The way technology shapes power, and how power defines technology, is the focus of a new study led by Amantle Mothelesi, a lecturer at North-West University’s (NWU) School of Philosophy, which argues that Africa needs a locally grounded philosophy of technology, shaped by post-colonial realities.
“Colonial power structures continue to shape the continent’s technological landscape,” says Amantle. “Foucault’s framework helps to unpack these embedded dynamics.” This is a reference to the work of French historian Michel Foucault and his theory on the relationship between knowledge and power.
The NWU study explores how Africa’s experience of colonisation continues to influence present-day technological policies and strategies. With digital technologies transforming governance, communication and knowledge systems, the political dimension of technology has become central.
“In the African context, technology is often linked to development, but development itself is shaped by specific power relations,” Amantle says.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), established to promote regional integration, is cited as an example. Its policies position technology as a driver of development, but the underlying assumptions about progress and growth reflect a particular history.
“To understand these assumptions, we must engage with the philosophical underpinnings of development discourse,” she says.
Drawing on Foucault’s work on knowledge and social control, the study examines how power circulates through technological systems. It also highlights the importance of context, whether social, cultural or historical, in shaping how power is experienced and exercised.
By integrating Foucauldian methods into African philosophy, the study aims to open up new ways of thinking about metaphysics, ethics and epistemology, anchored in Africa’s own conditions.
“This is not only an academic project,” Amantle concludes. “It is a call to influence how policy is made and how African governments pursue the ‘Africa we want’.”
Amantle Mothelesi examines Africa’s technological transformation through the lens of Foucauldian power analysis.
