When the music changes, so should the dance: cultural and spiritual considerations in paradigm ‘proliferation’

Abstract

This paper explores the subtle (and often not so subtle) cultural, social, political and spiritual meanings behind the very notion of paradigm ‘proliferation’ including the often exclusionary intentions and implications in how research is undertaken, represented and for what (and whose) purposes. Dealing with these contested meanings brings a particularized paradox for scholars of color as we seek to imagine, create, and embrace new and useful paradigms from and through which we engage in educational research. For Black feminist scholars in particular, there are deep and serious implications in choosing to embrace paradigms that resonate with our spirit as well as our intellect, regardless of issues of ‘proliferation.’ Towards this end, I put forth the notion of an endarkened feminist epistemology, as a way forward in this paradigm proliferation discussion.

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to express her deep and sincere appreciation to State University of New York (SUNY) Press for permission to reprint, in this article, portions of Chapter 1, ‘The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen: examining an endarkened feminist epistemology in educational research and leadership’ and Chapter 2, ‘What is it and where does it live?: towards defining spirit within a research and teaching paradigm,’ both from my upcoming book entitled On spiritual striving: transforming an African American woman’s academic life.