Sankofa Network for Transformative & Community Research

Mission

The Sankofa Network for Transformative and Community Research (SNTCR) is devoted to engaging academics, undergraduate and graduate students, Waterloo region community members, and national and international collaborators to produce action-oriented research (praxis) to deconstruct oppressive institutional structures and advance the collective well-being of marginalized and excluded communities.

Sankofa, as articulated by the Department of Africana Studies at Southern Illinois University, is an Akan word loosely translated to mean "go back to the past and bring forward that which is useful." The epistemological focus of the SNTCR is framed around key principles:

• Interdisciplinarity: This is not limited to traditional academic disciplines, but knowledge produced and acquired from outside of the academy.
• Praxis: The SNTCR is focused on action-oriented and change-making works produced with-in and with-out, the academy.
• Amplification of Subaltern Voices: We welcome researchers with intersectional identities whose voices and work are not readily encouraged or accepted by traditional spaces.
• Student-focused: Undergraduate and graduate students are actively encouraged to contribute to the SNTCR.
• Positive academic environments: We take great care to support, and not denigrate or discourage, the research process. SNTCR is meant to be a gateway for other research and programming opportunities.