Writing Africa into MOS: the dangerous perpetuation of “tribe(s)” and other misrepresentations

We critique the use of “tribe” in management and organization studies (MOS) research, aiming to unsettle its normative acceptance as a way to describe ethnic groups in Africa. We draw from postcolonial theory to illuminate the invention of “tribes” by European colonizers to subjugate and control African people during colonialism. Our analysis reveals the various ways the term “tribe” has been employed in MOS research and the meanings attached to it. We ask why “tribe” appears to be the default characterization of ethnic groups in Africa, given its racist and stereotypical connotations. The genealogy of “tribe” and, primarily, its construction during colonialism, suggests the need for caution in using it as a valid representation of ethnic groups in Africa. We argue that its continued use, along with other misrepresentations of the continent, reproduces racist colonial and neocolonial tropes of the continent. Instead, we urge MOS researchers to use ethnic groups, which have become the default concept for distinguishing groups based on culture, language, and ancestry.