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Indigenous Students and University Stakeholders’ Challenges and Opportunities for Intercultural Decolonial Dialogue
Desafíos y oportunidades para el diálogo intercultural decolonial entre estudiantes indígenas y la comunidad universitaria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v25n2.102812Keywords:
critical interculturality, decoloniality, higher education, Indigenous students, social semiotics (en)decolonialidad, educación superior, interculturalidad crítica, estudiantes indígenas, semiótica social (es)
This article presents critical intercultural dialogue as a necessary curricular, pedagogical, and decolonial practice to engage and value Indigenous students’ cultural semiotic resources in higher education. Drawing from social semiotics, critical interculturality, and decolonial theory, the article analyzes Indigenous students’ structural barriers to accessing and completing their undergraduate programs. Using examples from pedagogy courses taught in English and reflections and learnings from a research project with Indigenous students, the article underscores and extends lessons to mobilize Indigenous students’ learning paths, sociocultural practices, and languages, showcasing intercultural dialogue within a public university. Reflections on the tensions, constraints, and possibilities to facilitate university stakeholders’ engagement at multiple levels are discussed.
Este artículo presenta el diálogo intercultural crítico como una práctica curricular/pedagógica y decolonial necesaria para valorar los recursos semióticos culturales de los estudiantes indígenas universitarios. Basándose en la semiótica social, la interculturalidad crítica y la teoría decolonial, se analizan las barreras que enfrentan los estudiantes indígenas para acceder y completar sus carreras. Utilizando ejemplos de cursos de pedagogía en inglés y reflexiones/aprendizajes de una investigación con estudiantes indígenas, el artículo destaca lecciones para operacionalizar las trayectorias de aprendizaje de los estudiantes indígenas, sus prácticas socioculturales y lenguas, ilustrando el diálogo crítico en la universidad pública. Finalmente, se discuten reflexiones sobre las tensiones, limitaciones y posibilidades de fomentar la participación de la comunidad universitaria en un diálogo intercultural.
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