American scholar Quote by Toni Morrison
““These remarks should not be interpreted as simply an effort to move the gaze of African-American studies to a different site. I do not want to alter one hierarchy in order to institute another. It is true that I do not want to encourage those totalizing approaches to African-American scholarship which have no drive other than the exchange of dominations—dominant Eurocentric scholarship replaced by dominant Afrocentric scholarship. More interesting is what makes intellectual domination possible; how knowledge is transformed from invasion and conquest to revelation and choice; what ignites and informs the literary imagination, and what forces help establish the parameters of criticism.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Future of African‑American Studies, 1995
Critiques shifting dominance in scholarship without creating new hierarchies, urging deeper understanding of knowledge transformation.
In simple terms: Avoid swapping one dominant view for another.
Key Takeaway
Seek inclusive, nuanced scholarship.
Themes
academia
power dynamics
knowledge
African‑American studies
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
theoretical
analytical
When to use this quote
- curriculum design
- research methodology
- public discourse
- teaching strategies
Key Concepts
colonialism
critical theory
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance power in scholarship?
- What alternatives to domination exist?
A Different Perspective
Changing focus may still marginalize voices.
