« Relationality against settler colonialism: Melissa Kennedy, Erin O’Donnell (eds), People, Place and Nature in Indigenous-Settler Relations: Recentring the More-than-Human World, Springer, 2026

Positionality against settler colonialism: Dan Frederick Orcherton, ‘From Dust We Came and from Dust We Shall Return: Settler Scholar Positionality, Equity and Collaborative Commitment in Higher Education Reform’, Journal of Policy & Governance, 5, 2, 2025, pp. 21, 56

06Feb26

Abstract: This essay interrogates settler scholar positionality in relation to equity and collaborative commitment within higher education reform, arguing that meaningful decolonization requires reflexive, ethically grounded partnerships with Indigenous communities. Drawing on frameworks such as Two-Eyed Seeing, Movement-based Participatory Action Research, and transformative leadership, the paper situates settler scholars within colonial legacies that shape knowledge production, curriculum, governance, and climate justice narratives. It explores how entrenched power dynamics and systemic barriers—manifested in curricula, institutional policy, and philanthropic reconciliation discourses — undermine Indigenous epistemologies and perpetuate exclusion unless actively addressed. Through case studies and theoretical synthesis, the work articulates models for equitable engagement, including the institutionalization of Indigenous Knowledge Holders Councils, co-created research agendas, and culturally responsive pedagogy. The analysis emphasizes the necessity of accountability, sustained reflexivity, and ethical research practices that center Indigenous agency, data sovereignty, and shared governance. Challenges in forming genuine partnerships are examined, including historical distrust, divergent epistemic expectations, and institutional inertia, along with strategies to overcome them. The essay concludes with a call to action for settler scholars: to move beyond performative allyship toward sustained structural change by embedding Indigenous methodologies, supporting Indigenous leadership, and co-developing knowledge systems that advance equity, resilience, and reconciliation.


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