Higher Education, Human Rights, and Settler-Colonialism: Examining Indigenous-Supportive Structures and Policies in 500 Universities Worldwide

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: The Policies and Structures of Higher Education (Table 13)

Abstract

Indigenous communities have historically resisted systems of imperialism and built transnational advocacy movements to institutionalize their collective rights and sovereignties, including in education. This paper examines the extent to which 500 universities across 85 countries have institutionalized structures and policies supporting Indigenous groups. I use organizational and postcolonial theories to motivate quantitative analyses of the mechanisms predicting these university structures/policies. I argue that Indigenous advocacy matters more in explaining changes in higher education, as compared to explanations stemming from countries’ engagement with human rights. However, universities may also seek the status-related benefits of acknowledging Indigeneity through an allegedly diverse curriculum, while continuing to marginalize Indigenous stakeholders themselves. Universities must therefore intentionally allocate resources and opportunities for Indigenous communities.

Author

• Hannah K. D'Apice, Stanford University