Whose Knowledge Counts? Colonial legacies, epistemic justice and the challenge of intercultural and indigenous universities

Abstract

The production of academic knowledge remains shaped by enduring colonial legacies and global power asymmetries. These continue to privilege certain institutions, languages and epistemologies, while marginalising others. Despite widespread commitments to internationalisation and inclusion, dominant academic systems often perpetuate exclusion through neoliberal forms of evaluation and recognition.

In this seminar, Professor Carolina Guzmán Valenzuela considers how dominant academic norms marginalise Indigenous perspectives and those from the Global South. She also explores how some institutions, notably intercultural and Indigenous universities in Latin America, are seeking to challenge these dynamics from within. Drawing on comparative research in the region, Professor Guzmán Valenzuela will explore how such institutions attempt to reconfigure what counts as legitimate knowledge. She will also reflect on the possibilities and limitations of these efforts within the broader landscape of higher education.

This seminar invites cross-disciplinary dialogue on epistemic justice. What kinds of institutions, collaborations and practices might foster more pluralistic and equitable knowledge ecologies, both within and beyond the university?

Questions for reflection:

• How do our own institutions and disciplines shape what is recognised as legitimate knowledge?
• What kinds of knowledge, voices or experiences are marginalised in your field, and why?
• Could Intercultural or Indigenous universities help us to reimagine the purposes of the university and the worldviews it should prioritise?
• What would it take to transition from inclusion policies to actual epistemic pluralism in research, teaching and evaluation practices?

Places are limited and so any academic colleagues or students interested in attending in person must register here for a place. 

More information about Professor Carolina Guzmán Valenzuela