How Mathematics as Storytelling challenge Eurocentric mathematics education

Abstract

This paper argues that critical studies in education must meaningfully engage with Indigenous scholarship, Global South theory (Connell, 2007; Santos, 2014) and epistemologies beyond the Eurocentric canon. Drawing on Nakata’s (2007) Cultural Interface and the Goompi Model (Matthews, 2020a), we propose a framework for integrating these diverse knowledge systems into educational discourse. The study adopts methodologies that centre Indigenous scholarship and Global South perspectives, privileging codesigns, community leadership and contextualised research practices that challenge dominant Eurocentric paradigms. We contend that such integration advances epistemic justice and enriches critical education by offering alternative pedagogical orientations, exemplified by Mathematics as Storytelling (MAST). Both Global South theory and the Goompi Model critique Eurocentric dominance in knowledge production and learning outcomes, advocating for non-Western theories of knowledge to better serve Indigenous and marginalised students. The Goompi Model, rooted in Indigenous Australian knowledge systems, operationalises mathematics as storytelling, using stories from Country to situate concepts in cultural meaning. This ethos aligns with Global South emphases on situated knowledge and culturally authentic pedagogy, demonstrating how weaving students’ cultural backgrounds into curricula fosters relevance, engagement, and equity. The paper concludes with implications for research, policy and teacher education to support plural, decolonising practices in mathematics.