Linda Tuhiwai Smith: What’s left if knowledge is decolonised?

28 September 2021 Diversity Reading List Decolonising Knowledge: An online seminar series across four continents https://diversityreadinglist.org/events/ Abstract My talk will pose some questions about the conceptual and practical challenges for decolonising knowledge. The question about ‘what is left?’ confronts a fear that some may hold about a decolonising knowledge agenda but it also identifies the problem of framing our understandings of decolonising approaches. My talk begins with that question. Biography Linda is the author of numerous ground-breaking scholarly works which focus on critical epistemology and indigeneity. Most notably, her book Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous People (1998) traces how Western scholarly research has facilitated the racist exploitation and colonization of indigenous peoples. This book remains today a core contribution to the study of coloniality in the academy and the process of indigenising research methodologies. Most recently, Linda was Professor of Indigenous Education and Māori Development, Pro-Vice Chancellor Māori and Dean of the School of Māori and Pacific Development as well as the founding Director for Te Kotahi Research Institute at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. She was also a founding Joint Director of New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence from 2002-2007 and a Professor of Education at the University of Auckland.