Abstract
This paper investigates the fundamental function of community in African political theory, questioning oversimplified communitarian interpretations as well as Western individualistic models. This work interrogates how conceptions of community influence governance systems, democratic practices, and social justice in contemporary African settings. The study demonstrates that African political philosophy offers a dynamic interaction between personal autonomy and social responsibility, thereby transcending the individual-collective binary and providing a sophisticated view of community. By examining historical traditions of consensus-building in various African societies and their contemporary adaptations, we show how communal values continue to shape political institutions and decision-making procedures. This paper uses philosophical analysis to explore these issues, suggesting that revisiting African communal political theory provides insightful frameworks for addressing current governance challenges and redefining democratic processes beyond Western paradigms. The research further engages with emerging scholarship on digital communitarianism, feminist interpretations of Ubuntu, and environmental ethics in African political thought to demonstrate the evolving nature of communitarian thinking in response to contemporary challenges.