About the Journal
Sober Search is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to advancing philosophical discourse, with a strong emphasis on African perspectives in global philosophical debates. Published by the Department of Philosophy at the University of Abuja, it provides a platform for scholars to engage in diverse and innovative philosophical inquiries. While open to contributions from all areas of philosophy, the journal prioritises original and critical engagements that foreground African intellectual traditions within the broader philosophical landscape.
The journal’s mission is to revitalise philosophical scholarship by bridging theoretical exploration with practical application. Acknowledging the historical neglect of philosophy’s role in addressing real-world challenges—especially within the Nigerian and African humanities—Sober Search highlights the discipline’s relevance to interdisciplinary research and societal transformation. By publishing high-quality, original contributions, it seeks to elevate African philosophical thought within global academic conversations.
Sober Search publishes articles that:
- Contribute to philosophical knowledge while addressing contemporary academic and societal concerns.
- Balance theoretical depth with practical applicability.
- Engage with rigorous philosophical methodologies and traditions.
Committed to the highest academic standards, the journal requires clarity, coherence, and strict adherence to scholarly conventions. It invites scholars, researchers, and philosophers to contribute to an ongoing dialogue that shapes the evolution of philosophy in Africa and beyond.
Current Issue
The inaugural issue of Sober Search: A Journal of Philosophy foregrounds a rich tapestry of philosophical discourses that reflect both the depth and breadth of African intellectual traditions and their dialogue with global concerns. The selected articles span metaphysics, ethics, epistemology, philosophy of technology, political thought, and environmental consciousness—each marked by a shared commitment to critical inquiry and emancipatory thought. From a scientifically revitalised defence of Cartesian dualism to African critiques of algorithmic ethics, and from indigenous environmental rituals to the ethical reconsideration of religious pluralism, this issue converges around the theme of reclaiming philosophical agency in the face of historical silencing, colonial erasures, and epistemic marginalisation.
By juxtaposing African philosophical resources such as Ubuntu, Negritude, and communitarian ethics with pressing contemporary issues like AI ethics, environmental degradation, religious coexistence, and postcolonial identity, Sober Search Volume 1 positions itself as a vital platform for dialogue that is both rooted and transcendent. The articles challenge dominant paradigms not merely by critiquing them but by offering constructive, ethically robust alternatives grounded in lived African realities and universal human concerns. This maiden edition is not only a testimony to the resilience and relevance of African philosophical reasoning but also a call to reimagine philosophy as a tool for solidarity, justice, and transformative engagement in a pluralistic world.
Articles
Sober Search: A Journal of Philosophy https://doi.org/10.70118/SSJP0000
© 2025. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International)