Curiosity, Empathy, and Care

Decolonizing Library and Information Science (LIS) education is essential to challenging the Western-centric frameworks dominating the field. While this work has focused on critiquing and revising curriculum and knowledge systems, we argue that decolonization in LIS begins with a fundamental shift in the attitudes and values upheld in the classroom. Rather than solely emphasizing technical skills and merit-based performance, decolonization calls for a refocus on humanity. This paper explores how three values, curiosity, empathy, and care, can be integrated in the classroom. By centering these values, LIS education equips future professionals to better navigate the complexities of diversity, challenge colonial legacies, and advocate for justice and equity in their practice. As a result, the LIS learning environment not only addresses the practice of the field, it also cultivates a sense of collective responsibility, empathy, and ethical engagement with the diverse communities and knowledge systems that shape our world.