Anticolonial terms
Adopting an anticolonial approach is vital for dismantling oppressive structures. By working towards decolonizing research practices, one can foster a space of equity, solidarity and inclusivity.
Anticolonialism
Marshall Campbell
Anticolonialism is the refusal to be complicit in the ongoing colonial practices of settler states (Liboiron et al., 2024). Its most straightforward principle is the interruption of presumed settler access to Indigeneity— this includes attitudes toward Indigenous land, ideas, stuff, and people. Anticolonialism can be understood as something that is practiced in the absence of decolonization (returning control of colonized land to Indigenous people; Liboiron et al., 2024). It requires that one does not stop at critiques of colonialism and its associated ideologies but moves forward to action. This action involves reflecting on and resisting the dominant systems that are present in our daily lives. It requires recognition of uneven relations and an understanding that all actions are implicated in the oppressive systems we seek to deconstruct (Liboiron et al., 2021). Anticolonial praxis and resistance take multiple forms. Refusing to participate in colonial systems and practices, learning and educating others about colonialism, naming our own mistakes and complacencies, and dealing with harm concretely are all ways that anticolonialism is practiced (Liboiron et al., 2024). In the academic context, anticolonialism requires a commitment to ethical and equitable research practices that involve consultation with and benefit for Indigenous people and communities (Morton-Ninomiya & Pollock, 2017).
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(Photo credit to Kazal, 2020)
Studying up
Katie Bouwman
Studying up refers to the practice of completing research that is focused on those with cultural, economic and political power. It aims to focus on these individuals as they have the power that allows them to make decision over other communities. By doing this, the research is no longer focused on the marginalized communities and rather on the source of the problem (Kivell et al., 2017). This type of research is meant to stray away from the focus on those who stand out in society and to identify any power relationships that occur (Barabas, 2020). This research is done so that researchers can recognize the hierarchy present in society that is responsible for creating the conditions that cause marginalized groups to experience barriers (Barabas, 2020). For example, when doing anticolonial work, instead of sharing knowledge that has been circulated by those in power, we should share information about how this knowledge has been created and who is being harmed by it (Liboiron et al., 2024). The type of research that that studying up provides allows for those being educated to make their own decisions about how those who hold power have abused it. It also allows them to know the whole story instead of the edited version that those with power want heard.
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(Photo credit to Olsen, 2019)
Theorizing through chores
Chloe Jackson
“Theorizing through chores” is a phrase used by Max Liboiron et al. (2024) to describe a process of embodying ideological beliefs through purposeful action and labour. In academia, social scientists often spend much of their time theorizing about ways to move towards change and social justice, but few people are willing to put their theories into practice beyond the walls of the university institution. Liboiron et al. (2024) argues that a big part of doing anticolonial work, both in the natural and social sciences, as well as in other disciplines, rests in actually doing things, rather than simply thinking and theorizing in the classroom. Regardless of the type of work being done, to allow for deeper, more meaningful discussions to be had and for colonial methods of knowledge production to be decentered, it is crucial to engage in the field with the subjects of your work when making decisions, designing research methods, and solving problems (Liboiron et al., 2024). Doing research from an anticolonial feminist practice or being in solidarity with scholars of this work requires more than a stated commitment to the cause; this framework should compel researchers to do hands-on work that will deepen their theoretical understandings, and it should actively inform the approach to examining research questions. However, and importantly, doing chores and embodying your beliefs does not always mean getting involved; it can sometimes look like getting out of the way in spaces where your presence is detractive or intrusive, allowing other individuals and groups typically at the margins to exercise power and agency (Liboiron et al., 2024).
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(Photo credit to Sutton, 2020)
