Leveraging Indigenous Knowledge to Decolonise Planning Theory Curricula and Practice for Empowering Future Planners

Abstract

Indigenous knowledge (IK) is local knowledge specific to a particular community inherited from previous generations. During colonisation, European states forcibly disparaged IK and forced Western ‘scientific’ knowledge on local communities. Decolonisation included both independence from foreign powers and a rekindling of indigenous knowledge. The re-emergence of IK encompassed inclusion in academic literature and curricula alongside Western perspectives. This study focuses on planning theory curricula and practice. Decolonisation further implies that curricula should be developed based on students' lives in the real world, where the IK plays a critical role. This study employed a qualitative design, purposefully selecting respondents for interviews and conducting surveys to collect data. Content and thematic analyses were applied. The findings reveal that IK greatly contributes to decolonising the theory of planning curricula and practice in South Africa as a Global South country with a rich IK system.