This #RaceEqualityWeek, we're thrilled to launch the first episode of our 2025 Inclusion Exchange series!
Join us in a powerful conversation with Dr. Amal Abu-Bakare as we explore Imagining Liberation: Building an Anti-Colonial Future in Education and Community.
Decolonisation and anti-colonial thought are more than academic concepts—they’re essential tools for dismantling systemic inequalities and reshaping our institutions. Dr. Abu-Bakare brings invaluable insights into how colonial legacies still shape our world and what we can do to challenge them.
Imagining Liberation: Building an Anti-Colonial Future in Education and Community — with Dr Amal Abu-Bakare
To create a more equitable and inclusive society, some hardworking researchers are studying the lingering impacts of colonialism and how it still impacts our institutions today. Decolonisation and anti-colonial thought are vital frameworks for creating meaningful change, particularly in the context of education and community-building.
To gain more insight into these transformative concepts, we recently spoke with Dr. Amal Abu-Bakare for the first episode of the 2025 season of The Inclusion Exchange series.
Dr. Amal Abu-Bakare is a lecturer in the Politics of Race and Decolonial Studies at the University of Liverpool and a Visiting Fellow at the University of South Wales’ International Centre for Policing & Security. With a PhD in International Politics from Aberystwyth University and as a Saudi-born Nigerian dual citizen of Canada and the United Kingdom, Dr. Abu-Bakare’s research uses anti-colonial International Relations theory to explore how North American and European political/security institutions continue to empower racially configured exclusions and terror.
Keep reading to uncover key insights from Dr. Abu-Bakare on decolonising education and fostering anti-colonial practices in our communities.
How did you get started in this field of study?
My journey into decolonisation and anti-colonial studies was deeply personal. Growing up in Canada as a Black Muslim after 9/11, I faced a confusing intersection of anti-Black and anti-Muslim racism. I was profoundly affected by the events of 9/11, especially the counterterrorism responses that followed. In a society celebrated for its multiculturalism, I struggled to understand why my identity warranted such intense scrutiny and discrimination.
This personal experience fuelled my academic passion. During my Master’s programme at the University of Warwick, I developed my PhD project, The Colour of Counterterrorism: How Logics of Racialisation Structure Counterterrorism Approaches in the UK and Canada. My research sought to unravel how racialised thinking underpins counterterrorism policies in two of the world’s leading liberal democracies. While the subject matter emerged from challenging experiences, my work has provided invaluable insights for advancing equity and inclusion in education and beyond.
What Do the Terms Decolonising and Anti-Colonialism Mean?
To better understand these concepts, it’s essential to clarify the distinction between decolonisation and anti-colonialism.
Decolonisation involves recontextualising social, cultural, economic, and political norms within the imperial and colonial contexts that shaped them. It emerged from interdisciplinary theories in education and the social sciences and is often discussed in academic settings.
On the other hand, anti-colonialism is rooted in the lived experiences of those who actively resisted colonial domination. This resistance could take the form of political, cultural, or philosophical movements, often driven by individuals in the Global South. Anti-colonialism encompasses a level of action and activism not always present in decolonial academic thought.
The key difference is that anti-colonialism is typically grounded in the lived experience and actions of resistance. Decolonisation is more theoretical and academic, while anti-colonialism often involves tangible steps toward liberation.
Why is doing the active work around anti-colonialism crucial? What is the outcome if we don’t become more aware of anti-colonialism?
The importance of anti-colonial work lies in how colonial legacies shape societal systems today. Inaction perpetuates inequality, misunderstanding, and division. For instance, the global response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement revealed a widespread lack of understanding about the nuances of decolonisation and anti-colonialism, even among people who were well-meaning and intended to be allies to the movement.
During this time, many institutions, including universities, pledged commitments to decolonising education. However, these efforts often fell short. Despite over 150 universities agreeing to commit to decolonising their curriculums, only about 20 or 30 made meaningful efforts, largely due to structural barriers, misunderstandings, and resource limitations. Doing the work will help people understand what it means to be an ally, anti-racist, decolonised, and anti-colonial.
Anti-colonial work also sheds light on how racialised logics influence global policies and interventions. It’s not just about what happens in the Global South or communities far away. Colonial legacies affect our backyards, like Liverpool, which was a slave port connected to the Confederacy. Understanding this local history is essential to addressing global inequities and figuring out how we can create more conscious solutions for addressing race relations as a result of our colonial past.
Can you tell us more about the anti-colonialism research project at the University of Liverpool?
At the University of Liverpool, I led an anti-colonial research collaboration focused on pedagogy and the philosophy of teaching. This project examined how universities could integrate decolonising movements into their schools and classrooms while addressing structural barriers to implementation.
A significant component of this project was building trust with the local community. There is a tremendous amount of distrust between universities and disenfranchised communities. This distrust stems from historical and ongoing structural racism, which has isolated communities and perpetuated negative perceptions of higher education.
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To bridge this gap, my team organised public discussions and working groups that included local historians, subject matter experts, and academics. These efforts culminated in a 51-page report outlining actionable steps for fostering anti-colonial practices at the university.
It was enlightening to see that many community members, even those who didn’t identify as activists, embodied the ethos of anti-colonial education in their everyday actions. This demonstrated how lived experience, relationships built on reciprocity, and democratic education can benefit a community and create positive impressions of higher education, rather than solely tuition prices.
What are the challenges and opportunities common in anti-colonial work?
Anti-colonial work is not without its challenges. It can be heartwrenching to learn that so many people in the community feel so devalued.
Another major obstacle is the defensiveness that often arises when individuals are confronted with their role in systemic racism. No one wants to be seen as a possible contributor to colonial violence.?However, it is critical to note that if someone is critiquing you, they are critiquing you as part of a system and not as an individual. We were taught that people who engage in violent or racist actions are bad people, so it is easy to get worked up over it and can be challenging to manage your emotional expectations.?
This defensiveness distracts from the ultimate goal of repair and reconciliation. We must understand that, to no fault of our own, through the choices we’ve made and the privileges we have, we have been put in institutions that have legacies of oppression. The idea is not to be able to say that “I am not a part of the problem,” but to say, “I play a small role in an institution that has been a part of the problem, so what can I do to make change going forward?”
I believe anti-colonial education and decolonizing is supposed to be a selfless act, and it is a responsibility of education. It can be challenging to convince universities to see the positive prospects of engaging in these kinds of studies and understand the underlying value of the work.
We have a great purpose as academics and university educators of teaching people to survive inequitable systems and spaces. I think this applies to university educators as a whole, not just black studies. Self-reflection and self-empowerment are key in this education process. It requires being very open-minded. Not everyone will like it, as it is an uncomfortable process with uncomfortable feelings. But discomfort is part of the process and those on the receiving end of colonialism will be grateful to those who make these endeavours happen.
Practical Steps for Engaging in Anti-Colonial Work?
If you’re interested in engaging in anti-colonial work but aren’t sure if it is right for you, I want to emphasize that you don’t have to look a certain way or be a certain person to do the work. All educators and people in society can play their part. The responsibility shouldn’t all fall on marginalized people who are in vulnerable places.
So, here are some actionable steps for individuals and institutions interested in engaging with anti-colonial thought and practices:
1. Educate Yourself:?Read widely and seek out perspectives from marginalised communities. Explore how colonial legacies impact various spaces and systems.
2. Embrace Discomfort:?Anti-colonial work often involves challenging existing beliefs and confronting uncomfortable truths. This discomfort is a necessary part of the process.
3. Engage with New Spaces:?Step outside your comfort zone and immerse yourself in communities and environments affected by colonial histories.
4. Recognise Collective Responsibility: Anti-colonial work is not solely the responsibility of marginalised groups. Everyone has a role to play in advancing equity and inclusion.
5. Focus on Relationships:?Building trust and building meaningful connections are as important as achieving larger systemic goals,
Key Takeaways: Building an Anti-Colonial Future in Education and Community
Anti-colonial education offers a pathway to liberation, equity, and justice. By understanding the colonial roots of our systems and actively working to dismantle them, we can create a more inclusive society where everyone can thrive.
This work requires self-reflection, empathy, and a willingness to embrace discomfort. It’s not about absolving ourselves of responsibility but recognising our role in creating a better future.
Through education, dialogue, and collective action, we can reimagine liberation and build a world that honours the dignity and humanity of all people.
That's all folks!
We hope you enjoyed the interview, Episode 2 is coming in April 2025.
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