African Indigenous Knowledge and Research

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Although Africa is the cradle of civilization and African diasporic people make up 22 percent of the world’s population, African Indigenous Knowledge (AIK) and Research are understudied and under-researched in educational scholarship. This session centers AIK within educational research contexts and offers resources to activate and mobilize scholars to prioritize these knowledge bases. Implications for international contexts are included. The focus on AIK is an important antidote for remedying and repairing unjust educational landscapes. It complements the United Nations’ declaration of the “International Decade for People of African Descent” (2015-2024). As Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary-General explained, “We must remember that people of African descent are among those most affected by racism.” https://www.un.org/en/observances/decade-people-african-descent. This declaration acknowledges the persistent, endemic injustices faced by African-descendent people globally. Recognizing the deep significance of this issue, the United Nations is launching “The Second International Decade for People of African Descent: Addressing Systemic Racism, Reparatory Justice and Sustainable Development.” Through an interdisciplinary approach, papers in this session will underscore the role of AIK in challenging anti-Blackness, misrepresentation, and knowledge omissions prevalent in educational contexts. The insights offered here advocate for a transformative shift in educational research, one that recognizes AIK as a pathway to more equitable, accurate, and just educational landscapes worldwide.

Sub Unit

• International Relations Committee

Chair

• Gloria S. Boutte, University of South Carolina

Papers

• African Indigenous Knowledge and Traditional Medical Practices in Ghana - Diana Amoni Ntewusu, University of Ghana

• Promoting AIK among Jamaica’s Teacher Educators: Opportunities and Challenges - Clement T. M. Lambert, Northern Arizona University

• Sustaining African Indigenous Knowledge Through Communal and Spiritual Literacies - Kaha Abdi, The Ohio State University

• Pan-African Perspective on African Indigenous Knowledge and Research: Toward Just Education Renewal - George Lee Johnson, South Carolina State University

Discussant

• Samuel Ntewusu, University of Ghana