Colonizing Knowledge: The Hidden Hand of Settler Colonialism in Building a Higher Education Empire

• In Event: 30264 - Witnessing the Violences in and of Empire

Abstract

Settler colonialism upholds oppressive power structures in higher education and informs policy decisions regarding Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs), Native-Serving Institutions (NSIs), and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). The framework of settler colonialism is often conceptualized as a historical phenomenon, but it is instead a permanent fixture that manifests itself across time and space. The higher education landscape is an exemplar of its manifestation. Power brokers attempt to: (1) control which institutions Black and brown individuals have access to; (2) decide the resources available at and the efficacy of these institutions; (3) dictate what is taught while also establishing criteria for “knowledgeability”; and (4) influence life chances of students after their departure from these institutions. This project details the specifics of these mechanisms from the grounds up and how colonial strategies have either changed or, in many ways, stayed the same across the entirety of the United States racialized history.

Author

• Parker Martin, University of Michigan