3 Intercultural Approaches to Skepticism
3.4 Empiricism, Rationalism & Epistemic Relativism in Global Perspective
3.5 Turning Kant
3.6 Sources and Forms of Knowledge in Intercultural Perspective
3.7 Knowledge from Somewhere
3.8 Epistemic Injustice & Violence
3.9 Test Your Knowledge
3.10 Further Material
3.11 Literature
4.1 Introduction to Chapter 4
4.2 What Is Metaphysics?
4.3 Ontology
4.4 Identity & Change
4.5 Time & Space
4.6 Causality, Necessity & Contingency
4.7 The Question of Free Will
4.8 Test Your Knowledge
4.9 Further Material
4.10 Literature
5.1 Introduction to Chapter 5
5.2 A Look at Conventional Histories of Philosophy
5.3 Hegel’s History of Philosophy & Jaspers’ Axial Age
5.4 How to Decolnize the History of Philosophy?
5.5 Women in the History of Philosophy
5.6 Intercultural Maps & Oral Philosophies
5.7 (Dark) Histories of Entanglement
5.8 Test Your Knowledge
5.9 Further Material
5.10 Literature
5.11 Farewell & Conclusion
Course offered by
Prof. Dr. Barbara Schellhammer
Barbara's expertise in intercultural and cultural philosophy is grounded in both theoretical and practical work. She engages extensively with Indigenous traditions, particularly in northern Canada, and her research addresses the phenomenology of the foreign, alterity, the self and identity, and dialogical approaches in intercultural educational contexts. She also works in decolonial philosophy, with a particular focus on epistemic injustice and violence.
As Director of the Institute for Social and Development Studies (Zentrum für Globale Fragen)—the HFPH's Third Mission institute—she has extensive experience communicating philosophical ideas to audiences with little or no prior background in philosophy. She is also well versed in developing and running innovative online teaching formats, both as the HFPH's vhb representative and as Director of the online course Ethics of Intercultural Dialogue.
Prof. Dr. Peter Adamson
Peter complements and expands Barbara's intercultural expertise in particular through his extensive research on ancient and Arabic philosophy. His work is especially concerned with the many histories of entanglement and interconnection between Arabic philosophy and other philosophical traditions. He has received multiple awards for his scholarship.
In addition, he is the initiator of the renowned philosophy podcast History of Philosophy without Any Gaps, which has now reached over 45 million downloads and comprises more than 750 episodes. The podcast not only offers a comprehensive account of so-called "Western" philosophy, but also addresses African, Chinese, Indian, and Islamic philosophical traditions. A particular decolonial focus of his work lies in the rediscovery and increased visibility of women philosophers, who have often been overlooked in the history of philosophy.
Like Barbara, Peter combines rigorous academic engagement with a strong commitment to public outreach, making his work accessible to a broad audience.
Further authors
Dr. Krisha Kops
Krisha is a research associate at the Munich School of Philosophy (HFPH) and an adjunct faculty member of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). His research focuses on decolonial and intercultural philosophy, with a particular emphasis on Indian philosophy. In addition, he works on cultural philosophy as well as critical and transformative phenomenology.
His ability to communicate philosophical topics to a broader audience is informed not only by his work at the Third Mission Institute (ZGF). As a freelance popular philosopher and philosophical practitioner, he has extensive experience making philosophy accessible to people with little or no prior background. He has done so through journalistic writing, philosophy-focused travel programs, and lectures at companies, adult education centers, and other non-academic institutions.
Simon Brandt, MA
Simon is a research assistant at the HFPH's Institute for Social and Development Studies. His work centers on philosophical questions of consciousness and phenomenology, with a particular interest in pathological states of consciousness and their treatment. Drawing on phenomenological thinkers, he explores how subjective experience can be integrated into empirical research and therapeutic practice. He is especially interested in intercultural perspectives that can broaden the psychological horizon beyond a purely Western frame.
Zielgruppe
Intercultural and Decolonial Perspectives
The course's intercultural and decolonial orientation makes it especially relevant for exchange students, migrants, and anyone working in intercultural contexts. Philosophy is explored not only from the Anglo-Eurocentric perspective but also with an open view toward other philosophical traditions—and with colonial entanglements kept firmly in view.
Relevance for Future Students and School Pupils
The course also serves as preparation for choosing a field of study and for engaging with philosophy at university. If you later decide to pursue a degree in philosophy, what you learn here will give you a foundation for approaching conventional academic programmes critically and on your own terms.
Bescheinigung der Teilnahme
For your work on the interactive elements (quizzes, cloze texts, etc.) in the final tests, you will receive an ungraded certificate of participation. You will need to answer at least 75% of the tasks correctly, calculated as a combined result across all chapter tests. Each task can be repeated.