The Harvesting of Intellectuals and Intellectual Labor: The University System as a Reconstructed/Continued Colonial Space for the Acquisition of Knowledge

Complicity with the neocolonial project in education: A deconstruction of student affairs preparation practices

“…I see these standards akin to cultural rules patterning behavior as described in CHAT. The rules about what is expected and rewarded shape what people do in their everyday lives as people are often dependent upon those who control who is rewarded, reprimanded, or punished within the neocolonial system (DeWalt, 2009;Tikly, 2004). One crucial element of the neocolonial project's ability to maintain control is that people at all levels of the organization support its goals through following certain rules that are largely taken for granted (Fanon, 1963).…”

“…One crucial element of the neocolonial project's ability to maintain control is that people at all levels of the organization support its goals through following certain rules that are largely taken for granted (Fanon, 1963). These rules are reinforced and rewarded by those who benefit from the system (DeWalt, 2009). All of this helps the system maintain itself (Fanon, 1963).…”

“…In summary, although the violence and exploitation of colonization relied heavily on notions of superiority and inferiority among races, (Fanon, 1963;Nandy, 1988), and neocolonial forces have been known to be present in higher education (Carnoy, 1974;DeWalt, 2009;Yang, 2003), we chose not to explore racial dynamics as a group during our cogen experiences. This is especially significant given the topic of the course, social identity development, and the foundation of cogen in working towards equity that we did not attend regularly or significantly to racial dynamics of the classroom.…”

“…Conforming to the dominant norms could be accomplished by distinguishing oneself from those deemed inferior (Fellows & Razack, 1997). Those who control themselves and conform to these norms are more likely to be considered civilized and reap benefits such as continued employment, promotion, or institutional support (DeWalt, 2009). Those who cannot or do not conform to these norms are deemed uncivilized and therefore inferior (Spring, 2005).…”

“…Historically, racial power dynamics have not been discussed in schools because these discussions have not been part of the academic agenda and do not serve the needs of the institution. Neocolonial systems operate in ways that maintain and protect dominance (DeWalt, 2009) so it should not be a surprise that the standards did not require these discussions and that students and faculty in the classroom were not accustomed to them.…”