Besides regularly contributing to philosophical and cultural publications, he coedits, with Gates, Transition, a journal "which looks at the world from within the African diaspora." This summer, he completed a manuscript of a book of proverbs from Asanti, the kingdom in which he grew up. And he is currently editing The Oxford Book of African Literature.
In what he calls "a big project which will probably take a decade," Appiah plans to "think through the way in which idealization works in structuring other kinds of theory." He's also preparing several essays on contemporary Afrocentrists.
In the meantime, he devours mystery novels.
"I do so much reading that's serious and meant to produce 'readings,' that I read these for entertainment," he says. Last year he tried his own hand at the genre, publishing Avenging Angel, a tale of murder set at Cambridge University.
He says he has a few more mysteries in his head, and that in his next he wants to explore "people with titles who have no money," aristocrats who inhabit run-down, once-glamorous mansions. "I happen to know, for boring reasons, people who live in places like that. I think that sort of shabby gentility is interesting."
More immediately, Appiah will be handling much of the restructuring of the Afro-American Studies Department. Next year, he will teach Afro-Am 10, a new course which will introduce the major works and issues of the field. In addition, the department will offer two smaller required courses, 11 and 12, with annually changing topics.
"You can theoretically do 10, 11 and 12 in one year," he says. "We wanted a system that was more flexible."
Appiah says the new courses, which will replace the sophomore and junior tutorials, are an attempt to accommodate concentrators who decided to enter the department late. The increasing numbers in the recently rejuvenated department seem to confirm his vision of Afro-American studies as a subject which appeals across disciplinary and cultural lines.
"I believe it's very important for us to contribute to the general education of the college," he says. "Americans ought to know about African-American studies."