Decolonizing Political Science Teaching: Students Matter

This paper explores decolonial pedagogy in political science education, arguing that decolonizing curricula requires more than diversifying reading lists—it demands a critical interrogation of epistemological foundations, pedagogical methods, and institutional constraints. We illustrate how student backgrounds shape learning engagements by drawing on case studies from teaching experiences at a predominantly white elite university, a women’s college in India, and a prison education program. Decolonizing political science necessitates centering students’ lived experiences, challenging Eurocentric knowledge hierarchies, and fostering critical inquiry beyond the Western canon. We emphasize the importance of flexible, context-reflective pedagogy that engages students as active participants in the learning process.