By Michael Akagbor (University of Ghana)
On Thursday, the 25th of July 2024, Professor Michael Okyerefo, a founding and steering committee member of the ACUSAfrica network, delivered his Inaugural Lecture as Professor of Sociology at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana. Prof. Okyerefo’s Inaugural Lecture, “The Autobiographical Self as an Object for Sociological Enquiry,” was a significant and thought-provoking exploration of his life and thought to delve into how the individual ([auto]biography) contributes to building social structure (society), while, at the same time, society exerts a profound influence on shaping the individual.
Drawing on the fundamental foundations of sociology, agency, and structure, Prof. Okyerefo uses the autobiographical self as a tool to depict their constant interaction, thereby offering a fresh perspective on the age-old question of individual agency in the face of social forces and structures. His lecture examined the dynamic interaction between (auto)biographical experiences and the social world, drawing on his personal teaching and research experiences in diverse societies and cultures.
Prof. Okyerefo argued that sociology must arouse individuals' curiosity to understand themselves in relation to their society and to help them develop an appreciation for the symbiotic interaction between human agency and social structures in an ongoing dynamic that can be observed and explained within historical and contemporary events. When social actors engage in social actions through their agency, their actions shape their societies, which in turn impact their biographies. Organized individual actions can, therefore, become collective actions in mounting social pressure for change in any society.
Dwelling on an African emancipatory imagination and his work with ACUSAfrica, Prof. Okyerefo believes that knowledge is not the preserve of any society, culture, or race and cannot be bounded by any specific methodology or theoretical process. Responding to the African identity crisis, Prof. Okyerefo challenged the dominant rationality of world history, beginning with European history, and decried the misrepresentation in crediting the West with everything good that happens in the world. He stated that “knowledge knows no boundaries, hence the need for dismantling the cultural, political, and social barriers that are firmly in place to guarantee a Western monopoly over knowledge systems.”
Prof. Okyerefo emphasized the importance of promoting a value of respect for all persons and different groups of people, acknowledging that they are shaped by their (auto)biographies and the structures of their societies. (Auto)biographies, he stressed, are shaped by social structures, but the latter are not captive of the former since social structures are both constraining and liberating.
The well-attended Inaugural Lecture saw representations of dignitaries and personalities from all over Ghana's socio-political, academic, and religious circles, as well as from international academic institutions. The Vice-Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University, Professor Sibongile Muthwa, was in attendance with her six-member strong team from Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. Professor André Keet, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and Transformation at Mandela University, and Dr Jenny du Preez, both of the ACUSAfrica Network, were part of the delegation.
You can view the brochure for the event here:
For more on Prof Okyerefo's work, see his exhibition of scholarly work here:
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