“A true work of unlearning for relearning! Erudite, lucid, profound, this book successfully shakes the foundations of Western messianism.” - Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Professor and Chair of Epistemologies of the Global South, University of Bayreuth
“Jenna N. Hanchey is a brilliant storyteller, who leaves no theoretical or political stone unturned as she continually interrogates the relationships between selves and others in a complex contact zone. Her narratives of life at the Tanzanian NGO are well crafted, and her research site becomes a powerful location for her to examine her own positionality in relation to land, white masculinity, and the colonial context in which the myth of the white savior permeates every interaction.” - Aimee Carrillo Rowe, author of Power Lines: On the Subject of Feminist Alliances
"In The Center Cannot Hold, Jenna Hanchey rigorously dismantles the assumption that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide aid to countries in the Global South are fundamentally good and beneficial to the people they seek to help. Eloquently and engrossingly, Hanchey turns this assumption on its head by first tackling the underlying (neo)colonialist mentality that forms the basis of Western aid." - Lana Medina, Women's Studies in Communication
"The Center Cannot Hold is an empowering and inspiring read relevant for audiences in rhetorical studies, critical cultural and media studies, international development studies, as well as for anyone who is seeking a deep engagement with the concept of reflexivity." - Faizat Oladunni Asifat, Rhetoric Society Quarterly
"Jenna Hanchey’s The Center Cannot Hold stands as a vital critique of the persistent onslaught of theoretical and conceptual innovations by western theorists entrenched in neoliberal assumptions that are, by design, doomed to fail African lands, peoples, knowledges, and futures. . . . Hanchey’s interdisciplinary text emerges as a welcome contribution that promises significant use and value for scholars across disciplines, levels of inquiry, and theoretical orientations. It also serves as a valuable resource for non-academic activists, educators, and professionals involved in community planning and development." - Liahnna Stanley, Quarterly Journal of Speech
"The Center Cannot Hold is . . . in equal parts deeply moving, theoretically savvy, and filled with many vivid and engrossing descriptions, many readers will find the book and the arguments it makes eloquently written." - Kundai Chirindo, Quarterly Journal of Speech
"Rhetorical scholars have a lot to learn from Hanchey’s impactful ethnographic work. She challenges rhetorical scholars to take risks with their methodology and to open up the spaces for the canon to fall apart in order for decolonial possibilities to emerge. This is not an easy task for western subjects who have been socialized to view the Global South as a desolate place and the people there devoid of theory. I believe this book will have a lasting impact on the emerging field of African communication studies, rhetorical studies, and organizational studies." - Godfried Asante, Quarterly Journal of Speech
“The Center Cannot Hold offers unique insight into the rhetoric of both neocolonialism and decolonization as she considers her own experiences in and out of an NGO in Tanzania. . . . Hanchey's scholarship teaches us that collapse can be generative, or even productive; that often for change to happen something needs to give.”
- Allison Pujol,
E3W Review of Books
“The Center Cannot Hold offers an extensive and original perspective on the operational difficulties faced by NGOs in postcolonial contexts. Hanchey’s work is stimulating, provocative, and timely.”
- Felicity Sena Dogbatse,
Rhetoric & Public Affairs
"Hanchey’s work offers a compelling critique of development paradigms, blending critical development studies, postcolonial theory, and decolonial praxis. Her integration of rhetoric, anthropology, and feminist theory forms a robust framework, while her ethnographic approach grounds theory in lived experiences. By connecting concepts to her observations and personal encounters, Hanchey provides rich context that guides readers through the narrative." - Nomeh A. Kanayo, Journal of Global South Studies
