Terra Firma
AboutConversationsToolkitsDatabase
☰ 
Case StudiesPeopleActivitiesReadingsQuotesGlossary
Explore Database

Glossary

decolonization

Short Definition
The act of dismantling and deconstructing structures that are based on colonial ideologies, which uphold the status quo and imbalanced power dynamics in society.
Relevance
Calls for decolonizing tech challenge the dominance of Western tech frameworks and demand that Indigenous and marginalized communities control their data and digital futures. The difficulty lies in how to decolonize technologies rooted in capitalist systems of extraction and exploitation.
Additional Notes
Further Reading

Cull, I., Hancock, R. L. A., McKeown, S., Pidgeon, M., & Vedan, A. (2018). Decolonization and Indigenization. In Pulling Together: A Guide for Front-Line Staff, Student Services, and Advisors. BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/indigenizationfrontlineworkers/

This is a 2023–2025 project led by InterAccess, in collaboration with Tangled Art + Disability, and FEZIHAUS™.