Call for Papers Invitation for the upcoming DECUS Conference

Rooting Secondary Education: Decolonial Practices Addressing (Neo)colonial Realities

DECUS Conference

The DECUS Project (Decolonising Curricula in Secondary Schools) invites educators, researchers, students, community organisers, teacher trainers, and practitioners to submit abstracts for the DECUS Conference Rooting Secondary Education: Decolonial Practices Addressing (Neo)colonial Realities.

Unlike many academic calls, we intentionally welcome contributions that discuss tensions, contradictions, setbacks, and unsuccessful attempts. We believe that honest reflection on the messiness of educational change is essential for collective learning.

What are we looking for?

We welcome contributions grounded in practice, including:

· Curriculum development

· Teaching and Learning Practices

· Institutional Barriers

· Pedagogical Tensions

· Community Engagement

· Policy Implementation

· Lessons learned from failure

· And attempts to create more inclusive and socially just educational environments

Themes

Coloniality of Power

Hierarchical capitalist system of racial domination.

Coloniality of Knowledge

Hegemonic Eurocentric system of knowledge production (Epistemicide).

Coloniality of Being

Dehumanisation and erasure of racialised bodies.

Coloniality of Mind

Westoxification and long-lasting internalization of inferiority.

Coloniality of Gender

Enforces a binary, cis-heteropatriarchal normality.

Coloniality of Nature

Nature as a commodity to be dominated, exploited.

Spiritual Coloniality

Christianity as the sole path to being fully human.

Coloniality of technology

Challenging the myth that technology is the ultimate solution to all crises, while acknowledging its negative effects.

Submission Requirements

Applicants are asked to submit:

·A title (maximum 15 words)

· An abstract (maximum 300 words)

· A proposed interactive session format

· A short contributor biography

· Abstracts may be submitted in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Italian, or Arabic.

Important Dates and Information

Abstract submission deadline:

30 November 2026

Selected proposals will be invited to contribute to the DECUS Conference, which will take place on 5-7 April 2027 in Brussels, Belgium.

For detailed information on the themes, session formats, evaluation criteria, and submission process, please consult the full Call for Papers document

To submit your proposal, fill out the Google Form

For questions, please contact: decus@quest-eu.org

Participation in the conference is free of charge. However, participants are kindly asked to cover their own travel, accommodation, and any other associated costs, as the project is unable to provide financial support for these expenses.