Written by Chynna Hinds, BA Politics, Policy and Economics, who worked as a Student Research Intern on the BBS Decolonisation Project during 2023.

During my time working on the decolonisation project, I was confronted with the amount of hard work needed to decolonise the business school. The experience has been eye-opening, and I’ve gained valuable insights that have reshaped my perspective on inclusivity in education.

Bobby Banerjee, of Bayes Business School, presents several questions in his manifesto that we should be asking when approaching decolonising the business school. In addition to this, his manifesto highlights several issues present in business schools all around the country. I was also able to attend a Decolonisation Book club in which Bobby spoke about his experiences and journey with decolonisation at Bayes Business School. His manifesto provides a guide for anyone trying to decolonise their institution, challenging us to examine the root causes of bias and the impact of colonial influences within our systems. Something that stuck with me was his distinction between decolonisation and EDI; learnt that EDI was the palatable surface-level method of correcting injustice, in which tokenism and regulated diversity designed by liberal institutions are repackaged as anti-racist efforts. A lot of what he spoke about referring to Bayes Business School could also be seen at Birmingham Business School, suggesting that this issue is more widespread than I initially thought. My main takeaway was that decolonisation could not be done by simply changing the structures we already have, rather than the existing structures need to be broken down and rebuilt in a way that includes the voices and philosophies of those outside of the West – Bobby describes this as a political project that “involves a paradigm shift from a culture of exclusion and denial to the making of space for other political philosophies and knowledge systems”.

As a second-year student, I reflect on my curriculum, and I realised that I always had to go out of my way to study topics outside of the Western sphere. There is a lack of diverse perspectives beyond the Western sphere in the core curriculum, the topics that were covered failed to address the colonial histories that contributed to theories and the limited “diversity” felt like tokenism, simply inserting non-western locations inserted into existing theories without acknowledging their unique cultural significance.

I was surprised to find that a lot of other students noticed the same issues in their curriculum. As part of the project, there were a series of decolonisation workshops run for both staff and students. The student workshops intended to hear about the students’ experiences with decolonisation and get an idea of what a decolonised business school would look like to the student body. It involved a range of hands-on group activities led by a theatre company that encouraged discussion and collaboration between the students. Almost all the participants found it beneficial and appreciated how it facilitated meaningful discussions and strengthened the sense of community in the business school.

In the follow-up questionnaires and interviews, a lot of students mentioned that it would be nice to see a wider range of resources/literature from around the world used to develop their curriculums. Giving students access to resources from a variety of cultural backgrounds encourages empathy and understanding among students, it can expand the cultural awareness of students and allows them to approach issues from multiple angles while considering different global challenges and opportunities. In addition to this, it allows for the reclamation of marginalised voices, platforming the experiences of suppressed and overlooked communities and actively amplifying their voices within academia.

One example I can think of is in a lot of Western academia, especially in the business school, the developing global south is looked at and examined from an outsider’s perspective. Academics from these developing countries tend to be able to introduce and explain how culture and history affect development and provides context for the application of theories to the regions. There is a lot that can be applied and to be learned from lived experiences that contribute to understanding the world. Tanisha Hicks-Beresford spoke at one of the decolonisation seminars about the importance of black joy in the classroom, highlighting how current curriculums diverse their teaching by focusing on the suffering and struggles of black people and other POC which directly impacts students who are forced to view themselves in a negative or powerless light. Throughout my education, my learning experiences on black people are on things like police brutality, slavery, and poverty but no teaching on the diverse cultural heritage or positive impacts on society – which is concerning as these are the messages sent to children about who they are and can lead to the perpetuation of stereotypes. In general, it is important to acknowledge the achievements and contributions of different cultures to provide a well-rounded understanding of history and foster a sense of belonging for all students as well as create more cultural understanding and respect within the university.

The most surprising thing I found during the project was the number of students that had something to say about their own experiences as a student in the business school, particularly as POC. Students shared how they felt isolated and ignored by lecturers and their peers as they were assumed to be unable to speak enough English to contribute to the discussion, even though they had put in the hard work and dedication to be accepted to the university. Other students shared how covert discrimination was used against them by other students and how they had to face microaggressions alone as they felt no one else shared that experience in the business school and therefore wouldn’t understand them. Students were also made to sit exams on their religious holidays, something that the university likely didn’t even consider. This project allowed students to find validation in their experiences and broke down barriers they previously had as they felt that staff and other students would judge or dismiss them but so many students were grateful for the opportunity to speak out and listen to others. This is something I hope will continue in the business school, the idea of collective responsibility and a supportive network is crucial to the decolonisation project and providing a safe space for students to express concerns and speak openly is essential.

Spending time working on this project has been an eye-opening experience and I have learned a lot about the university, the business school, and the student experience. Decolonisation of the business school is something I can’t wait to see happen and I’m grateful that I could play a part in it. As a student, I realised how much power and influence we can have on our education by speaking out about our concerns and working together to make sure we are listened to by faculty. listening to the thoughts and experiences of staff, students, and other academics, I think three main ways can assist in the decolonisation process:

1. Rebuild the curriculum – the current business education at BBS carries a Eurocentric bias that limits students’ exposure to diverse perspectives. Incorporating historical context and diverse authors from a range of regions and cultures will provide students with a broader understanding of global realities. In addition to this, introducing critical thinking and interdisciplinary approaches will empower students to challenge dominant narratives and become well-rounded thinkers. Both students and staff need to be engaged in this process to ensure diverse perspectives are represented in the curriculum.
2. Empower student voices in academia – students need to be active participants in the decolonisation process. Introducing students to the world of research and academia allows them to contribute their unique perspectives and works to academia. The creation of sustainable avenues for student involvement enables future generations to continue the decolonisation process, creating a lasting impact on the institution. Opportunities such as student research internships open doors to students that may be unfamiliar with this academic path.
3. Embrace difficult conversations – The decolonisation process is a collective effort that needs everyone’s input. Every student has something valuable to contribute and experiences to share. The business school needs to provide a safe space where students feel their opinions are valued and listened to as encouraging open dialogue and feedback empowers students to shape the future of the business school. These conversations foster allyship among staff and students and encourage mutual understanding and respect leading to meaningful actions within the business school.