川田顺造的非洲史研究评述

Junzo Kawada and His Research on African History

川田顺造基于自己在日本生活的经验以及在法国求学的经历,以多次赴非调研为前提,开创了独树一帜的非洲史研究。在史料上,川田顺造综合利用文字、口述及其他实物史料,对各类史料的作用与局限性都有清醒的认识。他对非洲社会经济史的研究以工具、技术为切入点,认为非洲人发展出的工具适应了历史现实的需要。他对非洲政治发展史的研究则以部落为切入点,认为"部落"和"部落范式"有其历史的合理性意义。殖民以来,非洲面临许多问题和挑战,川田顺造认为这是外来技术、观念、制度与本土文化对立的结果,并引发了结构性的冲突。川田顺造主张历史发展的绝对多元性,对非洲历史与文明情有独钟。尽管这有助于揭示被西方强势话语体系所遮蔽的真实的非洲历史与现实,但却也陷入了历史虚无主义与非洲中心论的窠臼之中。

The study of Junzo Kawada on African history was developed by combining his life experience in Japan,his study experience in France,and his field researches in Africa. In historical materials,Junzo Kawada compared the using of written,dictation and other historical materials. He had a clear understanding on the role of various historical materials and their limitations. His opinion was that despite its backwardness,it had adapted to the needs of Africa’s reality. He argued that 'tribe'and 'tribal paradigm'had historical rationality. Since the colonization,Africa had faced many problems and challenges. Junzo Kawada believed that this is the result of the opposition between foreign technology,ideas,institutions and native culture,and caused structural conflicts. Shunzuo Kawada advocated the absolute pluralism of historical development and had a special love for African history and civilization. Although this helped to reveal the real African history and reality obscured by the powerful western discourse system,it also fell into the rut of historical nihilism and African-centered theory.