Artificial Intelligence and Digital Colonialism in Education: How Do Western-Centric Algorithms Transform Local Pedagogies?

Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into global education systems raises fundamental epistemic and political questions beyond technical change. This study critically examines the potential of Western-centric AI systems to produce epistemic colonialism in education and the mechanisms through which they may transform local pedagogical knowledge systems. Using conceptual and theoretical analysis, it integrates Couldry and Mejias's framework of data colonialism, Mignolo's theory of epistemic coloniality, and Freire's critical pedagogy. The theoretical synthesis of the reviewed literature yields three analytical inferences: AI systems cannot be assumed to be epistemically neutral; this structural problem cannot be resolved through technical bias correction alone; and local pedagogical traditions may provide analytical resources for resistance and transformation. Proposed as the study's conceptual contribution, algorithmic epistemic violence describes a sociotechnical relation through which forms of knowledge and language are excluded from representation, devalued by standardized criteria, and rendered invisible in design processes. In the Turkish context, the münazara tradition, the ahilik model, and the Village Institutes are treated as historical references to be tested empirically in culturally responsive AI applications. The study proposes a seven-level policy framework extending from data sovereignty to international advocacy for epistemic justice.

Keywords

• Digital Colonialism
• Epistemic Justice
• Artificial İntelligence And Education
• Algorithmic Epistemic Violence
• Decolonial Pedagogy

EĞİTİMDE YAPAY ZEKÂ VE DİJİTAL SÖMÜRGECİLİK: BATI MERKEZLİ ALGORİTMALAR YEREL PEDAGOJİLERİ NASIL DÖNÜŞTÜRÜYOR?

Abstract

Yapay zekâ teknolojilerinin küresel eğitim sistemlerine hızla entegrasyonu, teknik bir dönüşümün ötesinde köklü epistemik ve siyasi sorular doğurmaktadır. Bu çalışma, Batı merkezli yapay zekâ sistemlerinin eğitimde epistemik sömürgecilik üretme potansiyelini ve yerel pedagojik bilgi sistemlerini dönüştürebilecek mekanizmaları eleştirel bir perspektiften incelemektedir. Kavramsal ve teorik analiz yöntemiyle yürütülen çalışmada Couldry ve Mejias'ın dijital sömürgecilik çerçevesi, Mignolo'nun epistemik coloniality teorisi ve Freire'nin eleştirel pedagoji anlayışı bütünleşik bir analitik çerçevede kullanılmaktadır. İncelenen literatürün kuramsal sentezi üç analitik çıkarım üretmektedir: YZ sistemleri epistemik açıdan tarafsız değildir; bu yapısal sorun yalnızca teknik taraflılık düzeltmeleriyle giderilemez; yerel pedagojik gelenekler ise direniş ve dönüşüm için analitik imkânlar sunabilir. Çalışmanın kavramsal katkısı olarak önerilen algoritmik epistemik şiddet, bilgi ve dil biçimlerinin temsil dışı bırakılması, standartlaştırılmış ölçütlerle değersizleştirilmesi ve tasarım süreçlerinde görünmez kılınmasıyla oluşan sosyoteknik ilişkiyi tanımlamaktadır. Türkiye bağlamında münazara, ahilik ve Köy Enstitüleri, kültürel olarak duyarlı YZ uygulamalarında ampirik olarak sınanabilecek tarihsel referanslar olarak ele alınmaktadır. Çalışma, veri egemenliğinden uluslararası epistemik adalet savunuculuğuna uzanan yedi düzeyli bir politika çerçevesi önermektedir.

Keywords

• Dijital Sömürgecilik
• Epistemik Adalet
• Yapay Zekâ ve Eğitim
• Algoritmik Epistemik Şiddet
• Dekolonyal Pedagoji.

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