What does decolonisation mean for editors? Although debates on decolonisation have largely centred on curriculum transformation, the contribution of editors to this process has received comparatively less attention. This first article in a four-part series explores how everyday editorial decisions can contribute to more accessible, inclusive academic texts.

I spent a number of years as a lecturer: teaching students from different educational, linguistic and cultural backgrounds exposed me to the diverse realities experienced by students in South African higher education. Some of them engaged confidently with prescribed texts, whereas others struggled – not because they lacked ability, but because the language, examples or assumptions in the material created unnecessary barriers to learning.

Those observations stayed with me long after I moved into academic editing. They became one of the motivations for my doctoral research on publishing and editing strategies that support the decolonisation of academic texts. I found myself asking two questions: How had the academic publishing sector responded to the call to decolonise curricula? And, more importantly, what practical contribution could editors make?

From the classroom to the editor’s desk

My experience as both a lecturer and an editor shaped the way I approached these questions. As a lecturer, I saw the challenges that students experienced when engaging with academic texts. This perspective prompted me to look beyond the curriculum itself and to consider the texts students were expected to read. I began to think like an editor, asking how those texts could communicate more clearly, use more meaningful examples and become more accessible without compromising academic standards.

That realisation shifted my thinking. Editors may not determine what’s taught, but they do influence how knowledge is presented, contextualised and communicated. This places editors in a unique position in the publishing process.

Good editing has always been about helping authors to communicate clearly, accurately and effectively. Thinking more intentionally about inclusion doesn’t change that purpose; it broadens the context in which we apply it.

More than a curriculum debate

When people hear the word ‘decolonisation’, they often think of curriculum reform, institutional policy or broader debates about transformation. Yet, from an editorial perspective, the conversation is much more practical.

Editors aren’t expected to rewrite an author’s ideas or decide what knowledge belongs in a textbook. Nor are they responsible for curriculum design. Their role is to support authors in producing texts that are academically rigorous, accessible and meaningful to the readers they’re intended to serve.

One of the key findings of my doctoral research was that editors have a valuable role to play, not by changing what authors write, but by strengthening how they communicate with increasingly diverse groups of readers.

Academic texts are written for students with different educational experiences, languages and cultural backgrounds. Editors can encourage authors to consider whether examples are relevant, how explanations can be made clearer and if unnecessary barriers to understanding can be removed without compromising academic standards.

What can editors influence?

Editors often have more influence than they realise within the boundaries of their professional role. Editors don’t write the curriculum, but they do help to shape how readers experience it. Many editorial decisions contribute to that experience. Improving readability, identifying ambiguous wording, questioning assumptions, suggesting clearer explanations and considering the needs of the intended audience are all part of good editorial practice. These aren’t additional responsibilities created by decolonisation; they’re professional editing skills applied with greater awareness of context and readership.

Editors can also encourage authors to consider whose knowledge is foregrounded, which perspectives are represented and whether examples reflect the contexts in which readers live and learn.

This doesn’t mean that every decision is straightforward. Editors work collaboratively with authors, publishers and reviewers, and each manuscript presents its own challenges. However, asking thoughtful editorial questions can make a meaningful difference to how readers engage with academic texts.

The journey ahead

This article has introduced the editor’s place in the conversation about supporting the decolonisation of academic texts. The next three articles explore practical editorial strategies that can be incorporated into everyday editing practice. We’ll explore how editing can strengthen representation and context, how language and readability improve accessibility, and why editorial judgement helps to avoid superficial approaches to decolonisation while maintaining academic rigour.

I hope the series encourages discussion among editors and demonstrates that our profession has an important contribution to make. Decolonisation may be an ongoing conversation in higher education, but good editing has always been about helping authors to communicate with their readers. I believe that’s where our greatest contribution lies.

Part 1 of a  four-part series on the editor’s role in supporting the decolonisation of academic texts. Next in the series: Looking beyond the words: Practical editing strategies for more inclusive academic texts

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