Riding on the success of Indigenous Social Work Around the World, this book provides case studies to further scholarship on decolonization, a major analytical and activist paradigm among many of the world’s Indigenous Peoples, including educators, tribal leaders, activists, scholars, politicians, and citizens at the grassroots level. Decolonization seeks to weaken the effects of colonialism and create opportunities to promote traditional practices in contemporary settings. Establishing language and cultural programs; honouring land claims, teaching Indigenous history, science, and ways of knowing; self-esteem programs, celebrating ceremonies, restoring traditional parenting approaches, tribal rites of passage, traditional foods, and helping and healing using tribal approaches are central to decolonization. These insights are brought to the arena of international social work still dominated by western-based approaches. Decolonization draws attention to the effects of globalization and the universalization of education, methods of practice, and international ’development’ that fail to embrace and recognize local knowledges and methods. In this volume, Indigenous and non-Indigenous social work scholars examine local cultures, beliefs, values, and practices as central to decolonization. Supported by a growing interest in spirituality and ecological awareness in international social work, they interrogate trends, issues, and debates in Indigenous social work theory, practice methods, and education models including a section on Indigenous research approaches. The diversity of perspectives, decolonizing methodologies, and the shared struggle to provide effective professional social work interventions is reflected in the international nature of the subject matter and in the mix of contributors who write from their contexts in different countries and cultures, including Australia, Canada, Cuba, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, and the USA.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Preface, Michael Yellow Bird; Part I Theory: Thinking About Indigenous Social Work: Introduction: scoping the terrain of decolonization, Mel Gray, John Coates, Michael Yellow Bird and Tiani Hetherington; Indigenization, indigenous social work, and decolonization: mapping the theoretical terrain, Mel Gray and Tiani Hetherington; Decolonizing social work: an Indian viewpoint, Vidya Rao; Ecospiritual approaches: a path to decolonizing social work, John Coates; Why decolonized social work is more than cross-culturalism, Ann Joselynn Baltra-Ulloa. Part II Practice: From the Bottom Up: Community-based social work in Cuba, Lourdes de Urrutia Barroso and David Strug; Social work practice with Mexican Americans, Flavio Francisco Marsiglia; From trauma to triumph: perspectives for native Hawaiian and Maori peoples, Noreen Mokuau and Peter J. Mataira; Decolonized social work practice in Jordan, Sahar Al-Makhamreh and Mary Pat Sullivan. Part III Education: Facilitating Local Relevance: Decolonizing social work education in Africa: an historical perspective, Linda Kreitzer; Indigenizing the curriculum: the decolonization of social work education in Hawai’i, Paula T. Tanemura Morelli, Peter J. Mataira and C. Malina Kaulukukui; Challenging international social work placements: critical questions, critical knowledge, Samantha Wehbi; Building bridges with indigenous communities through social work education, Nicole G. Ives and Michael Thaweiakenrat Loft. Part IV Research: Decolonizing Methodologies: Kaupapa Maori social work research, Anaru Eketone and Shayne Walker; Indigenizing research for culturally relevant social work practice, Jon K. Matsuoka, Paula T. Tanemura Morelli and Hamilton McCubbin; Neurodecolonization: applying mindfulness research to decolonizing social work, Michael Yellow Bird; Using indigenist research to shape our future, Shawn Wilson; Conclusion: continuing the decolonization agenda, Mel Gray, John Coates, Michael Yellow Bird and Tiani Hetherington