Souleymane Bachir

Souleymane Bachir is a philosopher and teacher Senegalese university, recognized as one of the world's leading references in postcolonial studies. His work covers a wide range of fields, such as the history of logic and mathematics, epistemology, Islamic philosophy, the history of science, and African philosophies and literatures.

He was the first Senegalese admitted to the’Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris and received his doctorate in Philosophy in 1988. He has developed an outstanding academic career as a professor at universities in Dakar, Illinois and New York, where he directs the’Institute of African Studies.

He is the author of numerous reference books, among which Bergson Postcolonial stands out, awarded in 2011 by the’Académie des sciences morales et politiques, the year in which he also received the Édouard Glissant Prize for his entire career. Since 2019 he has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an associate member of the Royal Belgian Academy.

Featured works

Open to Reason: Muslim Philosophers in Conversation with the Western Tradition. Through a rich reading of classical and modern Muslim philosophers, Diagne explains the long history of philosophy in the Islamic world and its relevance to key issues of our time.

The Ink of the Scholars: Reflections on Philosophy in Africa. This book explains the issues that African philosophers debate today, identifying the major themes of philosophical reflection on the continent.

From Language to Language: The Hospitality of Translation. Reflections within the fields of intercultural philosophy, translation studies and postcolonial thought.