Decolonization in Latin American Education

Abstract

This chapter introduces a discussion of the various aspects that make up the topic and the project of decolonization in Latin America. While this topic is often widely discussed in Latin America, the truth is that the project of decolonizing education remains an unfinished task both globally and in Latin America, as educational systems still maintain structures, institutions, and policies (in areas such as curriculum standards, teacher education, and the evaluation of student learning as well as of schools and universities) that perpetuate colonial patterns. Decolonization has been a subject of both political and academic interest and has given rise to a significant number of anti-imperialist, anti-colonial, and decolonial intellectual frameworks. Specifically, this chapter focuses on debates regarding the decolonization of education in the region. The chapter addresses the main positions regarding the colonial problem, the general elements that make up proposals for educational decolonization, and, briefly, some related experiences.