Engaging the Struggle for Decolonial Approaches to Teaching Community Psychology

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Decolonial Studies
• Indigenous Psychology

Background:

• Traditional community psychology narratives overlook contributions from marginalized global communities.
• Modernity and coloniality have shaped the social sciences, including community psychology.
• There is a need to critically examine existing curricula and pedagogical approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge coloniality within community psychology and social sciences.
• To co-construct a decolonial curriculum integrating diverse knowledge systems.
• To foster critical dialogues on modernity, coloniality, and decoloniality.

Main Methods:

• Engaging with Indigenous psychologists, decolonial theorists, and cultural workers.
• Examining curriculum and pedagogy, including fieldwork and research methods.
• Collaborating with graduate students and faculty to co-construct curriculum.

Main Results:

• Unmasking hegemonic assumptions in social sciences and community psychology.
• Creating space for decolonial theory and practice.
• Integrating knowledge from historically silenced locations and anti-racist praxes.

Conclusions:

• Decolonial approaches are essential for a more inclusive and equitable community psychology.
• Co-constructing decolonial curricula can challenge colonial legacies in academia.
• Integrating diverse praxes enriches the field and promotes thriving knowledges.