Short abstract:

This study develops a decolonial perspective on DEI in biomedical research. Highlighting historical inequities and coloniality of knowledge, it aims to enrich debates on DEI in biomedicine, offering theoretical insights and empirical evidence on South-North dynamics in Global Health collaborations.

Long abstract:

This study presents a decolonial conception of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in biomedical research. It responds to the longstanding call to decolonize Global Health by bringing together the perspectives of Global Health researchers from the Global South and North to develop a framework for conceptualising DEI from a decolonial standpoint. We argue that comprehending the historical and current inequities in Global Health research is essential for institutional change that meaningfully incorporates DEI into biomedical research. To this end, we highlight the concept of ‘coloniality of knowledge’ as central to efforts to promoting and doing diversity in biomedical research. We report the results of a scoping review on decolonial scholarship concerning coloniality of knowledge and DEI in biomedicine. Drawing on their intersections, we construct a framework for the decolonial understanding of DEI in biomedical research. Additionally, we organize a Summer School on ‘Decolonizing Global Health with a Focus on Biomedical Sciences, Research, and Education’ in partnership with the Charité Institute of International Health, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Latin American organization MetaDocencia. Through participant observation during this 4-day event, we identify key themes in experiences with Global Health collaborations between the Global South and North, integrating these results into our framework. By employing an ethnographic approach, we aim to enhance the theoretical framework on decolonial DEI in biomedical research. Overall, this study presents a decolonial understanding of DEI, alongside empirical insights into the challenges and facilitators of DEI practices in Global Health collaborations.