Methodologies VI: Methodology Manifesto

Africana studies has the singular history of being a field that is both personal and academic. It is a field where possibility and malleability reign supreme. For students whose vocational education purposely and systematically excluded the histories, literature, and art of Africana peoples, Africana studies could serve as a second education, a (hopefully) diasporic family history.  For students who have grown up in predominantly white spaces, Africana programs have the capacity to serve as a quest for a reimagined and realized black self. The field has transformative power as it is the reflection of self, the world, and it’s future. However it’s this mixture of the personal and academic that has proved to be both the field’s point of success and failure.

Like many of the scholars who pondered the future of Africana studies, I too feel that Africana studies, as I’ve experienced it, has focused excessively on deconstructing white supremacist and hegemonic thought and practice (Rabaka, Africana Critical Theory). For survey courses in the discipline this focus on deconstruction is not only important but also necessary.  However, the study should move past this stasis. As students plunge deeper into the field, the focus should also deepen. I suggest that courses include the radical thought that is explored in black feminism and womanism, modern articles/videos/and or movements (digital or otherwise), or rarely called upon texts that complicate or reformulate daily black life.

Furthermore Africana study both in survey and major courses need to incorporate an international narrative. Here I do not mean a simple additive course of action that tokenizes Afro-Latino, Afro-European, and African thought (Higginbotham, Designing an Inclusive Curriculum). I mean an infusing of various scholars from these regions at the inception of Africana education. Because Africana studies is the intersection of the personal and the political, American institutions often have ignored or bypassed other texts because they see them as irrelevant to their national narrative. We must not only be cognizant of this failing but also realize that our experiences are a part of a larger dialogue. If Africana studies wishes to continue being the transformative field it is, it must implement this change. This would inhibit our theories from being too Americentric and would encourage future endeavors to truly encapsulate the African diaspora. It would also even cover the aforementioned point of finding new/radical thinkers instead of regurgitation of ‘classic texts’.

And we can’t stop there. As Africana is an interdisciplinary field, its reach should even extend to quantitative data. Similar to Psychological Statistics, an Africana Studies and Statistics course would teach not only the formulation of numbers but also the ways in which statistics are manipulated in various studies in relation to Africana peoples. The class would effectively prepare students to use this quantitative practice in future research, and further integrate Africana studies in other quantitatively drive fields.

Ultimately I’m calling for a breath of new life into the field. An understanding of the passage of time and shortcomings that feeds the future of Africana studies. We need to incorporate black women, international radical thought, quantitative study, digital media, sex and sexuality, and the arts as all necessary and integral subjects to this field. I’m calling for the cessation of additive education in favor of whole-hearted inclusion. For we are not where we were when Africana Studies began. We should no longer centralize white theory and black male radicalism in our work. As we are expanding our community our study should too. We must move past deconstruction in order to build lasting education for our youth.

Word count: 589

Works Cited

Higginbotham, Elizabeth. “Designing an Inclusive Curriculum: Bringing All Women Into the Core,” Words of Fire. Print. The New Press: New York, NY. 1995.  480

Rabaka, Reiland. “Africana Critical Theory: Overcoming the Aversion to New Theory and New Praxis in Africana Studies and Critical Social Theory”.

 

Tags: ,

55,267 Responses to “Methodologies VI: Methodology Manifesto”

  1. Evime Bir Arkadaş platformu sayesinde kolaylıkla ev arkadaşı bulabilirsiniz. Kiralık oda ilanları arasından size en uygun olanlarıyla iletişime geçebilirsiniz. Ya da “Odamı Kiralıyorum” veya “Kiralık Oda Arıyorum” ilanı oluşturabilir ve aradığınız ev arkadaşını bulabilirsiniz.

  2. Hard exams, assignments and homework are a now things of the past with Test Bank For Democratic Latin America . Order and download now!

  3. Getting Solution Manual For Economics is easier than ever with our exclusive collection of testbanks and solution manuals online.

  4. like water for chocolate » Blog Archive » Methodologies VI: Methodology Manifesto

  5. lindaparker says:

    The secret for student success lies in the material you use for learning.Try Solution Manual For Linear Algebra For Engineers And Scientists Using Matlab and feel the difference.

  6. 39 years old Video Producer Kristopher from La Prairie, has
    hobbies and interests for example model railways,
    and scrabble. that covered going to Tyre.
    click me here바카라
    yang

  7. Dolly Saxena the Best and Genuine Model in Delhi. My all photos on this website is 100%.

  8. We also have an reword my essay to help you with the online assignment and online exam. The solution to the present is an astounding affirmative. Our essay writing or schoolwork writing service comes with free revisions. you’ll be able to request the North American nation to rewrite or revise your schoolwork for free of charge within twenty days period of time.
    https://www.allassignmenthelp.com/reword-my-essay.html

  9. I am incapable of reading articles online very often, but I’m happy I did today. It is very well written, and your points are well-expressed. I request you warmly, please, don’t ever stop writing.
    바카라사이트

  10. Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say
    that I’ve truly enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I
    will be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!
    토토

  11. it is really a great and helpful piece of info. I am glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us
    파워볼게임

  12. Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google,
    and found that it’s really informative. I’m gonna watch out
    for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue
    this in future. A lot of people will be benefited from your writing.
    파워볼
    I

  13. I have read it, but the information is still less than mine, i am wanting to learn more
    온라인카지노

  14. Hey there I am so delighted I found your blog page, I really
    found you by mistake, while I was researching on Digg for something else, Anyways I am here
    now and would just like to say thank you for a tremendous post and a all round entertaining blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look
    over it all at the minute but I have saved it and also added your RSS
    feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read more,
    Please do keep up the excellent job.
    온라인카지노

  15. Amazing how thiis article help me as a human being thats help me a lot! This has been a really wonderful post. Thanks for providing this info.
    온라인카지노

  16. Magnificent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your web site,
    how can i subscribe for a blog website?
    The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of
    this your broadcast offered bright clear idea
    온라인카지노

  17. Kralbet says:

    Kralbet Bahis Sitesine Giriş Yapmak İçin Tıklayınız. Kralbet

  18. KINGKONG says:

    VEGUS168S
    VEGUS168S
    VEGUS168S
    VEGUS168S
    VEGUS168S
    IF YOU NEED TO RICH CICK BELOW
    https://www.vegus168s.com/

  19. raque says:

    we like to read this log

  20. araht says:

    cheer for this log

  21. Kayla Chaulk

    page-description

  22. Solomon Peale

    I found a great…

  23. Catherina Trett

    I found a great…

  24. Boris Kinsler

    page-description

  25. Nikki Loiseau

    I found a great…

  26. Fletcher Janes

    I found a great…

  27. Sirena Rule

    I found a great…

  28. Evita Werts

    I found a great…

  29. Royal Woodis

    I found a great…

  30. This is really interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your fantastic post.

    파칭코사이트인포

  31. Greetings! Very helpful advice on this article! It is the little changes that make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing! 블랙잭사이트

  32. Gene Mercier

    page-description

  33. Magen Sadan

    I found a great…

  34. Madelyn Ringwood

    I found a great…

  35. shahzam says:

    wow like to read this

  36. Avis Fretwell

    I found a great…

  37. Larue Drewel

    I found a great…

  38. Reid Lafrancois

    I found a great…

  39. Horace Rahaim

    I found a great…

  40. 모바일바둑이

    like water for chocolate » Blog Archive » Methodologies VI: Methodology Manifesto

  41. Virgil Dien

    I found a great…

  42. Escorts in Islamabad
    Now how to relish the company of these lovely women? This is appealing relaxed. All you have to do is browse our websites and you will discover a photo gallery of our Islamabad Escorts on display there visit our website;.

  43. Dominique Feiler

    I found a great…

Leave a Reply to casinositelink Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.