Abstract: Afrofuturism 2.0 and Black Studies in the Polycrisis Era

• In Event: Pan-Africanism and Afrofuturism(s)

Abstract

Afrofuturism 2.0 offers a transformative paradigm for understanding Black identity and culture in the current multifaceted crises or polycrisis era. Drawing from the critical perspectives of Asante’s theory of Afrocentricity, which commands renewed emphasis on African agency and epistemology (Asante, 2007), Afrofuturism 2.0 extends this framework by integrating technological, spatial, and existential paradigms (Anderson & Jones, 2016). This evolution aligns with Edgar Morin's theory of polycrisis, emphasizing interconnected global crises across social, economic, and environmental dimensions, requiring multidimensional approaches (Morin, 2007). In this era, Afrofuturism 2.0 challenges the linear interpretation of time and history through speculative narratives and technologies that reimagine futures for African-descended peoples. It enables Black Studies to engage critically with issues of race, identity, and systemic oppression across disciplines, facilitating dialogues on resilience and innovation. As global communities contend with the compounded challenges of climate change, economic disparity, and sociopolitical instability, Afrofuturism 2.0 serves as a vital framework for reassessing and realigning Black cultural narratives and community strategies within Black Studies. This re-contextualization fosters collective global consciousness and cultural synthesis, promoting sustainable and inclusive futures attuned to nuanced historical contexts and non-linear time.

Author

• Reynaldo Anderson, Temple University