Drug Decriminalization in Maryland Through an African Centered Research Paradigm- Analysis and Recommendations

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2. African ancients—especially those of the Nile Valley—are thought to have possessed supreme wisdom because their objective was to generate knowledge that would enable people to tap into the complete, positive potentiality given to them by the Creator (Akbar, 1994; Asante, 1990; Diop, 1991; Karenga, 1989; Van Sertima, 1989). By cultivating the beliefs that humans have great potential to tap into the spirit and essence of the Creator and that science should not be separated from this pursuit, the African ancients are thought to have possessed the moral ingredients for creating a society wherein human interactions and ideals are undergirded by mutual respect, a concern for collective well-being, spirituality, and a striving toward excellence. 3. Each idea or theory uniquely adds to a different understanding of the totality of the human experience. Afrocentric social work research asserts that no one theory is, or can be, robust enough to explain all or most dimensions of social and human phenomena. Rather, theories are conceived as uniquely different ways in which social and human phenomena can be described and explained. They are unique in that they reflect interpretations held by one individual or a cadre of like-minded individuals. Each theory serves to contribute a unique piece of understanding that can be used to construct a complete picture of social life that limits or prevents knowledge hegemony. (Schiele, 2000). Scheile’s analysis is essential, as it addresses an assumption that often props up around African centered research paradigms. They do not seek to replace the hegemony of eurocentric models of research with their own orthodoxy and perspectives, instead, the African research paradigm seeks to balance knowledge by incorporating often overlooked aspects. This reflects another distinction often noted between eurocentric and African centered thought systems. The eurocentric scientific method assumes a dichotomous and competitive vision of knowledge creation, where ideas are locked in mortal combat and through objective experimentation and analysis. The better idea wins, and the inferior ideas are relegated to the dustbin of history. This might make some sense to scientific inquiry in fields like astronomy, where for some questions (such as the debate between the heliocentric or geocentric vision of the planetary system) there can only be one correct answer. As Ani notes, applying this methodology from material sciences to the social sciences obscures the complexity and humanity and the nature of racism that impacts our view of social sciences. Moreover, it ignores the political implications of even so-called objective, “hard” science, such as the heliocentric universe being attributed by many solely to the Greeks even though there is substantial cultural intermixing between Egypt and Ancient Greece, as well as often overlooked evidence that the heliocentric theory traces it roots to Ancient Egypt (Van Sertima, 1999). In contrast to this, African systems of thought are often seen as diunital, seeking to unite disparate 4151 Park Heights Avenue, Suite 207, Baltimore, MD 21215 • www.lbsbaltimore.com • (410) 374-7683
concepts and find the truth embedded in them rather than assume contrasting ideas are diametrically opposed. It is crucial, along these lines, that we delineate the critical (“deconstructive”) components of African centered research paradigms from “critical” research paradigms produced within the “critical theory” tradition. A vital part of the distinction is centered around the heuristic component of the research. Rather than recognizing the contingency and power relations behind so-called “objective” knowledge claims as an end in itself, as the Critical Theory often attempts with rhetorical analysis, it is a materialist paradigm which seeks to undermine not only oppressive systems but the very systems of thought which make this oppression possible. As Schiele notes: “...the Afrocentric paradigm endeavors to foster what Foucault (1977) calls the insurrection of subjugated knowledges. The Afrocentric paradigm is a form of knowledge insurrection in that it challenges interpretations of people of African descent that stem from groups who benefit from the oppression of people of African ancestry and advocates that these interpretations emerge from the narratives of black people themselves. However, unlike some from the postmodernist camp (see, for example,Bauman, 1992; Lyotard, 1984; Seidman, 1994), the Afrocentric paradigm does not view the affirmation of a subjugated group's narrative as an end in itself. The Afrocentric paradigm is materialist in that it endeavors to validate the narratives of people of African descent not only for psychological (i.e., self-esteem) and scientific (i.e., knowledge validation) reasons but also to change the political and economic conditions faced by people of African descent. Knowledge insurrection within the Afrocentric perspective defies Eurocentric universalism and strives to abolish the material conditions and consequences of racial and cultural oppression. Similar to those within the ranks of the Frankfurt School (see Habermas, 1971; Horkheimer and Adorno 1994; Marcuse, 1964), the Afrocentric view of social work research, and by extension social theory, merges social change activities with those of knowledge inquiry and development. Unlike the proponents of "Critical Theory," the Afrocentric paradigm does not limit its social change activities to the elimination of a specific economic system with its accompanying ideology, although this is important. Rather, the Afrocentric paradigm aspires to eliminate the underlying worldview that creates the need for such an exploitative system in the first place. In essence, Afrocentric social work research encourages humans to become more at one with the Creator and the universe. This "oneness with nature and God" cosmology is thought to bring about respect and appreciation for all aspects of nature—including human beings—both for the common aspects and the different ones, and is believed to preclude the exploitative behavior that accompanies oppression (Schiele, 1994). In this regard, 4151 Park Heights Avenue, Suite 207, Baltimore, MD 21215 • www.lbsbaltimore.com • (410) 374-7683
Page 1 and 2: Drug Decriminalization in Maryland
Page 3 and 4: “In the face of this wave of over
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Page 7 and 8: While it is seductive to chalk thes
Page 9 and 10: paradigms and tools created by the
Page 11 and 12: is both an attempt to account for t
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Page 19 and 20: decide how to use them for themselv
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Page 23 and 24: geographic boundaries between Black
Page 25 and 26: a former UN Secretary General, and
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Page 29 and 30: discipline themselves in conformity
Page 31 and 32: of critiquing power, the African Ce
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Page 37 and 38: young and their are for more cannab
Page 39 and 40: litureates seems to advocate for, t
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Page 43 and 44: significant number of them were hom
Page 45 and 46: The conversation around decriminali
Page 47 and 48: In the first, an alleged rape, the
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Page 55 and 56: Recommendations We have created thi
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Page 59 and 60: conducive to aggressive, heavy-hand
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This concept of promoting socio-eco
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against the victims ofWhite racist
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tioners, these human service profes
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Notably, the trial and appellate co
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Chapman, Chris, and A. J. Withers.
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INCITE! Women of Color Against Viol
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Moynihan , Daniel Patrick. “(1965
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Schiele, Jerome H. Human Services a
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Drug Decriminalization in Maryland Through an African Centered Research Paradigm- Analysis and Recommendations

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