Decolonising transdisciplinary research approaches: an African perspective for enhancing knowledge integration in sustainability science

Comparative research, Indigenous methodology, Third Space methodology

This article outlines several foundational philosophies for indigenous research in Africa. Using examples from different projects and organizations, the author describes varied methodological frameworks and approaches to indigenous research, including an integrative approach and third space methodologies. This article calls for research in Africa to be driven by Indigenous local knowledge (ILK).

This article calls for research to be driven by Indigenous local knowledge (ILK), and outlines several foundational philosophies for Indigenous research in Africa, including African ethnophilosophy, sagacity, nationalistic ideology (e.g. African Renaissance and Afrikanization) as well as discussing relational ontology, epistomology and axiology (using as an example the concept of Ubuntu).

The call for action in this article is that "It is time that Africans adopted a no knowledge production without Africans and without indigenous knowledge systems" (p. 825).

Tables comparing "Characteristics of African philosophies" and

In this article Chilisa created tables comparing "Characteristics of African philosophies" and "Characteristics of indigenous research approaches" and included a tool (Bidirectional Emic–Etic tool, or BEE), and a methodological framework that could drive Indigenous research in Africa.

"The typology of methodological frameworks presented in this article can guide an assessment of the extent to which transdisciplinary research geared towards meeting Africa’s challenges is inclusive of African voices. This typology can serve as a tool in the process of decolonising and indigenising sustainability science and transdisciplinary research" (p. 825)

Sustainability
Science