De/colonization: perspectives on/by indigenous populations in global Canadian contexts

ABSTRACT

This article offers systematic review of literature on the educational colonization of Indigenous populations within global Canadian contexts. Questions guiding this study were, ‘What colonizing dynamics exist in education for Canadian aboriginal populations, and what decolonizing dynamics suggest progress or advancement?’ Across disciplines, sources were located with perspectives on decolonizing education for aboriginal populations, in addition to policy reforms and effects on aboriginal learning. Using a document analysis approach, 85 articles and reports identifying colonizing and decolonizing dynamics were analyzed. Four overarching themes revealing de/colonizing dynamics within Canada emerged: colonizing through testing cultures; building Indigenous education system-wide; unsettling colonial teaching and learning; and unpacking discourse central to decolonization. What Canadian Indigenous literature imparts about colonization and the future is socially, politically, and educationally important. Tribal justice – an enduring problem of humanity – is a collective and global responsibility for which interventions are needed. Social, political, and educational recommendations from the literature are advanced for building up a glocal perspective that enriches the contribution of this work to the wider literature.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the US-Fulbright: World Learning: Global Development & Exchange: A Program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (FSP-P000185).

Notes on contributors

Carol A. Mullen

Carol A. Mullen, PhD, is Professor of Educational Leadership at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Email: [email protected]. She is a twice-awarded U.S. Fulbright Scholar (China 2015 and Canada 2017). Her recent edited book is Creativity under duress in education? Resistive theories, practices, and actions (Springer, Switzerland, 2019). She authored Creativity and education in China: Paradox and possibilities for an era of accountability (Routledge, 2017) and co-edited Education policy perils: Tackling the tough issues (Routledge, 2016). She is recipient of the 2018–2019 Alumni Award for Excellence in Research from Virginia Tech and the 2016 Jay D. Scribner Mentoring Award from the University Council for Educational Administration.