Abstract
This essay explores the evolving landscape of colonialism
education, tracing changes in pedagogical approaches, content, and perspectives
since the 1970s while considering current political dynamics. In the 1970s, colonialism education was
largely shaped by lingering colonial ideologies and Eurocentric
narratives. Scholars and educators often
portrayed colonialism as a civilizing mission, downplaying its violence,
exploitation, and cultural erasure. This
perspective reflected the social unrest of the era, driven by civil rights
movements and the Vietnam War. However,
as the 1980s progressed, educators from diverse backgrounds began to challenge
these Eurocentric narratives. Research
expanded to include the history of Africa, South and Central America, Asia, and
the Pacific Islands, leading to the development of critical pedagogy." This challenged Eurocentric narratives,
paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable approach to teaching
colonialism including a decolonization movement within education, among other
changes. Despite these positive changes,
challenges persist. Resistance to
changing narratives and the politicization of education, exemplified by debates
over Critical Race Theory (CRT), pose obstacles to a more inclusive and
critical approach to colonialism education.
Some advocates for a traditional and "patriotic"
interpretation of colonial history hindered progress. From the Eurocentrism of the 1970s to
decolonization efforts today, the journey has been substantial. Yet, the responsibility lies with educators
to continue evolving the approaches to teach colonialism education, ensuring
future generations possess a comprehensive and critical understanding of this
complex historical phenomenon.
Evolving Perspectives in Colonialism Education: From
Eurocentrism to Decolonization
Colonialism,
a historical and socio-political phenomenon characterized by the domination of
one nation over another, has left an indelible mark on the world. The legacies of colonialism continue to shape
contemporary societies, making it a crucial subject for educational
institutions. However, the way
colonialism is taught in schools and universities has evolved significantly
over the past five decades. This article
briefly explores the changing landscape of colonialism education, focusing on
the pedagogical approaches, content, and perspectives that have emerged since
the 1970s and possible directions given today’s political climate.
In the
1970s, the teaching of colonialism was largely influenced by the remnants of
colonial ideologies and Eurocentric narratives.
Scholars and educators often presented colonialism as a civilizing
mission, emphasizing the supposed benefits brought to colonized nations. According to Fiala and Landford (1987), this
perspective was evident in curricula and textbooks, which downplayed the
violence, exploitation, and cultural erasure that characterized colonial rule. This is not surprising considering the social
unrest that occurred because of the various civil rights movements and the
Vietnam War. The educator that sought to
maintain pedagogical conservatism, found a similar mind set to George Orwell in
his short work “Shooting an Elephant” where he stated, “All I knew was I was
stuck between my hate for the empire I served and my rage for the evil little beasts
who tried to make my job impossible.” This
can be seen echoed in the book In the Closing of the American Mind by Allan
Bloom (1987) in the passage “the recent education of openness has rejected all
of that. It pays no attention to natural
rights or the historical origins of our regime which are now thought to have
been an essentially flawed and regressive.”
This point of view can also be seen in materials used to teach the
history of colonialism such as The Story of America by Alan Collins
(1953) in which little mention is made of indigenous people whether Samoan
islanders, Filipinos, Cubanos, or Puerto Ricans and all attention is placed on
the colonizing nation whether Germany, United Kingdom, or United States.
However,
as time progressed into the 1980s the students that represented “the evil
little beasts” to the educators of the 1970s found themselves in growing
numbers responsible for teaching not only secondary students but also the ones
that were teaching the next generation of educators which as a result of the
growth of a diversified educational experience that saw the rise of research in
areas such as the history of Africa,
South and Central America and Asia and the Pacific islands. Academics began to look closer at these areas,
as well as the methods that had been used to examine these areas. As a result, you see books being produced
like Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of Hope which played a pivotal role in the
transformation of colonialism education.
Freire's (2014) ideas on critical pedagogy and the importance of
empowering students to question and challenge dominant narratives had a
profound influence on the way colonialism was taught.
The
1990s witnessed a significant shift in the teaching of colonialism, as critical
pedagogy gained prominence. Educators
began to challenge traditional narratives and encouraged students to critically
analyze colonial history and its impact on colonized societies. As noted by N. Ray Hiner, in the article Education
for the 1990s and Beyond: The Case for Academic Imperialism, the most striking
characteristic of the history of education is the growing inclusiveness…historians
of education now give greater attention to topics such as gender class, race,
ethnicity, and region (p. 137-160).” Though
to the actual degree this was implemented varied greatly based on the beliefs
of the individual school districts, a trend that unfortunately has continued.
Despite
the conservative push back, the 21st century saw the emergence of postcolonial
perspectives in colonialism education. These
perspectives emphasized the voices and experiences of colonized peoples,
offering a more holistic and inclusive understanding of colonialism.
Edward
Said's groundbreaking work Orientalism (2003) encouraged scholars and
educators to reconsider their approach to colonialism. Said's critique of Western representations of
the East challenged the Eurocentric narratives that had long dominated
colonialism education. In recent years,
there has been a growing movement to decolonize the curriculum and make
colonialism education more inclusive and equitable. This involves acknowledging the voices and
perspectives of Indigenous and marginalized communities affected by
colonialism. Linda Tuhiwai Smith's (2012)
work on decolonizing research methodologies provides insights into the broader
decolonization movement in education. Her
emphasis on the importance of indigenous knowledge and perspectives has
influenced efforts to decolonize colonialism education.
While
the evolution of colonialism education is promising, it is not without its
challenges and controversies. Resistance
to changing narratives and the persistence of Eurocentric viewpoints continue
to be obstacles to a more inclusive and critical approach to teaching
colonialism. This coupled with the
United States becoming increasingly politically polarized in recent years. This polarization has extended to debates
about education, with colonialism being a contentious topic. On one side, there are those who advocate for
a more critical and inclusive approach to teaching colonial history,
highlighting its impacts on indigenous populations and marginalized communities. On the other side, there are those who argue
for a more traditional and “patriotic” interpretation of colonial history,
emphasizing the achievements of European settlers. It is this politicalization and pressures
from outside academia that has led some to turn to Critical Race Theory (CRT) as
a political football and a detrimental way of demonstrating their “patriotism” by
passing legislation that restrict or bans the teaching of CRT in K-12 schools
and colleges, impacting how colonialism is taught. This is forcing teachers to choose between teaching
their conscience or the curriculum which is taking a step backwards.
The
teaching of colonialism has undergone significant transformations over the last
50 years, reflecting changing societal values, academic paradigms, and a
growing awareness of the need for inclusivity and equity in education. From Eurocentric narratives in the 1970s to
critical pedagogy in the 1990s, postcolonial perspectives in the 21st century,
the current movement to decolonize the curriculum, and the recent politicization
of colonialism education has come a long way.
However, challenges remain in overcoming resistance to change and
fostering a more comprehensive understanding of colonialism that honors the
experiences of colonized peoples. As
educators, it is our responsibility to continue evolving our approach to
colonialism education, ensuring that future generations are equipped with a
critical and inclusive understanding of this complex historical phenomenon.
References
Bloom, Allan. The closing of the american mind. Simon & Schuster Inc.
Collins, Alan C. The story of america in pictures. Doubleday & Company
Inc.
Fiala, R., &
Lanford, A. G. (1987). Educational ideology
and the world
educational revolution, 1950-1970. Comparative Education Review, 31(3),
315–332.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1188568
Freire, P. (1994). Pedagogy of hope: Reliving pedagogy of the
oppressed.
Continuum.
Hiner, N. R. (1990). History of education for the 1990s and
beyond: The
case for academic Imperialism. History of Education Quarterly,
30(2), 137–160. https://doi.org/10.2307/368654
Said, E. W. (2003). Orientalism. Vintage Books.
Tuhiwai Smith, L.
(2012). Decolonizing methodologies:
Research and
indigenous peoples. Zed Books.
