Title: Educating for reconciliation in the economics classroom

Authors: Gerda J. Kits

Addresses: Department of Economics, The King's University, 9125 50 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6B 2H3, Canada

Abstract: Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission has sparked new interest in the concept of 'educating for reconciliation', though calls to 'indigenise' or 'decolonise' the classroom preceded the TRC's work by several years. This paper argues that economics educators' responsibilities in settlercolonial contexts are two-fold: to teach students about the economic history of colonialism and its contemporary implications in a way that equips them to contribute to real economic change, and to foster respect and mutual understanding by acknowledging the legitimacy of Indigenous perspectives on the economy. The paper concludes with some suggestions for practical change in the economics classroom.

Keywords: economics education; economics; educating for reconciliation; indigenise; decolonise; aboriginal; Truth and Reconciliation Commission; Canada; economic history; colonialism; settler-colonial; pluralism; indigenous.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPEE.2018.093432

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2018 Vol.9 No.3, pp.254 - 273

Received: 09 Sep 2017
Accepted: 30 Mar 2018
Published online: 25 Jul 2018 *

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