Decolonising Knowledge: Whose Voices Count in Academia?

Decolonising Knowledge: Whose Voices Count in Academia?

In a rapidly globalising world, whose knowledge truly counts? This webinar convenes distinguished speakers from across the globe, including scholars, researchers, and human rights advocates, to explore the complex landscape of decolonising knowledge production.

Join us for a dynamic conversation on the challenges and opportunities of decolonising academia, unpacking themes of epistemic violence, the co-optation of decolonial language, gendered and racial inequalities in research, the politics of funding, and the reimagining of global knowledge systems.

This event is hosted by the Centre of Human Rights at the International Council on Human Rights, Peace, and Politics (ICHRPP), a global platform dedicated to fostering critical dialogue and collaborative research on issues of justice, equality, and human rights.

Date: Saturday, 5 July 2025

Time: 12:30PM GMT

Platform: Google Meet

Webinar Link: https://meet.google.com/cja-yfbn-iwv?hs=224

Speakers include:

Prof Gbadebo Odularu : A globally recognised applied economist and policy analyst with nearly 30 years of experience across academia, research, and international development. He has held faculty positions at Howard University, Virginia Military Institute, Bay Atlantic University, and Covenant University. Professor Odularu’s work focuses on digitalisation, trade, sustainable development, food security, and amplifying the voices of marginalised communities across Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East.He is the President of the African Finance and Economic Association, Chief Executive Director of No Hunger Food Bank, and a Pan-African Scientific Research Council Fellow. His leadership and scholarship bridge research with real-world impact, contributing to the global dialogue on decolonising knowledge and inclusive policy-making.

Country: USA

Dr Sukhdeep Kaur : A physicist with a Ph.D. in snow avalanche detection, currently providing policy recommendations to India’s Department of Science & Technology to strengthen the country’s Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) ecosystem. His research spans disaster risk management, STI policy, public-private partnerships in R&D, industry–academia linkages, intellectual property rights, and technology transfer. Dr. [Name] is an active member of numerous international organizations, including the UNDRR-SEM Group, Research Data Alliance, ICTP Global Science Network, and the International Association for Promoting Geoethics. He recently served on the program committee for the Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2025 and is a member of the International Society for Digital Earth’s WG1 on Science and Technology

Country: India

Mrs Noutcha Lubiche: A bilingual (English and French) social activist and researcher with over 15 years of leadership and volunteer experience in diverse, multicultural environments. She is deeply committed to women’s empowerment, youth development, good leadership, democracy, human rights, climate change, sustainable development, and good governance.

Country: Cameroon

Ms Ruprekha Dutta: Ruprekha Dutta is a research assistant at Harvard University with a Master’s degree from the University of Padova. Her work focuses on migration, the Global South, and decolonial strategies, aiming to challenge dominant knowledge systems and amplify marginalized voices in global discourse.

Country: USA

Dr Ndukuyakhe Ndlovu : Holds a BA in Archaeology and Geography, an Honours degree, and a Master’s in Anthropology from the University of the Witwatersrand and Rhodes University, as well as a PhD in Archaeology from Newcastle University. With experience as a heritage manager in government and as a lecturer at the University of Pretoria, now serves as Manager for Archaeology at South African National Parks and is a Research Associate at the University of Pretoria. He is rated a C2 researcher by the National Research Foundation.

Country: South Africa

Mr Ahmad Raza : A peace and conflict studies scholar at the National Defence University in Islamabad, where he achieved a 3.69 GPA with top grades in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and geopolitics. As a transmedia storyteller and freelance digital creator, he has designed cross-platform content that increased audience engagement by 30% and won the Best Digital Storytelling Video Award for his coverage of the 2024 General Elections.

Country: Parkistan

Ms Danai Daisy Chirawu: A Zimbabwean African feminist legal academic, independent consultant, and published scholar whose work critically examines colonial legacies within law, education, and development frameworks across Africa. She is currently a Lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe’s Faculty of Law and Co-Lead Consultant at MujiFEM Consultancy. Her research focuses on legal pluralism, sexual and reproductive justice, feminist political economy, and the decolonisation of knowledge systems.

Country: Zimbabwe

Ms Sakshi Shree: A dynamic policy analyst, researcher, and youth advocate working at the intersection of international relations, national security, and climate diplomacy. Holding a Master’s in Political Science from the University of Delhi, she applies a strategic, multidisciplinary lens to complex global challenges. Her career includes advising government ministries across more than 10 countries on issues ranging from maritime security to climate action.

Country: Inida

Mr Charles Cobbinah: A PhD researcher and Mastercard Foundation Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures (WESAF) Doctoral Fellow, jointly affiliated with the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Edinburgh. His research explores the intersections of decolonisation, higher education, and sustainable development, focusing on their interconnected dynamics.

Country: Ghana

These distiguished speakers will bring expertise from diverse fields, inlcuding human right advocacy, academic research, and decolonial scholarship.

Key themes include, but not limted to:

• The political, spiritual, and epistemic struggle of decolonisation
• The role of funding bodies in shaping research agendas
• Gender, race, and power in academic knowledge systems
• Digital equity and the future of collaborative research

This is a free, virtual event open to researchers, students, practitioners, and all those interested in critical conversations on decolonising knowledge. Register now to secure your spot.

We look forward to having you join us