Towards a Decolonial Intersectionality: Examining Power, Knowledge, and Identity in Chilean Elementary Teacher Programs. Urbina - 9193510

Abstract

Feminist and Decolonial perspectives have come to be crucial theoretical frameworks in education and pedagogy throughout the years, bringing to the forefront issues that had been historically neglected. These theoretical frameworks highlight that understanding power structures is key for examining layers of oppression, in this case, those hierarchies that persist from colonial legacies. Even though Chile has been an independent country for more than 200 years, its culture and society are still heavily shaped by its colonial past. Teacher education is no exception, and although many programs claim to teach ‘inclusivity’ and ‘equity’, its curricula barely integrates these issues in its mandatory courses.

This study examines how Elementary teacher education programs engage with Decolonial and Intersectional frameworks in their curricula, focusing on the complex interplay between power relations, knowledge production, and identity formation. Through a mixed-methods approach combining an Intersectional and Decolonial curriculum analysis of 6 major Chilean universities’ Elementary teaching programs, and 2 semi-structured interviews with recently graduated teachers, this research investigates how colonial legacies and intersecting systems of oppression shape teacher preparation. The result is expected to reveal significant gaps between stated institutional commitments to diversity and Decolonial practice versus the actual curricular implementations. This research would contribute to ongoing discussions about decolonizing teacher education in Latin America and proposes a framework for integrating Decolonial Intersectionality into teacher preparation programs. The findings would have implications for curriculum reform, faculty development, and broader efforts to transform teacher education through critical consciousness and social justice perspectives.