Decolonizing Arts-Based Methodologies - by Paula D Royster (Hardcover)

About the Book

Decolonizing Arts-Based Methodologies: Researching the Africa Diaspora introduces Ancestorology, a new interdisciplinary research methodology that juxtaposes Western cultural productions of history with the lived experiences of the African Diaspora.

Book Synopsis

The genealogy of racism dates back to 610 AD when Islamic jihadists invented whiteness as a religious justification for deracinating and enslaving African people out of East Africa and into Southeastern Europe for more than 1,300 years.

Through a new interdisciplinary research methodology, Ancestorology, a taxonomy of Western cultural and visual productions of history are juxtaposed with the social stratifications of the African Diaspora to arrive at a new interpretation of the historical narrative.

Decolonzing Arts-Based Methodologies: Researching the African Diaspora provokes critical analytical thought between the historical narrative and current public discourse in Western societies where people of African descent exist. The importance of this work begins the process of unlearning Western ways of knowing and seeing through hegemonic productions of knowledge and by assigning new values to humanity's collective memory.

Review Quotes

"Decolonizing Arts-Based Methodologies discusses the methodical, step by step process for anyone who has an interest of tracing their ancestry or anyone that is intrigued about the untold history of African descendants. Dr. Royster challenges the art of perception verses 'what is reality' while researching the African Diaspora. The transparent account of her events engages the reader as she embarks upon a journey that is filled with new theories, obstacles, despondencies, and untold truths. This work of art is not only thought provoking, but it provokes thought about self-perception and the perception of others through Genealogy, History, Cultural Anthropology and Visual Studies. Even though this literature is a resourceful tool for ancestry tracing, it also provides compelling evidence; backed with research and historical data that African Descendants contributions have been overtly excluded from American History. Dr. Royster teaches us that forward progression for African Americans means dispelling the incomplete picture that has been presented to the American culture, for hundreds of years; and suggests that we should relearn truths from our perspective, to create a complete picture of our African heritage." - Laurette W., student at the Southern New Hampshire University

About the Author

Paula D. Royster, Ph.D., is an interdisciplinary scholar practitioner who has researched the African Diaspora on four continents. She is two-time Fulbright Scholarship grantee and published I.AM.ARAPI: The Journey of Akan Israelites in the Islamic Slave Trade (The Fairview Agency, 2019).