Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026)
Reconceptualising African Studies: A Comparative Analysis of Decolonial Pedagogies in Senegal
Abstract
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.
Read the Full Article
The HTML galley is loaded below for inline reading and better discovery.
How to Cite
Keywords
Research Snapshot
Desktop reading viewReferences
- Akinseye, T. (2025). The Men Also Cry: Intertextual Construction of Men’s Victimhood in Newspaper Reports on Domestic Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Asian and African Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096251336370
- Azam Khan, M. (2025). Exploring Sustainable Development in the Sub-Saharan African Region: The Role of Economic Discomfort. Journal of Asian and African Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096251380759
- Bamidele, S., & Pikirayi, I. (2024). African Union Kampala Convention: The Continuing Dialogue on the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Asian and African Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096231225944
- Behrens, R., Zuidgeest, M., & Durant, T. (2025). Relationships between paratransit passenger satisfaction and driver labour conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa. African Transport Studies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aftran.2025.100030
- Chaney, P. (2025). “Fatal Discrimination”: Exploring Civil Society and State Perspectives on the Human Rights Situation of Persons with Albinism in Sub-Saharan Africa. African and Asian Studies. https://doi.org/10.1163/15692108-12341659
- Chebe, P.C., Fombe, L.F., & Martens, K. (2025). Urban roads and walking: Exploring pedestrian perceptions and experiences in a Sub-Saharan African City. African Transport Studies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aftran.2025.100023
- Glover, E.K. (2025). Legal Instruments for Biodiversity Conservation in sub-Saharan Africa: Examining Burkina Faso’s Legal Framework. The Emerald Handbook of African Studies. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83797-466-520251011
- Gossel, S. (2025). The Colonial Legacies Hampering FDI to Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Studies in African and Development Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-01320-0_2
- Gossel, S. (2025). The Economic Policy Legacies Hampering FDI to Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Studies in African and Development Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-01320-0_3
- Gossel, S. (2025). The Relationship Between Democracy and FDI in Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Studies in African and Development Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-01320-0_4
- Gossel, S. (2025). The Relationship Between Corruption and FDI in Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Studies in African and Development Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-01320-0_5
- Gossel, S. (2025). The Effects of China, India, and Russia’s Competing Strategies on FDI to Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Studies in African and Development Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-01320-0_6
- Gossel, S. (2025). The Relationship Between Financial Sector Development and FDI in Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Studies in African and Development Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-01320-0_7
- Hanneke, R. (2025). Review of: "Approaches for Measuring Socioeconomic Status in Health Studies in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review". https://doi.org/10.32388/0vl7dp
- Manzano, R.R. (2025). Exploitation and Violence in the Experiences of Refugees Traveling from Sub-Saharan Africa to Italy. Journal of Asian and African Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/00219096251336369
- Morozenskaya, E., Gavrilova, N., & Kalinichenko, L. (2024). Economic Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: Possible Ways to Address New Challenges. Uchenie zapiski Instituta Afriki RAN. https://doi.org/10.31132/2412-5717-2024-67-2-82-101
- Ndigwe, C., Fatema, B., & Okafor, T. (2024). Is China the new Britain in Sub-Saharan Africa? Exploring the purpose of financial inflow to Sub-Saharan African countries from a neo-colonial lens. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4950698
- O., T.D., & MOSES, Y. (2025). ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION, GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. Journal of African Advancement and Sustainability Studies. https://doi.org/10.70382/sjaass.v9i2.034
- Piemontese, L., Terzi, S., Baldassarre, G.D., Schwieger, D.A.M., Castelli, G., & Bresci, E. (2024). Over-reliance on water infrastructure can hinder climate resilience in pastoral drylands. Nature Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01929-z
- Rosner, P., Gartner, L.A., Ayetor, G.K., Götz, K., & Lienkamp, M. (2026). Get the biggest fish to fry: Assessing commercial operators’ barriers towards electric vehicle adoption in urban and rural sub-saharan Africa. African Transport Studies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aftran.2025.100069
- Toure, M. (2025). Agricultural Adaptation to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80716-9
- Toure, M. (2025). Predicted Cereal Production in Senegal for 2050 and 2080. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80716-9_2
- Toure, M. (2025). Conclusion. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80716-9_6
- Yeboah, F.A. (2024). Exploring The Entrepreneurial Experience Of African Immigrant Women In Canada: Sub-Saharan Africa Perspective. https://doi.org/10.32920/23412746
- Yeboah, F.A. (2024). Exploring The Entrepreneurial Experience Of African Immigrant Women In Canada: Sub-Saharan Africa Perspective. https://doi.org/10.32920/23412746.v1