Moralities


Morality is one diverse and challenging area that scholars have been pondering on since the inception of humanity. In fact, morality is as old as humanity. This discipline flourished during the times of the classical Greek era, and debates on moral issues has been sustained to date. The question of what is right and wrong, how one ought to behave and general wellbeing of man falls within the realm of morality. This forms the basis and rationale of the Moi Unniversity-ACC Moralities RS. RS Moralities therefore, comes in handy and provides an opportunity and a forum for scholars in which such moral issues and challenges are addressed variously.

The ACC of Moi University has several Research Sections (RSs). As one of the core Research Sections (RS) in the Reconfiguration of African Studies project, the RS Moralities is providing reflexive insights into the contexts and modes of relations in different spheres of existence in Africa. Through empirically informed theoretical research and pure desk research, the RS moralities reflects, studies and articulates how moral dilemmas arise, the contours and forces shaping the emergence of sometimes conflicting value judgements emerging in such contexts. RS Moralities in Moi-ACC has lived up to this lofty goals of the Moralities section through its research focus and outputs in the form of organizing series of workshops and promoting collaborative engagements amongst members, within and outside of the Moi-ACC, on fundamental moral issues in the dynamic and evolving African lifeworld. Though topical issues including wellbeing, personhood, transformation and other matters of public interests that bother on the multiplicity of the African moral conditions have been thoroughly engaged within the RS Moralities section, more needs to be done in concretizing many of the past and future scholarly engagements in the forms of journal and book publications.

The Moralities Research Section is an interesting intellectual community of diverse individuals that act as a team. The team, from multidisciplinary background, has been able to disseminate knowledge in the workshop space where important critiques have elevated the quality of knowledge production, anchored on African ontological realities, to greater heights. Recently, new members have joined the team, and this is a welcome development; it will put any knowledge disseminated at the chopping board of reflexivity, multiplicity and different analytical angles. In this case, Moralities RS is an eye opener in terms pragmatic applications of traditional African moral values, informed by indigenous African knowledge systems. It bears the potential of infinite possibilities in terms of tackling African moral based challenges. African solutions for African challenges is the way forward.

The Section has so far organized two workshops. The participants in both workshops were from diverse scholarly backgrounds, which offered an interdisciplinary approach that allowed for synergy with other Research Sections. Further, the organization of the workshops was well done, thus encouraging robust, open and participatory engagements. The choice of workshop themes was very relevant to the main concepts and themes of the “African Multiple” Cluster of Excellence.
It was also noted that the choice of participants and key speakers raised the quality of the workshops proceeding and thus addition to contemporary debates on moralities. This added to the visibility of ACC-MU by the nature of interests generated beyond the university. It is thus the view of members that the ensuing conversations be geared towards the integration of a project/field component to strengthen the research papers to be presented in the workshops. It was also recommended that papers presented in these workshops be published. A publisher has been identified and a special edition will be done for the papers presented.

The Moralities RS is working on proposals for two projects:
1. Witchcraft, Gendered violence and the ethics of Cleansing in selected African communities
2. The Realty of Social Science Research Ethics in Research institutions
There could be more that may be conceived, but for now these are the working topics of the envisaged research projects.
Spokesperson:
Members