Academic Dependency Theory

Academic Dependency Theory suggests that developing countries' educational systems and research are heavily influenced and controlled by Western institutions. This dependence limits local innovation, prioritizes Western interests, and hampers the growth of independent knowledge. It argues that this reliance perpetuates existing global inequalities, as developing nations often rely on imported ideas and standardized curricula rather than developing their own. Essentially, it highlights how global power dynamics shape and constrain academic development in less developed regions, emphasizing the need for autonomous and context-specific knowledge production.