Transforming Organizational Culture and Enacting Social Justice in Praxis Through Decolonization of Cultural Artifacts at a U.S. University

Organizational cultures and the resulting manifestations of cultural artifacts on many campuses continue to contribute to the perpetuation of elitism and ideologies deeply entrenched in the undercurrent of colonial legacies. This study presents an analysis of an initiative at one university in the United States for decolonizing practices through the transformation of cultural artifacts that reproduce colonial ideologies and the alignment of them with values of diversity, community, social justice, and scholarly excellence. Data were gathered through a qualitative survey submitted to faculty, students, and staff, and 4 months of ethnographic work seeking to understand how stakeholders interpret the cultural artifacts in the school and ways in which these cultural artifacts influence their behaviors. Data revealed a perception of a lack of diversity of cultural artifacts and a need for building community among respondents. Besides, these cultural artifacts influenced people, pushing them to be silent and to work individually rather than collectively. Finally, data showed that changing some cultural artifacts and introducing new ones produced desired effects among the stakeholders. More research around organizational and cultural change and the alignment with cultural artifacts can shed light on transforming cultures within organizations toward more inclusive and socially just spaces.