Working with Theories of Refusal and Decolonization in Higher Education

This book explores the ethical, epistemological, political, and affective premises of refusing the colonial university and asserts diverse sovereignties and lifeworlds. It views refusal as a necessary first step for educators and students in higher education to invest in radically different modes of futurity and explores how educators and students can invent pedagogies of refusal that function ethically, affectively, and politically. It will be valuable to researchers, scholars, educators, policymakers, and activists in Decolonizing Education, Higher Education Transformation, and Philosophy of Education.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 05 December 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book makes a compelling case for the ethical and political viability of refusal in education. It presents a framework that allows for the exploration of new possibilities and the potential for enriching higher education study and pedagogies in the future. The chapters delve into the ethical, epistemological, political, and affective premises of refusing the colonial university, and they reflect upon the implications of refusal for higher education decolonization across international settings.

Refusal is a political ethos and praxis that actively denies, resists, reframes, and redirects colonial and neoliberal logics. It asserts diverse sovereignties and lifeworlds, challenging the authority of the settler state and remaking the rules of engagement. Unlike resistance, which may reinscribe the weakness of the colonized in the power relations with the colonizer, refusal interrupts the smooth operation of power relations, denying the legitimacy of power over the subjugated.

This collection views refusal not as an end in itself but as a necessary first step for educators and students in higher education to invest in the idea of radically different modes of futurity. It explores how educators and students can invent pedagogies of refusal that are ethically, affectively, and politically effective. The book also raises important questions about how western universities can sustain and support refusal rather than discipline it. It challenges the assumptions that underpin ruling out certain educational futures as out of bounds or impossible.

This book will be of significant interest to researchers, scholars, educators, policymakers, and activists engaged in Decolonizing Education, Higher Education Transformation, and Philosophy of Education. It offers valuable insights and perspectives that can contribute to the ongoing struggle for educational justice and equity.

Weight: 589g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032434384