Proclamations and provocations: Decolonising curriculum in education research and professional practice

Abstract

Given the current resurgence of interest in decolonisation in education and the wider social sciences, this article aims to bring an original contribution to an evolving and important discussion. The methodology of this work is possibly unique in the sense that it allows a range of academics from an English university to voice their decolonising proclamations. The authors of the article are a combination of white, black, Asian and mixed raced colleagues who have come together as part of a support group entitled: ‘Beyond the Threshold: dismantling racism together’. They draw upon their research and apply professional practice in relation to differing aspects of generally decolonising education and specifically decolonising curricula. We believe as a group that the notion of decolonising applies to all sections of education and not only schools, but nurseries, colleges and universities. The objective of this paper is to proclaim our advocacy for the need to decolonise and provoke the reader into reflecting and thinking about her/his feelings, views and experiences on decolonising. We hope this will encourage more research within education contexts into the complexity of decolonising the curriculum, as well as increasing equity in education and society.