Demystifying the mainstream : moving from theories to stories

Abstract

Africa, as we have it today, is a direct implication of the researches of the past. Likewise, the future of Africa depends on the quality and relevance of current researches and innovations in education and society. However, in recent years, researchers such as Clegg (2012), Hammond (2018) and Wood, Phan and Wright (2018) have problematized the contemporary relevance and usage of theories in researches. Oftentimes, the impact and understandability of an idea are sacrificed at the altar of theorizing. In such cases, theories and structures are given more attention than the potential impact and contribution of the researcher’s idea. Are theories truly problematic? How do we reconcile the place of theory in contemporary researches and education? How can theorizing be rid of its abstractive tendencies? How can theorizing be decolonized? What are the alternatives to the mainstream approach to theorizing? All these are the questions this chapter seeks to raise and attempt to answer. The argument in this chapter shall be based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s ideas on storytelling and Sir Ken Robinson’s ideas on seeking creativity as an alternative to rigid adherence to a standardized curriculum.