Abstract

In this article, we reflect on decolonizing models of pedagogy with empirically-supported approaches as an epistemological point of departure. We discuss the risk of reproducing a colonial pedagogical framework in a way that promotes a dominant Western voice over indigenous knowledge and local culturally-informed processes of teaching mental health interventions. Gazans experience ongoing trauma, stress, despair, hopelessness, helplessness, loss and lack of security. Consequently, mental health distress, including posttraumatic stress, generalized anxiety, depression and substance abuse are common in the population. Ongoing professional development for clinicians in Gaza is severely curtailed due to the closure imposed by Israel. Only rarely are professional psychologists permitted to leave Gaza to seek further education and training elsewhere. Our point of departure is that psychological services rendered to traumatized individuals in war zones, such as Gaza, constitute a form of social and political activism. The option of withholding psychological treatment will result in further hopelessness and the perpetuation of social distress for the majority of Gazans. A de-colonized pedagogical space is liberatory and able to give voice and an active role to groups who may not have sufficient power for accurate representation and visibility in the dominant Western discourse on mental health. We conclude that Western and post-colonial pedagogies that contribute to the colonization of educational systems of indigenous populations should orient their efforts to recognize and support traditional epistemologies, their contemporary cultural development, along with advancements in psychological sciences at a global level.

摘要

在本文中，我们以经验支持的方法反思教育学的非殖民化模型，将其作为认识论出发点。我们讨论了以某种方式提倡殖民地教育框架的风险，这种方式可以提高西方人对土著知识和当地精神卫生干预措施的文化了解过程的主导权。加沙人不断遭受创伤，压力，绝望，绝望，无助，丧失和缺乏安全感。因此，精神健康困扰，包括创伤后压力，广泛性焦虑，抑郁和药物滥用在人群中很常见。由于以色列实施的封锁，加沙临床医生正在进行的专业发展受到严重限制。专业心理学家很少被允许离开加沙，在其他地方寻求进一步的教育和培训。我们的出发点是，向战争地区（例如加沙地带）受过创伤的人提供的心理服务构成一种社会和政治行动主义形式。拒绝接受心理治疗的选择将导致更多的加沙人进一步绝望，并使社会苦难长期存在。非殖民化的教学空间是解放性的，能够为可能没有足够力量在西方有关心理健康的主流论述中提供准确的表述和可见性的群体发声并发挥积极作用。我们得出的结论是，有助于土著人民教育系统殖民化的西方和后殖民主义教学法应将其工作重点放在承认和支持传统认识论，当代文化发展，