RECLAIMING IDENTITY(IES): CULTURE AND INFORMAL LEARNING IN AFRICA AND DIASPORA

Abstract

In this article, we examined how cultural identity reconstruction can be fostered through informal learning practices and how indigenous knowledge can be integrated into formal education to strengthen adult professional identity in Africa and the African Diaspora. Leveraging on the post-colonial theory, Brookfield’s critical theory of adult learning, and transformative learning theory by Mezirow, this article argues that there is a need for deliberate engagement with indigenous knowledge systems and informal learning traditions to be able to reclaim African identities. Employing an interpretive hermeneutic approach and a comprehensive literature review, this article projects the lingering effects of slavery, colonial rule and globalisation on the African culture and identity (ies) while providing workable strategies aimed at incorporating indigenous knowledge into prevailing educational frameworks. The findings lend weight to the transformative rather than the assumed supplementary potentiality of informal learning to offer culturally affirming spaces that heal historical wounds, uphold communal values and bolsters the professional identity of adults. Employing an interpretive hermeneutic approach and extensive literature review, the study highlights the enduring impacts of slavery, colonialism, and globalization on African culture and identity while presenting strategies for integrating indigenous knowledge into contemporary educational frameworks. Findings underscore that informal learning is not merely supplementary but transformative, offering culturally affirming spaces that bridge historical ruptures, sustain communal values, and enhance adult professional identity.