Jacobs Sihela

This conceptual paper addresses the critical issue of anti-Black racism within organizations and aims to spark a discussion on action-oriented Black liberation beyond the workplace. Drawing inspiration from African anticolonial thought, particularly Steve Biko’s Black Consciousness (BC) political framework, we propose a praxis to tackle anti-Black racial violence at societal, organizational, and interpersonal levels in Southern Africa and beyond. Our goal is to invigorate scholarly engagement with Black liberation in Management and Organization Studies (MOS). By leveraging the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM), we seek to encourage decolonization and enrich management knowledge systems by highlighting diverse sources that contribute to organizational knowledge. We (re)imagine political means to confront anti-Black racism and foster Black liberation in (post)colonial workspaces, contributing to the enrichment of MOS, a field that has been relatively apolitical and silent on anti-Black racism and the lived experiences of marginalized Black people. We propose BC-inspired political praxis that includes initiatives at the societal (macro), organizational (meso), and interpersonal/personal (micro) levels, involving employees as insider activists and Black scholar-activists, Black community social activists, and allies as outsider activists working collaboratively to confront anti-Black racism and decolonize organizations and society. We conclude by calling for more theorizing on Black liberation in MOS to develop strategies to resist and dismantle anti-Black racism within academia, organizations and society.

This chapter adopts a decolonial perspective to explore African perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the context of African societies. With a specific focus on African historical and political experiences, cultural values, and indigenous knowledge systems, the chapter imagines possibilities for decolonizing DEI theories and practice. The chapter provides an example of how the Mbongi concept, rooted in the Bantu-Kongo culture, could offer insights into decolonizing DEI initiatives that challenge Western-centric paradigms and foster genuine and context-relevant transformative change. The chapter contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of African perspectives on DEI, by drawing on African approaches to DEI - encompassing a unique blend of collective responsibility, community engagement, and recognition of diverse identities. In order to support decolonial DEI activities in (post)colonial contexts, policymakers, organizations and practitioners can benefit greatly from the ideas provided in this chapter.