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: ,

54,315 Responses to “Methodologies VI: Methodology Manifesto”

  1. modular partition wall systems india cleanroom is a facility ordinarily utilized as a part of specialized industrial production or scientific research, including the manufacture of pharmaceutical items, integrated circuits,

  2. Hi, my name is Evelyn and I am a woman you have to try at least one time in your life. A 20-year-old independent call girl and the best part of your day.

  3. Lucia Mcmahon

    I found a great…

  4. Claud Suess

    I found a great…

  5. Blake Glashen

    I found a great…

  6. Leonia Rolls

    I found a great…

  7. Kirstin Mascot

    I found a great…

  8. Terrie Haffling

    I found a great…

  9. Angle Lauderman

    I found a great…

  10. taaws says:

    happy to see that

  11. Merideth Dohrman

    I found a great…

  12. Hosea Nie

    I found a great…

  13. Lurlene Winterrowd

    I found a great…

  14. Palmer Luttrell

    I found a great…

  15. Alfonso Ulwelling

    I found a great…

  16. Norris Molnau

    I found a great…

  17. Fae Grime

    I found a great…

  18. Shay Demaio

    I found a great…

  19. Caron Bester

    I found a great…

  20. Francesco Louissant

    I found a great…

  21. Francoise Shedrick

    I found a great…

  22. Frederic Brandon

    I found a great…

  23. Are you struggling with those English report writing? Find English report writing service difficult? Do not worry we have got your back in every field and subject.We will provide you the best do my assignment English is a subject you cannot deny or run away from till your lifetime. If you have a strong desire to pursue a good and high degree in it then you should command this.

  24. Lu Isabell

    I found a great…

  25. Artie Manzur

    page-description

  26. Gwenda Sword

    I found a great…

  27. Staci Carro

    I found a great…

  28. Miss Seaholtz

    I found a great…

  29. “카지노사이트

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

  30. MyOpenMath is a free website built of volunteers that provide step-by-step solutions for math problems. Current work focuses on the K-12 mathematics curriculum and standardized test prep: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Precalculus. If you want any Myopenmath Answers solution, our experts are always there to support you.

  31. 룰렛 says:

    룰렛

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

  32. Bermain Situs judi online lebih mudah di rumahmpo dengan menggunakan Smartphone yang sudah memakai version html5. Agen judi online terbaik dengan permainan terlengkap yah cuma ada di situs Rumah mpo slot online deposit pulsa 5000 10000.

  33. ty le keo says:

    Hey there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back frequently ty le keo

  34. Firstly, there are hardly any “new” laptops available under $100, so your choices would mostly default to refurbished and used laptop models. Believe me, there is not a single laptop under $100 that does not suck.

    laptops for under $100

  35. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! However, how could we communicate?

  36. Looking for genuine Nashik Escorts service, your interests are concluded here. Each man has a dream. At the point after you will book our trained female escorts service in Nashik.

  37. www.raw says:

    was cool thanksss

  38. My Assignment Help Now is a valuable source of getting experts’ help for academic papers. Connecting with the well-qualified professionals helps you to score top grades. Students who have no ideas about how to start their papers, they can search for our superior assignment help service to compose their documents.

  39. If you ask for a strong examination burden or you feel down in the lower average ranks or do not clear the examination with a lack of drive and attention. Then with my online exam for me, all these negative things of your life can be solved easily. You need not feel low in any of your online exams, assignments, assessments, complex quizzes etc., by providing superlative resources without extra effort or expense from your end. As the experts have all for you! They will be here when you decide to call for help and say, “take my online class.” Start with your order form or a message and they will take care of your test.

  40. tren says:

    Thanks for the good information. pg slot

  41. seera says:

    hello thanks to this

  42. Do you want to be more powerful and influential on social media? We are the best site to buy Instagram followers, period. Fast and safe. By choosing one of the many purchasing options, you can quickly have the social media power you are targeting.

    Buy instagram followers paypal

  43. Hey
    Do you also have the same problem as everyone? That you have build a very beautiful website, but only receive a small amount of traffic to your site. I would like to share some information with you. Please contact me, my details are below.

    free casino games casino slots casino games [url 슬롯

  44. Whoa! Honestly, I’ve note this; the field has transformative power as it is the reflection of self, the world, and it’s future. Pretty welcome development!  Thanks so much for sharing with us your writings and great experience. Well written! Check nigerian army recruitment portal

  45. Welcome to the Our Best Manali Escort Service. We are given you the best erotic massage and you can fulfill all your desires. If you want to take our service so click on the link.

  46. ty le keo says:

    I’ve been using WordPress on a number of websites for about a year and am worried about switching to another platform. I have heard good things about ty le keo. Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress content into it? Any help would be really appreciated!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.