A critical reflection from inside, looking back and forward: Theorising perspectives on decolonising occupational science theory and practice

The paper seeks to provide a critical reflection on theorising perspectives in relation to decolonising occupational science from an insider’s perspective. In this paper ‘theorising’ refers to the means of identifying and collating some of the characteristics that form the problem of coloniality in the discipline of occupational science, and hence contribute to developing ways and means of decolonising occupational science. Various literature sources and theories from occupational science and beyond are addressed to engage the reader in this topic and critical reflection. The paper seeks to encourage the reader to critically review the current occupational science theory/ies, and practice, by offering a critical provocation that asserts that occupational science is institutionally racist and continues to perpetuate and recycle coloniality. A significant aspect of this critical reflection is framed around an adapted version of Professor Leon Tikly’s three pillars of decolonising the university, which has been applied to the topic of decolonising occupational science. The paper concludes by invoking the reader to look inward at the discipline of occupational science and to join in collaboration/s to generatively disrupt the current coloniality of the science, further providing suggestions on ways to do so.