WK 2

What is Decolonising about?

It’s about expanding and diversifying what we get to count as knowledge. How historically marginalised groups had been silenced and shut out from the world knowledge system. If we only listen to one voice and only one voice, we limit what we perceive in the world - LIMITED VIEW

The dominant knowledge is from the Northern hemisphere - also known as imperial knowledge. Knowledge is also in written form, particularly in English. It limits those who do not have the capacity to read or speak English from having access to Eurocentric knowledge. Even in the North, it still limits it’s lower class and illiterate people despite being able to speak English.

Marginalised?

• people who cannot speak english

• non-western and non-northern

• indigenous people who often share knowledge orally

Schools play a large roll in diversifying knowledge. They are literally the institutions that spread knowledge. They have the responsibility to decolonise and expand. Because of this, if education is not diverse, students pay feel a disconnect.

My Positionality: Activity

As an Asian Australian I grew up learning a variety of histories. However, I feel as though I was never fully informed about my Asian heritage in the traditional education system despite how multi-cultural Australia is. Many people like me feel a distinct disconnect from their culture as they were never formally educated about it and only know what their parents and family have taught them. I believe that there is a need to decolonize knowledge in schools to offer a wider range of specialized histories. Additionally, I think that exploring the cultural traditions that are ingrained in that history would be beneficial to not only the student belonging to that culture, but also the whole diverse population. It would prevent the students from having a limited view on the world.

Thanks