Decolonising the Curriculum

I feel really fortunate to share that I have been accepted as a Student Research Assistant on a Funded Project in the English Department of my university, the University of Liverpool. The project requires me to conduct a presentation and blog posts on particular aspects of 'Decolonising the Curriculum', and to come up with new ways in which this can be implemented across the department. 

The selection process for the position required me to write a short personal statement on why I wanted to be on the project, as well as my ideas for change. This project is particularly important to me as I believe, very strongly, that people must see themselves reflected in the education they are receiving. In a discipline like English, it is so vital to have authors from different backgrounds and cultures as it best reflects the multi-cultural modern Britain. We have  worryingly seen in the past few years the uptake for English A-level is depleting, students often citing a feeling of disillusionment from the white male narrative that underpins the majority of courses offered by leading exam boards. Whilst the position I have accepted is examining this notion in higher education, I believe that effective change at this level, will have a future knock-on effect at A-level and GCSE as, for example some graduates may return to teaching as a profession. 

Of course, I have always believed 'decolonising'  must go further than adding a couple of non-white authors onto a reading list. Students both at university level, and even back to school level, must be educated to scrutinise the origin of particular works. For example, GCSE Literature students should be taught about the canon and the way in which white imperialism has influenced it's construction. I don't have all the answers, but for Higher education I will be looking into the use of Secondary material and the Peer-reviewing process and how this may be decolonised. 

I may be speculating, but the word, 'decolonising' makes some people quake and shudder. Statue toppling? Hiding objects? Street name changes? My opinion is not to view it as an erasing of history or whatever you understand 'British culture' to be. No. For me decolonising is a more honest reflection and truthful scrutinising of how what we teach and the way we teach it is irrevocably tied up with our Colonial past.

I understand the study of history to be about interpreting the past based on evidence, facts or objects etc. I understand 'decolonising' almost as a passing over of a microphone that has for too long, in British academia, been held by white academics. It is a sharing of a space where new and honest interpretations of both literature and history can be articulated to give a more  beneficial picture of our society. 

It affects all of us too. How we read and interpret our history and literature is an important indicator of our future. Considering the scaremongering of refugees status and xenophobic led politics by the present government, it is vital now more than ever to advocate this change in our education system so we can build a more inclusive future.