Perspectives from A Convening

This special issue of the International Journal of Africana Stud­ies brings together papers and conversations ad­dressing  the needs of Black Studies from an ideologically di­verse group of scholars. During an intense two-day convening in New York City, participants engaged in provocative discussions re­gard­ing neces­sary actions for sustaining and further developing the field. Though perspectives varied, conversations revealed that the field is broad enough to accommodate diverse methodological and ide­o­log­ical perspectives.

The discussions were structured around nine questions. This special issue contains position papers pre­sented by twenty-one schol­ars and excerpts of the conversations that devel­oped out of each of the nine questions. The convening and this special issue are intended to provoke dialogue that pro­motes the field as a core of understandings and purposes. The focus on a core is chosen as a vehicle to strengthen and consoli­date the disci­pline rather than hav­ing it operate on competing visions pulling away in separate di­rec­tions.

marilyn m. thomas-houston, Special Issue Editor