Decolonizing education in an era of neo-imperialism

Decolonizing education in an era of neo-imperialism Geraldine Balzer, an Associate Professor at the College of Education, University of Saskatchewan, discusses the importance of decolonizing education in a time of neo-imperialism. As we consider the current conversation around decolonization, we must also consider our histories. The great explorations of the 15th century opened the world to Europeans and launched centuries of exploitation and struggles for wealth; these quests included the expansion of empires, the enslavement of peoples, and the control of land and resources by European nation-states. By the 20th century, the impact of colonialism was felt in every corner of the world, resulting in massive wealth redistribution, wars over resources, and revolutions over the redistribution and reclamation of lands and resources. The latter decades of the 20th century saw massive migration as people moved from the colonized and newly independent countries to the cosmopolitan centres in search of economic security, education, and safety.