Vol. 1 No. 1 (2024)

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Navigating Epistemological and Methodological Challenges: A Theoretical Framework for African Women's Studies in Ghana (2021–2026)

Nana Ama Asante, University of Ghana, Legon Dr Susan Harrison, Department of Advanced Studies, Water Research Institute (WRI)
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18358710
Published: January 24, 2026

Abstract

This theoretical framework article addresses persistent epistemological and methodological challenges within African Women’s Studies in Ghana, focusing on the period 2021–2026. It contends that the field remains constrained by the uncritical application of Western feminist paradigms, which frequently marginalise the lived realities and indigenous knowledge systems of Ghanaian women. Through a critical desk-based analysis of contemporary scholarly literature, policy documents, and Ghanaian research outputs, the article deconstructs these prevailing approaches. It proposes that a transformative theoretical framework must be grounded in an African feminist epistemology. This foundation necessitates centring Ghanaian women’s own narratives, integrating indigenous concepts of knowledge production, and adopting decolonial, participatory methodologies. The advocated framework promotes a situated research praxis that acknowledges intersectional identities and engages meaningfully with local ontologies. This intervention’s significance lies in its potential to recalibrate research agendas, foster more authentic and empowering representations, and advance the broader project of intellectual decolonisation in African Studies. It offers scholars a critical lens for developing research that is both academically rigorous and genuinely reflective of the complexities of women’s experiences in Ghana.

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How to Cite

Nana Ama Asante, Dr Susan Harrison (2026). Navigating Epistemological and Methodological Challenges: A Theoretical Framework for African Women's Studies in Ghana (2021–2026). African Journal of Women’s Studies, Vol. 1 No. 1 (2024), 46-60. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18358710
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Keywords

African Women's StudiesGhanaDecolonial EpistemologiesFeminist MethodologiesPostcolonial TheoryWest Africa

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