Why bother? Dismantling tokenism and colonialism in social work journal publishing

Abstract This article calls for a radical rethinking of Australia’s and the international academic publishing landscape, which is dominated by western-centric practices that marginalize First Nations Peoples. The authors draw on their substantial social work journal publishing experience to highlight how these platforms continue to privilege white western epistemologies and shape the production of knowledges by deciding who and what gets published and what knowledges are deemed valuable. This marginalizes First Nations Knowledges and undermines self-determination. Despite social work journals’ rhetorical claims of progressiveness, they often avoid addressing key issues like cultural responsiveness, re-Indigenization, and equity. The article critiques the tokenistic representation of Indigenous voices, the persistence of colonial structures in journal publishing, and the disregard for cultural protocols. The authors propose actions for journal leadership to dismantle these barriers and promote Indigenous leadership within this neglected space. We argue that Indigenous guidance is essential for creating a more inclusive and equitable publishing environment, and empowering future First Nations academics (Blakademics) to lead. This shift requires a genuine commitment to decolonization and re-Indigenization, ensuring that First Nations scholars are no longer sidelined or left questioning their place in academia.