Abstract

This chapter introduces this handbook. It begins with an examination of the meaning of African philosophy and analyses some of the key challenges that emerge from the definition of African philosophy as philosophy in an African place. The key challenges examined are the extent to which the “philosophy” in African philosophy can be genuinely said to be African, and the problem of defining which place is exactly represented by “African” in African philosophy without unduly essentializing the discourse and overgeneralizing theory. The chapter then proceeds to examine the importance, rich contents, and limitations of the handbook by highlighting the different parts and chapters. This introductory chapter thus provides an entry point for a robust engagement with the handbook.