In the 2020s, there has been a timely recognition of the structural inequalities present within the Western world, and none more so than its system of education. A re-thinking of the traditional knowledge systems for film and pedagogical approaches are much needed, and for the case studies that we use in the discipline. This workshop offers us the opportunity to re-consider our approaches to film studies and the creative industries, and to adopt a de-centred and decolonised approach to the content. Few academic publications have focused on the ‘De-westernisation’ of Film and Screen Studies since Higbee and Ba’s foundational text (2012). This workshop will allow us to ‘unthink Eurocentrism’ (Shohat and Stam, 1994) in the context of our film studies programmes and education in the creative industries. It will be an opportunity for us to reflect on our curriculum and to offer up examples of effective practice to share with the GALA partners. It will also be an opportunity for us to reflect on the theoretical approaches we use, our case studies/ examples, and the pedagogical methods that we employ. How can we do this better? And how can we enhance film education at our institutions?

This workshop presents an opportunity for the planning, feedback, and discussion around film education within our programmes and to share our ideas and practices with each other. In the shared environment, we can re-think the approaches and topics that we teach and the case studies we draw on, to de-centre and de-westernise our courses. We are encouraging submissions to lead a participatory session on a relevant approach to de-Westernising/ de-centring Film/ Screen and the Creative Industries.

After this initial workshop, we aim to convene further workshops with the aim to develop the sessions into an edited volume for publication. There is currently no publisher attached.

If you would like to present a case study/ example at the workshop or lead a participatory session, please email j.steele@bathspa.ac.uk.