Decolonizing your syllabus is different than including some Indigenous writers in the schedule. A thread.
Inclusion is a form of diversification but it can also be violent. Inviting voices into spaces not built for them can often work against the well-intentioned goals of inclusion.
This is what is meant by tokenism where inclusion = sufficient action, but no structures change.
Also, colonialism is about settler/colonials gaining access to Indigenous land, knowledge, cultuare, etc, & mere inclusion of Indigenous writers, obtaining and "integrating" ideas to
enrich settler education can be a form of colonialism. Probably not your goal! So what to do?
First, I highly recommend reading Tuck and Yang's "Decolonization is not a metaphor," which talks about education explicitly.
Decolonization means the repatriation of Indigenous Land and life. How do you do that in a classroom? You can start by learning & teaching about the colonial roots & ongoing structures
in your discipline. Botany? See Schiebinger & Swan's "Colonial Botany."
Statistics? Walter & Andersen's "Indigenous Statistics." Environmental studies? Grove's "Green Imperialism." But don't @ me for more- in truth & reconciliation learning the truths of
colonization is literally your job. Doing the work is crucial. Doing it w/ students is better.
A syllabus that shows how your discipline benefits from & perpetuates colonialism then working w/ students & colleagues to teach, do research & become citizens that do not perpetuate
those patterns so Indingeous land & life is repatriated..that's decolonizing your syllabus.
Twitter Thread by Max Liboiron
https://twitter.com/MaxLiboiron/status/1160131991498567682
Decolonizing your syllabus is different than including some Indigenous writers in the schedule. A thread.
Inclusion is a form of diversification but it can also be violent. Inviting voices into spaces not built for them can often work against the well-intentioned goals of inclusion.
This is what is meant by tokenism where inclusion = sufficient action, but no structures change.
Also, colonialism is about settler/colonials gaining access to Indigenous land, knowledge, cultuare, etc, & mere inclusion of Indigenous writers, obtaining and "integrating" ideas to enrich settler education can be a form of colonialism. Probably not your goal! So what to do?
First, I highly recommend reading Tuck and Yang's "Decolonization is not a metaphor," which talks about education explicitly.
Decolonization is not the same as inclusion, truth & reconciliation. (link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/des/article/view/18630) jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/des/…
Decolonization means the repatriation of Indigenous Land and life. How do you do that in a classroom? You can start by learning & teaching about the colonial roots & ongoing structures in your discipline. Botany? See Schiebinger & Swan's "Colonial Botany."
Statistics? Walter & Andersen's "Indigenous Statistics." Environmental studies? Grove's "Green Imperialism." But don't @ me for more- in truth & reconciliation learning the truths of colonization is literally your job. Doing the work is crucial. Doing it w/ students is better.
A syllabus that shows how your discipline benefits from & perpetuates colonialism then working w/ students & colleagues to teach, do research & become citizens that do not perpetuate those patterns so Indingeous land & life is repatriated..that's decolonizing your syllabus.