Decolonising Research: Indigenous Methodologies in Sub-Saharan Africa

Decolonising Research examines the effectiveness of Indigenous research methodologies for studying Africa while also examining their effectiveness for generating relevant knowledge and practical research outcomes for community/national problem-solving.Considering theories of empowerment and social justice, researching Indigenous communities requires participatory and collaborative methodologies. This book fills research methodological gaps and offers a Sub-Saharan African lens to the research of South Sudan, Northern Uganda, Kenya/Somalia, Somaliland, Botswana, Nigeria and Ghana. It does this by identifying and discussing the “How,” “What,” and “Why” of these methodologies as they pertain to themes of indigeneity, silence, ethics, ceremony, botho, joking relationship, orality, divinations, and Sub-Saharan Africa.This book includes contributions from early-career academics and academic practitioners who are all emerging as leading experts in their field. It will be of broader interest to postgraduate students, international agencies/personnel, governments, and policy-makers conducting ethnographic or contextual/participatory research and research implementation.

About the Author

Winnifred Bedigen is Lecturer in International Development at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. Her research areas include peacebuilding, gender, and African Indigenous Knowledge. Dr Bedigen is a Mentor in The British Academy Mentoring Scheme and a Commonwealth Scholarship Academic Adviser.

Nankie M. Ramabu is Associate Professor of Public Health at Boitekanelo College in Botswana, where she leads the Department of Public Health and Health Promotion. Her expertise lies in strengthening health systems and developing impactful community interventions to enhance health outcomes.

Sarah Njeri is a lecturer in Humanitarianism and Development at the Global Development Studies Department, SOAS, University of London. She is a peace and conflict scholar with degrees in conflict resolution and peace studies from the University of Bradford’s Peace Studies Department.