Decolonising knowledge production in Global Health and Social Medicine

The keynote speakers – all with extensive experience in decolonisation work – shared insights on the importance of shaping research according to local cultural knowledge and including diverse voices in shaping knowledge production.

Participants were able to exchange honest and brave discussions on decolonisation, and the day resulted in a collective call to reinstate the urgent need to decolonise how knowledge is produced, as well as the need to produce concrete strategies to decolonise higher education.

Symposium highlights

Inclusive care and bespoke research methods

Dr Johannah Keikelame, a South African researcher and medical doctor, shared her experience and findings researching epilepsy treatment amongst traditional healers in South Africa. She highlighted the need for inclusive care in treating epilepsy and how standardised research methods hinder a better understanding of traditional healers and their association with healthcare.

Following her talk, there was an interesting conversation around what researchers can do when research findings are contrary to what the participants had hoped for, and what research integrity and participants’ needs and rights look like, especially if a study has the potential to influence policy.

Cultural understanding beyond the textbook

Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, a human rights lawyer, shared her work on sexual health education amongst girls in rural Zimbabwe. She called for a return to "under the tree discussions" to educate young rural girls as the traditional way of teaching in Zimbabwean societies. This is where community members gather, discuss and share ideas.

Nyaradzayi asserted that textbook education is insufficient to orient girls in Zimbabwe about safe sex and how to protect themselves – because textbook education does not reflect their cultural understanding of sex. She advised that the curriculum should include or emulate the "under the tree discussions" type of education.

Decolonising higher education

Dr. Marlon Moncrieffe, a lecturer at Brighton University and the author of the book ‘Decolonising the History Curriculum: Eurocentrism in Primary School Education’, and Hári Sewell, the leader of HS Consultancy, shared their views and experience on decolonising higher education.

Dr Moncrieffe discussed the effects of silencing other cultures in curriculum design and highlighted how the Eurocentric view dominates today’s curriculums worldwide – and in Britain, in particular.

Hári Sewell highlighted that current curriculum are built upon the assumption that "knowledge is politically neutral". He also pointed out the irony in students being held accountable for plagiarism while research and knowledge production by the global north hardly recognise the contribution of all involved parties, particularly when they are indigenous or non-academic contributors.