Academic Colonialism and the Indigenous Student Experience in the United States

• In Event: 25.068 - Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: 25.068-2 - Indigenous College Students' Experiences: Identity, Mentorship, and Promising Practices

Abstract

Colleges and universities, faced with the low recruitment and retention of Indigenous students, often design programs to support Indigenous students solely based on their racial/cultural identity and do not consider the potential influence of colonialism on their experiences in higher education. This paper presents the results of a qualitative study on Indigenous students’ experiences with colonialism in the academy. Findings include the different phases of academic colonialism students experience during their time on campus and how academic colonialism is regulated through scholarly disciplines, funding practices, grading, curriculum development, student opportunities, and occurs in both academic and cultural spaces on campus. Understanding the influence of academic colonialism is one of the first steps in decolonizing the academy.

Author

• Stephanie Masta, Purdue University