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- Convenors:
-
Khangelani Moyo
(University of the Free State, South Africa)
Franzisca Zanker (Arnold-Bergstraesser Institute)
Kalyango Sebba (Makerere University)
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- Chair:
-
Khangelani Moyo
(University of the Free State, South Africa)
- Discussants:
-
Franzisca Zanker
(Arnold-Bergstraesser Institute)
Kalyango Sebba (Makerere University)
- Format:
- Panel
- Stream:
- Location-based African Studies: Discrepancies and Debates
- Location:
- S68 (RW I)
- Sessions:
- Tuesday 1 October, -
Time zone: Europe/Berlin
Short Abstract:
This panel seeks to extend the discussion on the decolonisation of African studies research by inviting papers from authors/researchers from the so-called ‘global south’ who do research in ‘global north’ contexts. We wish to centre the discussion on the idea of reciprocity in academic research.
Long Abstract:
The debates on decolonisation have become topical in African studies and researchers are challenged to re-think, unthink and unlearn what has long been considered as conventional and objective science. Decolonisation studies have sought to undo the apparatus of colonial knowledge production, culture, and practice. This panel seeks to extend the discussion on the decolonisation of African studies research by inviting papers from authors/researchers from the so-called ‘global south’ who do research in ‘global north’ contexts. We wish to centre the discussion on the idea of reciprocity in academic research and engage the forms that such reciprocity should take. Reciprocal research as we understand it, is underpinned by the need to create more avenues for researchers from the global south to conceive and do research in the global north contexts. In this regard, reciprocal research forms an emergent frontier in the global debate around the decolonisation and decentring of knowledge production, both geographically and intellectually. The reciprocal approach allows researchers with a predominantly global south subjectivity to explore the global north contexts regarding issues related to Africa studies, including migration and refugee integration which affects populations worldwide. Such avenues help to deepen the understanding of the connections between contexts and highlight the many differences which shape the responses of policy makers. Moreover, reciprocal research paves the way for reconsidering knowledge production.
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Tuesday 1 October, 2024, -Lena Kroeker (Bayreuth University) Eric R Masese (Moi University)
Paper short abstract:
An African/black perspective on Europe is rare and often satirical holding up a mirror to a European audience. Following an Afrocentric perspective, this paper discusses empirical studies by African/black scholars on Europe and highlights the discrepancies and debates they bring to the fore.
Paper long abstract:
Various conceptualizations of Africa and thus African studies circulate: a definition focusing on geographical location, a cultural definition taking sub-Saharan Africa as a start (Gyekye 1995), or an approach that includes diaspora scientists sharing a viewpoint of racial dominance and oppression (Appiah 1992). The latter perspective includes African researchers independent of their location and allows for an Afrocentric perspective. This implies that studies conducted by African/black scholars bring a distinct perspective compared to studies conducted by non-Africans / non-blacks. Following this view, all studies conducted by Africans, regardless of the research region, would belong to African studies. If so, studies of European social and cultural phenomena conducted by African scholars would be a highly neglected area of African studies.
This perspective exists rarely and if mostly as satirical contributions holding up a mirror to a European audience. One of the few studies is on dog ownership in Germany by a Cameroonian anthropologist (Ndonko 2001) another more anecdotal paper on the post-purchase guarantee of dish sets (Macamo, oral presentation 2009).
In the spirit of reconfiguring and redefining African studies, this paper discusses why there are so few papers that empirically explore Europe from an African / black perspective; a perspective particularly valuable to provide insights into themes, perspectives, and emotions of Europe from an African / black gaze. We ask: What Discrepancies and Debates do these location-based African Studies bring to the fore? How does this view add to African Studies and its reconfiguration? What are methodological, strategic or other challenges?
Ahmed El Assal (International Institute of Social Studies) Yasmine Hafez (SOAS University of London) Ilaha Abasli (ISS)
Paper short abstract:
Discussion on the empirical and experiential experiences of the Global South researchers based in the Western academia conducting research in their non-home Global South countries and how this entanglement of positionality, ethics and power contributes to knowledge creation on development studies.
Paper long abstract:
Development studies in western academia remain a discipline focusing on researching the challenges and issues of the so called ‘Global South’. In this context, developing country researchers, based in Northern institutions, are often questioned about their choice of research geographies if it differs from their ‘home’ countries in the Global South. Why Western researchers’ inquiry for ‘the other’ in developing countries is often presumed to be a matter of ‘scholarly’ choice.
This paper aims to problematize the power (as a function for knowledge) upheld in the knowledge creation of development studies (as a power exercise) within the Western academia by taking a closer look into the positionality and methodological experiences of developing country researchers work. The authors reflect on their own experiences based in Northern institutions, conducting research in East Africa – this positionality raise questions on race, gender, colour, and south-south relations. By reflecting through diverse and multi-layered insider and outsider experiences and research collaboration, the article sheds light on the current knowledge creation structure and approaches that usually depart from and impose the Western gaze on developing country researchers, as well as south-south relational dynamics.
Thus, the paper illustrates the experiences of the researchers and critiques knowledge production in the field. We also situate the empirical and experiential experiences of the developing country researchers in a conceptual discussion on the entanglement of knowledge and power as enabling forces for shift and how power shifts within the development studies and practice could potentially happen with the developing country researchers.
Khangelani Moyo (University of the Free State, South Africa)
Paper short abstract:
This paper discusses the methodological nuances and reflections drawn from a study that explored Germany’s refugee integration policies and municipal level government practices through a transregional lens and within the framework of reciprocal research.
Paper long abstract:
This paper discusses the methodological nuances and reflections drawn from a study that explored Germany’s refugee integration policies and municipal level government practices through a transregional lens and within the framework of reciprocal research. The study was conducted between 2021 and 2022 in Freiburg and looked at the perspectives of the municipal government level policy makers/implementers as well as the individual refugees who are the intended beneficiaries of the integration policies. Reciprocal research as conceived within the study is underpinned by the need to create more avenues for researchers from the global south to conceive and do research in the global north contexts. In this regard, reciprocal research forms an emergent frontier in the global debate on the decolonisation and decentring of knowledge production, both geographically and intellectually. The paper engages the author’s reflections on the use of a reciprocal research framework, particularly the nuances that were elicited from engaging refugees from Gambia, Syria, and Afghanistan as well as German citizens, academic researchers and NGOs on questions related to refugee integration in Freiburg. The paper emphasizes the importance of engaging in transregional research which enriches the understanding of different yet connected contexts. In this regard, the author draws from an African subjectivity to understand the Germany context on issues of migrant and refugee integration which affect populations worldwide.
Amrita Datta (Bielefeld University)
Paper short abstract:
This paper introduces the phenomenon of new migration and its various features. Through a rejection of global apartheid, it introduces a four-fold composition christened as “new migration quadruple”. This theory invites history from below and a debunking of methodological colonialism.
Paper long abstract:
This paper introduces the phenomenon of new migration and its various features. New migration theory draws on the existing theories of multi-scalar networks, immobility, migration uncertainties and super-diversity and postulates the “new” in new migration. Through a rejection of global apartheid, a strategy adopted by the industrial countries like North America, Europe and Australia to protect themselves and their citizens’ privileged lifestyles from the threat of international migration movements, new migration theory as a conceptual framework is foregrounded in primacy of the immigrants in migration-related decision-making capacity, legislative novelties, global re-migration opportunities and the newly-found visibility of the “Global Talents” from the postcolonial to the industrial capitalist countries. As a four-fold composition christened as “new migration quadruple”, this theory invites history from below and a debunking of methodological colonialism. For researching new migration, it is based on reflexivity and storytelling. New migration theory aims at upending the subalternist framework, creating opportunities for knowledge production and knowledge episteme from the postcolonial societies.