Looking Backwards to Move Forward: Towards an African-centred Decolonial Methodological Framework of Refusal

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 1:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Decolonizing Research Methodology In Education

Abstract

This article presents critical duo-ethnographic reflections on our experiences as Western-trained researchers conducting research in Ghana. We propose Sankofa as a methodological framework to envision decolonizing and indigenizing research. Sankofa offers a paradigm for researchers to learn, unlearn, and relearn culturally sensitive and ethical research practices. It provides a lens for critical reflexivity, guiding researchers to reflect on historical legacies and reimagine research as relational and reciprocal. Our reflections highlight challenges such as navigating institutional ethics, respecting communal ontologies, and confronting power imbalances in conventional research. Applying Sankofa fosters a research process that centres African Indigenous knowledge, promotes ethical accountability, and supports community empowerment. Sankofa thus offers transformative possibilities for decolonial research practice.

Authors

• Kenneth Gyamerah, Ontario Tech University

• Ali Ahmed, Texas Tech University