Towards a cross-cultural methodological approach to environmental sustainability research

Josephine Ngozi AkahORCID icon and Anthony Chinaemerem AjahORCID icon

Nsukka Journal of Religion and Cultural Studies | Vol 12, No 3(Special Issue: Religion, Politics and Environmental Sustainability) | © 2024 Josephine Ngozi Akah and Anthony Chinaemerem Ajah|This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0

Submitted: 05 Aug., 2024 | Published: 18 Dec., 2024

About the author(s)

  1. Josephine Ngozi Akah, is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
  2. Anthony Chinaemerem Ajah, is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka as well as an AHP Postdoctoral Fellow (2022-2023).

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Abstract

This study examined how cross-cultural methodological approach can improve research on environmental sustainability in Africa. What is considered as the traditional methodological approaches to environmental sustainability in the continent are based on siloed traditions and revelation/intuition, and therefore low in creativity. Worse still, whereas ideas from other cultures could infuse new perspectives, creativity, and innovation, many scholars in areas studies insist on methodological monism because of a deeper interest in preserving cultural identity of the regions they study. This approach negatively affects area studies in general and African studies in particular. Thus, two questions guided this study: (i) how can cross-cultural approach to the study of the environment improve its sustainability in Africa; and (ii) to what degree do traditional approaches to knowledge enhance creativity and innovation to environmental sustainability in Africa? To answer these questions, this study adopted, qualitative research methods. Data for the study were generated from secondary sources and analysed using phenomenological, hermeneutic, and critical philosophical approaches. This study argues that insistence on methodological monism is a disservice to environmental sustainability around the world. The study also demonstrates that exploring and incorporating ideas from non-African – particularly modern scientific frameworks – will be beneficial to the continent.

Keywords

Environmental sustainability research, cross-cultural, African studies, methodological issues, area studies

 

 

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