Decolonizing architectural knowledge: Situating Middle Eastern pedagogies in a globalizing world

This chapter is premised on more than three decades of research into architectural education and design pedagogy. It argues that architectural education in the Middle East must be able to operate effectively within the global condition. It contends that the body of knowledge on architectural education can be enriched, and its scope can be expanded, when both historical and contemporary imperatives are clearly contextualized. The text raises important questions for future discussions on this theme. Notwithstanding, the chapter discusses some of the negative idiosyncrasies that follow models inherited from the past and adopt techniques practiced by their western counterparts. The underlying intention is to call for a decolonized architectural knowledge and thus a framework for incorporating Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as a paradigm for critical consciousness and the way in which key techniques can be utilized. The thrust is these techniques offer students learning opportunities that invigorate their capabilities to shift from passive listeners to active learners and from knowledge consumers to knowledge producers.