ABSTRACT
Higher education institutions (HEIs) have been intertwined with the values of patriotic nationalism and colonialism from their early founding, privileging individuals of European descent and perpetuating Whiteness as the standard for educational and scientific practices. This chapter explores the historical context of colonization and the perpetuation of Whiteness as a reinforcing reward system that gains power from the marginalization of people of color, Indigenous, and others for individual and institutional gain. The authors propose the Stages of Change Model to guide decolonization efforts and provide recommendations that HEIs can use to break the cyclical reward structure and reinforcement of Whiteness to foster meaningful, sustained change. The authors define decolonization as dismantling Eurocentric policies, practices, and curricula that marginalize people of color, advocating for a shift towards inclusive and equitable educational environments in higher education.
