Decolonise your reading lists

This section is here to help you evaluate your reading list. 

You will be encouraged to choose a list, use a questioning approach and then reflect on your analysis. Choose, use and reflect! In the next section, we will cover a range of actions you can take based on your reflections.

 Activity: Choose one of your reading lists.

There are a range of approaches that you could take and you can find out more about other approaches in "Are there other reading list analysis approaches?" box.

The approach that we would recommend is the questioning approach developed by University of the Arts London. We have included a link to the resource UAL produced - Decolonising reading lists. 

The questioning approach encourages you to engage with the sources you have selected and consider a range of questions. There is a lot to consider but the resource on this page will enable you to make a start and make changes to your list.

Lets start at the beginning!

Take a look at your reading list and evaluate your current list.

 Activity: Use the 10 questions to help you evaluate your reading lists. These questions can help you think critically about the sources and authors included in your reading list.

Students are encouraged to be critical thinkers and analyse content.

Let's put ourselves into that mindset and critically analyse the reading list source selections. Working through the list of questions can be challenging and you can start where you feel it is most appropriate.

Accessibility:

You have three ways to use the checklist. 

1. Use the on screen version.
2. Print the PDF version.
3. Use a browsers Read Aloud option to have the checklist read to you.

For printing:

For using online:

For using with a browser screen reader:

10 questions to help you evaluate your reading lists.

1.   What are the dominant voices and narratives in your areas of study?

2.   What voices and narratives are excluded, and how can they be identified?

3.   Are the texts Western-centric, or Eurocentric?

4.   Are bodies of knowledge distorted? Can discourse affect the way that we look at groups of people?

5.   Who is the author of the work? Are the majority of the authors the same gender and ethnicity?

6.   What is the relevance of the author’s identity in this context?

7.   Who is talking about whose experience and/or culture?

8.   What is the place of publication and geographic coverage of the text?

9.   What is the language of the text? Is it a translation or in its original language?

10. What kinds of sources do we perceive to be of most academic value and why?

Inspired by the work of other university libraries including University of the Arts London, University College London and Huddersfield University.

Here is another example of the checklist approach:

This resource is from the University of Southern Denmark. The theme of the resources is: Checklists for inclusive and accessible course design, course curriculum, teaching and assessment.

We especially like Section 5: Checklist for an Inclusive Curriculum. Take a look at the  checklist and supporting document to help you reframe how you select material. This is a very student-focused checklist. We have added it here as we believe it complements the University Arts London checklist very well.

 Activity: Reflect on your analysis

The next step is to reflect on your analysis and consider what actions you need to make.

Each person's analysis and reflections are likely to vary which means actions to take will also differ. We recommend you take a look at the next section of the guide to find out more about Actions you can take to decolonise and diversify your reading list.

You can find more information about best practice when creating and structuring reading lists by clicking on the ‘Getting started with Reading Lists Online’ link below.

For example:

• add more annotations to your resources to highlight why they have been selected.
• boost usability and structure with sections and paragraphs.
• make sure to add different types of resources to engage the senses e.g. audio or visual content.

You may want to consider other options if you do not want to use the questioning approach.

We are here to give you options and here are examples of a range of approaches* that have been used in other universities:

Taking a matrix approach:

Taking an audit approach:

Using technology to help and using computer software analysis:

Analysis of resources on lists:

Usage of toolkits, awards, checklists, student curator projects and library guides for academic staff:

* It is likely that there will be other methods and approaches used and these are examples found when reading and researching within the area.

You can find out more about how other universities have approached decolonising the curriculum and readings lists here.

This is just a small selection of resources and you can find more on the Decolonising the reading list with Hallam Library reading list.