Colonialism is a practice whereby a political power from one geographic area obtains power over another area, exerting control over its people and exploiting its resources. In many cases this process involves occupying the territory of the second location (settler colonialism). All cases involve an unequal distribution of power which results in structural oppression.
Colonization ****refers to the institutionalized inequity brought on by this structural oppression. Much of the knowledge and practices used in Western medicine today are rooted in colonization and operate in ways which replicate the subordination and exploitation of colonialism. The ongoing effects of colonization can be seen and felt in all aspects of health from the actual structures of the medical industry to the social factors influencing a person’s health, like stress or lack of access to quality healthcare.
Decolonization is a theoretical framework as well as a political practice. It is the collective resistance to colonial power and the active fortification of Indigenous sovereignty. In the context of health, decolonization claims that addressing the structural aspects of inequity is a necessary step in advocating for people’s health. It centers self-determination in advocating for Indigenous systems of health, wellness, and well-being.