01 / Reading Guide
Reading Guide
Who this book is for
For students studying postcolonial and decolonial social thought through a concrete institution. Scholars, teachers and activists examine both the possibilities and tensions of university change. The collection is especially useful for asking how the production and validation of knowledge are related to histories of power, resources and exclusion.
Prerequisites
Introductory social theory, colonial history or sociology of education is recommended. Be able to distinguish diversity, inclusion, decolonisation and institutional change rather than treating the terms as interchangeable slogans.
What it covers
Three parts address historical and disciplinary contexts, institutional initiatives and decolonial reflections. Topics include Rhodes Must Fall, race and the neoliberal university, philosophy, asylum, diversity initiatives, Black Studies, curriculum and research. The contributions do not reduce decolonisation to substituting names on a reading list: they examine structures, practices and contested aims across different settings.
How to use it
Choose one chapter and state precisely what its author means by decolonisation, which problem is being identified and what change would count as success. Compare it with a chapter that works at another institutional scale. Examine a syllabus or public university policy using evidence about its decisions and resources, not just the vocabulary it uses. Write a proposal that names responsible actors, possible tensions and a way to assess consequences. Include a serious objection and consider whether the proposal addresses it.
Edition and sources
Pluto published the edited book in August 2018. The PDF ISBN is distinct from its paperback and other electronic formats. The complete publisher-authorised JSTOR edition offers all chapters free; consult the specific licence and image notices for reuse. These are contributions to an ongoing debate, with institutional examples that should be historically situated rather than assumed to describe every university today. Official complete reading route.
