Uprooted

The global spread of western cultures, to which universities have made a huge contribution, may be compared to the spread of monocultures in agriculture where imported, hybridized, fertilizer-dependent seeds, produced at a profit for multinational corporations, crowd out indigenous local varieties.

– Thaman, 2003, p.7

Western epistemologies and pedagogies dominate higher education, marginalising Indigenous perspectives and perpetuating institutional racism. Efforts to address this through diversity and inclusion initiatives often fail to address deeper issues of colonialism and the global spread of Western knowledge systems. Pacific scholars emphasise the need to reclaim and integrate Indigenous worldviews, knowledge, and wisdom to create more inclusive and equitable educational environments. Pacific research advocates for transformative practices that honour and empower Pacific communities by challenging the colonial and globalised legacies within universities.