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Okoli, SE, 2023. Decolonising psychology curricula in Westernised universities: developing theories from the South. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.
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Abstract
Background: Decoloniality has emerged as a highly debated concept within academic discourse, with scholars offering contrasting perspectives on its implications. However, most decolonial scholars agree that decolonising higher education seeks to centre all epistemic voices in knowledge production. Others view decoloniality as cultural policing or historical erasure. This thesis challenges the assumption that the university is a neutral ground that should not be corrupted by positionalities and positions decoloniality within an intellectual critique of the university as a colonial tool, arguing for a nuanced understanding of the university as an ideological apparatus rooted in colonialism that at the same time can become an agent of change and promoter of counter-hegemonic discourse.
More so, the psychology discipline is critiqued for systemic biases in what is studied, how it is studied, and who undertakes the research. To address this research problem, decolonial scholars advocate for approaches in research and pedagogy that centre diverse voices. However, the impact of coloniality on historically marginalised psychologists and their effort to decolonise the curricula in Westernised universities have not been studied from a qualitative perspective.
Thesis Aims: The overarching aim of this research is to inform decolonising the psychology curricula in Westernised universities by exploring the lived experiences of historically marginalised psychologists (HMPs), identifying coloniality within psychology, its reproduction in curricula, the structures that maintain it, and the transformative actions taking place to decolonise the curricula.
Methods: This qualitative research design adopted a constructivist grounded theory approach. Twenty-two (n=22) participants from five countries across three continents were interviewed, with two (n=2) participants interviewed twice to ensure theoretical saturation.
Results: The research developed a framework and a substantive theory to inform decolonising Westernised psychology curricula. The substantive theory, grounded in the lived experiences of historically marginalised psychologists (HMPs), identifies four core categories: conscientisation, institutional and systemic barriers, uni-versity to pluri-versity, and taking transformative action. These categories, along with their sub-categories, provide a comprehensive framework for understanding and addressing the coloniality embedded within psychology curricula.
Conclusion: The substantive theory developed in this research provides a comprehensive framework for decolonising psychology curricula by addressing the coloniality embedded within academic structures and promoting epistemic pluralism. By centring the voices of historically marginalised psychologists, this thesis offers significant insights for transforming psychology educational practices and fostering a more equitable and inclusive academic environment.
Limitations: The research does not delve into specific curriculum structures, organisation, or content, focusing instead on broader ontological and epistemological critiques.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Creators: | Okoli, S.E. |
| Contributors: | Name Role NTU ID ORCID Andrews, S. Thesis supervisor NTU3ANDRES UNSPECIFIED |
| Date: | December 2023 |
| Rights: | The author holds the copyright in this work. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed to the author. |
| Divisions: | Schools > School of Social Sciences |
| Record created by: | Laura Ward |
| Date Added: | 15 Nov 2024 16:54 |
| Last Modified: | 15 Nov 2024 16:54 |
| URI: | https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/52586 |
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