Decolonizing academic identities in postcolonial higher education: A collaborative framework for Africa and the Caribbean

Novel Lena Folabit () and Loyiso Currell Jita ()

Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology, 2025, vol. 9, issue 1, 1163-1172

Abstract: This conceptual paper critically examines the persistent influence of colonial structures on higher education in the Caribbean and Africa, particularly in shaping academic identities that remain tethered to Eurocentric knowledge systems. The paper argues that while there have been efforts to decolonize curricula, these attempts are often limited by entrenched Western frameworks that sustain the marginalization of indigenous epistemologies. The paper proposes a collaborative framework that enables Caribbean and African academics to reconstruct their professional identities by actively integrating indigenous knowledge into academic curricula, research, and pedagogical practices. Drawing on some decolonial theorists such as Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and Linda Tuhiwai Smith, the framework underscores linguistic and cultural reclamation as essential processes in redefining academic roles. Cross-regional partnerships, professional development programs, and curriculum reforms are posited as essential mechanisms to foster epistemological diversity, offering academic pathways to authentic engagement with local cultural contexts. The study advocates for institutional restructuring that challenges colonial legacies, advances inclusive leadership, and supports decolonial practices as a means of transforming higher education. This study contributes to scholarship by providing an analytical framework for decolonizing academic identities, and fostering an inclusive and contextually relevant academic environment that addresses the intellectual needs of postcolonial societies.

Keywords: Academic identity; Decolonization; Epistemological diversity; Higher education; Indigenous knowledge. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://learning-gate.com/index.php/2576-8484/article/view/4366/1677 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ajp:edwast:v:9:y:2025:i:1:p:1163-1172:id:4366

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology from Learning Gate
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Melissa Fernandes ().