Unmasking Colonial Legacies: Decolonizing Text Books in Kerala
Keywords:
Decolonization, Education, Identity, Inclusivity, textbook, Colonial Influences, Cultural Diversity, Inclusivity, Identity, Indigenous Knowledge, Inclusivity, IdentityAbstract
This paper argues that decolonizing education is essential to dismantle the lasting effects of colonialism on our thinking and learning. It involves critically examining curricula, acknowledging past biases, and promoting indigenous perspectives. While some efforts have been made, many textbooks still lack local representation and perpetuate colonial narratives. The paper highlights the importance of decolonizing textbooks by including local authors and diverse perspectives, fostering cultural identity, and creating a more inclusive learning experience.
References
Elder, J. W., (1971), The Decolonization of Educational Culture: The Case of India, Comparative Education Review , Vol. 15, No. 3, Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1187130.
Alcoff, L.M., Educating with a (De)colonial Consciousness, Retrieved from: http://www.academia.edu/12894297.
Malayalam Randam Padapusthakam, A text book for Second Grade, Travancore State Government, Travancore, 1922.
K S Ramaswami Aiyer, A Short History of Malabar, Part II, (A text book for Vth Std. approved by Malabar Text Book Committee), KSR Institute, Chalappuram , Kozhikode, 1922.
The Fourth Reader, Text book for Primary Class, Longmans, Green and Co. Calcutta, 1908., pp.1-7.
Bhagaban Prasad Majumdar, First Fruits of English Education 1817-1857, Bookland, Calcutta, 1973, in This Gift of English: English Education and the Formation of Alternative Hegemonies in India by Alok K. Mukharjee, Orient Black Swan,New Delhi, 2009, pp.182-183.
N. Kunjuraman Pillai, India Charithram for Sixth Forum, Governmet Centarl Press, Trivandrum, 1952, pp. 8-14.
Samoohya Paddangal, Std. IX, Government of Kerala, Thiruvanathapuram, 1960, pp. 7-14
Social Studies Standard VII, Government Press, Thiruvanathapuram, 1971,p.3.
Kerala Reader, The Text Book of English Std. IX, Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, 1979, p. 21.
Kerala Paddavali, Standard VI, Government Press, Thiruvananthapuram, 1974., pp.14-18.
Kerala Paddavali, Standard IV, Government Press, Thiruvananthapuram 1981. p.1.
Additional Files
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 ISHAL PAITHRKAM
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
