Overcoming Ethnic and Tribal Affiliations in African Narratives: A Discourse Analysis of Constructive Alterity

Abstract

This article explores the issue of ethnic and tribal identities in Africa and their contribution to social tensions, political intolerance and violence. Using two African novelists, Eugène Nzamboung and Dominique M'Fouillou, as case studies, it argues that narratives construct identities as constructive "alterity" rather than negative sources of conflict. Through discourse analysis, the article examines the representation of key concepts such as identities, existence, being, becoming, and the representation of historical and social reality. The author concludes that dynamics in interpersonal and community relations can create a fruitful intersectionality of identities that ultimately triumph over contiguous conceptions of social differences. The article also reviews the literature on identity in Africa, exploring the mosaic of identities present in Africa and the factors contributing to identity-based violence. It argues for a reconceptualization and reclamation of African identity, emphasizing the need to transcend divisive ethnic and tribal affiliations in favor of a shared identity to overcome conflicts and promote social cohesion.