Reconceptualising African Studies: A Comparative Analysis of Decolonial Pedagogies in Senegal

This comparative study examines the ongoing epistemic hegemony of Western-centric frameworks within African Studies curricula in Sub-Saharan higher education. It investigates the reconceptualisation of the discipline through an analysis of decolonial pedagogies in Senegal between 2021 and 2026. Employing a rigorous qualitative, multi-sited methodology, the research is based on a critical discourse analysis of curriculum documents, non-participant observations of pedagogical practice, and 42 semi-structured interviews with educators and students across three purposively selected Senegalese universities. The findings, derived from systematic thematic analysis, reveal a significant, though institutionally uneven, shift towards pedagogies that centre endogenous knowledge systems. This is evidenced by the deliberate integration of Wolof philosophical concepts such as *jom* (integrity) and *teranga* (hospitality), the adoption of oral history methodologies, and structured community-engaged learning. The study argues that these approaches collectively facilitate a critical epistemic displacement, directly challenging the coloniality of knowledge and fostering enhanced African intellectual agency. The research makes an empirical contribution by documenting and theorising a concrete praxis of decolonisation within continental academic institutions. It concludes that the Senegalese case provides a vital model for re-grounding African Studies in African socio-epistemic realities, offering concrete implications for curriculum reform and pedagogical innovation across the region.