African-Centered Research Methodologies : From Ancient Times to the Present

After almost three centuries of employing Western research methodologies, many African communities, both on the continent and throughout the world, remain marginalized in contemporary discourse. It is obvious that these Western methodologies have done relatively little good for Africans. To rectify this oversight and bring these African communities to the fore, a shift in perspective is needed, and this book posits the adoption of alternative, African-centered research methodologies as a solution. Employing such methodologies would enable African communities to define their unique identities from their unique perspectives and would help offer a long-overdue challenge to entrenched European paradigms of Africans as the “other.” To enable readers to apply a methodology systematically in investigating a phenomenon of interest to him/her, chapters in African-Centered Research Methodologies include: An introduction to the method discussed A definition of the method The sub-areas of the method A brief history and brief backgrounds of the pioneers of the method Major research questions investigated by the method Major concepts and/or theories of the method Major research topics covered by the method Types of methodological approaches employed Major academic journals and publications that publish works utilizing the method A sample of outstanding scholarly works that have employed the method A conclusion