Moving Forward: From a Decolonizing to an Affirming Epistemology and Methodology

• In Event: Shifting Ground: Embracing the Power, Value, and Possibilities of Caribbean Research and Pedagogical Approaches

Abstract

The rise in decolonizing methodologies has drawn attention to the detrimental impact of mainstream research approaches on the representations of and responses to indigenous, black and people of colour. This presentation argues that we need to go beyond a decolonizing approach to an affirming position, where our own learnings are informed by more culturally relevant methodologies, which should be considered important in and of themselves and not simply in opposition to dominant modes of data collection, analysis and dissemination.
This article presents learnings from two localised examples of knowledge sharing amongst geographically disparate African diaspora communities located in the Caribbean and Australia. In bringing together insights from two very different contexts it aims to generate discussion on how we can affirm cultural forms of knowledge sharing in our research practices. Interweaving research reflections and anecdotes on both projects, we suggest that greater attention to how, when and where knowledge is shared amongst diaspora communities can help attend to the social dynamics of power, solidarity and support across African diasporas.

Author

• Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor, University of Trinidad and Tobago