SANKOFA (RE)SEARCH MODEL

Sankofa (Re)search Model offers a practical and conceptual guide for developing culturally grounded methodologies to study Black boys and men. Authors Lawson Bush V, Edward C. Bush, and Amiri Mahnzili present a comprehensive framework built from the cultural and historical knowledge of African-descended people, grounded in the principles of Sankofa. The book critiques traditional paradigms and provides scholar-practitioners with tools to design, implement, and write research that honors Black life, thought, and potential. With chapters on methodology, axiology, ontology, epistemology, and practical applications, the book moves beyond critique toward construction-defining what ethical, accountable, and effective research looks like when aligned with African-centered values. It includes step-by-step guidance for applying the model to qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies and incorporates practices like Ifá divination as culturally meaningful data collection techniques. This volume expands the work of the Little Black Book Series: Research Methodology, Theory, and Praxis, offering a model that is instructive, rigorous, and deeply rooted in liberation-focused research traditions.