Agency Reduction Formation: The Origin and Development of a Practical Theory

Abstract

The disciplinary credo for Africana Studies is Academic Excellence and Social Responsibility. Africana Studies as an academic discipline is charged with the responsibility to operate from this position, not in the abstract, but as an actionable modality that manifests itself in the nature of the work being done by African-centered scholars. Clearly, the 21st century beckons the emergence of a theoretical construct, that advances the recognition and illumination of systems of thought which are antithetical to the well-being of people of African descent. This work introduces the theoretical construct Agency Reduction Formation (ARF) as a practical theory to guide Applied Africana Studies practitioners in their respective work and to re-energize the necessity of collective efficacy for people of African descent.