Towards Decolonization of Our Written Words and Practice

Even though we have been talking about decolonization for several years, how does it actually play out in practice while we are ensconced within Northern academia and knowledge structures? In this presentation we outline some of the difficulties of inserting conversations which do not quite fit the canons of what constitutes sociological “theory.” We discuss the production and curation of knowledge streams, but, more importantly, how to get these to a new generation in a way that it does not remain an add-on of knowledge from other parts of the world. Knowledge production includes worlds of publishers, reviewers, prestige of outlets, and the intense pressure to conform to the expectations academia demands within current assessment regimes. However, apart from the task of publication, there is intense political pressure on teaching in countries like the US, that has to reflect "student needs" and comfort levels. The presentation outlines some efforts towards linking the production of knowledge and teaching undergraduates, as well as many remaining challenges and dilemmas.