Amplifying Anti-Colonial Methodologies in the White Institution

Disrupting colonial methodologies requires a multifaceted strategy, given how entrenched western-centric practices are in (white-majority) academic and research institutions. A commitment to anti-colonial research methodologies must be supported by anti-colonial practices in the classroom, as one agenda cannot progress without the other. This includes focussing on First Nations and majority world knowledges and research praxis.

Research methods courses tend to be designed and taught from a western perspective, with minimal content on how to ‘decolonise’ research cultures and methodologies. A principle that informs my teaching approach is ‘decolonial imaginings’ (Bell et al. 2020), which means building an educational setting that fosters radical hope alongside student movements to decolonise the university. Since I had taught qualitative research methods courses over many years, I initially focussed on incremental changes to existing courses, such as adding select resources on decolonising research to reading lists – a common albeit inconsequential strategy. It became clear that, to realise the full potential of ‘decolonial imaginings’, a more fundamental rethink of my teaching approach was needed.

Influenced by international movements such as Rhodes Must Fall and Why isn’t my Professor Black / Why is My Curriculum White?, I have used my scholarship on anti-colonial research to revitalise educational practices via a new course design and reimagining outdated content. This presentation will reflect on my experiences teaching two courses on anti-colonial methodologies to share practical strategies that worked well and the obstacles that need addressing. I explain how my scholarship on anti-colonial praxis has shaped my teaching strategy to guide students to consider questions such as Whose knowledge counts? or what forms of knowing are prioritised in academic contexts characterised by white normativity.