Indigeneity in Global Contexts: Critical Literacy, Postcolonial Perspectives, ESD and Global Citizenship Education
What do we mean when we talk about “Indigeneity”—and who gets to define it? This seminar introduces diverse meanings and debates around indigeneity and connects Critical Literacy with postcolonial perspectives, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCE).
Using accessible examples from media representations, NGO communication and self-representations, students practise step by step how to analyse constructions of indigeneity with postcolonial tools, focusing on perspective, language, power relations and recurring narratives.
The seminar includes (online) input from representatives of Indigenous communities and an NGO, creating opportunities for dialogue and direct exchange. In addition, students will engage with contributions from scholars from the Global South and the Global North, bringing different research perspectives into the seminar. Students develop a small research question, work with selected materials in a research-oriented way, and translate insights into school-related contexts informed by ESD and GCE.
The seminar is closely connected to the international Summer School “Learning for Change: Rethinking Teacher Education through Indigenous Perspectives“ (July 20 – 31, 2026) within the CHANGES project. Together with partner universities from Canada, Indonesia, Argentina, and South Africa, it offers a space for exchange and collaboration across borders.
No prior knowledge is required; key concepts and methods will be introduced and developed throughout the seminar.
This seminar places a strong emphasis on international dialogue and exchange. International students are warmly welcome, and their diverse linguistic and cultural perspectives are considered an important part of the learning process.
Many course materials are in English, and discussions will often take place in English. Language support (e.g. clarification of key terms and guided reading strategies) is provided throughout. The seminar offers a supportive environment to develop language skills at an individual pace; less confident speakers are explicitly encouraged to participate.
The seminar is open to students from all teacher education programmes.
Friday, 24 April 2026, 3:00–3:45 PM (online)
Information and introductory session (via Zoom):
https://uni-potsdam.zoom-x.de/j/65189081354
Meeting-ID: 651 8908 1354
Password: 53235593
In this session, we will introduce the course concept and programme and answer any questions you may have. You are welcome to attend and decide afterwards whether to continue.
Friday, 19 June 2026, 3:00–6:00 PM
Preparatory meeting (in person)
Kassel Institute for Sustainability, Mosenthalstraße 8, 3rd floor, Room 3001
20–31 July 2026
Summer School “Learning for Change: Rethinking Teacher Education through Indigenous Perspectives”:
During the first week of the Summer School, students will engage with international perspectives on Indigeneity together with students from the Sustainability Studies programme, drawing on interactive inputs from academia, Indigenous communities and an NGO. In the second week, these perspectives will be applied to school and educational contexts.
Friday, 25 September 2026, 1:00–5:00 PM
Review meeting
Location: tba
Registration & Participation
Please register by email at zlb[at]uni-kassel[dot]de. You may attend the first session before deciding on full participation.
Teaching Team & Guest Speakers
More contributors to be announced soon!
Dr. Ellen Christoforatou is the Executive Director of the Center for Teacher Education (ZLB) at the University of Kassel. She initiated the study profile InterESD (Internationalization and Education for Sustainable Development) and leads the DAAD-funded project “CHANGES. Exploring Critical Sustainable Development Education from Global Perspectives” within the “Lehramt.International” programme. Across her publications and contributions, she focuses in particular on sustainability-oriented transformation, (critical) Global Citizenship Education, internationalisation, and climate justice in educational and professionalisation contexts.
Stefanie Goertz coordinates the project “UP Network for Sustainable Teacher Education” at the Center for Teacher Education and Education Research at the University of Potsdam. As part of an interdisciplinary team, she was responsible for the conception and implementation of the international Summer School “Teaching the SDGs” within the project. As a co-editor of the resulting volume Educating Teachers for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship, she also contributed as a co-author to a scholarly reflection on the course. Through her own periods spent abroad as well as her personal background, she developed a particular interest in questions of global justice, engagement with diversity, and the wide range of discourses on Indigeneity.