Dekoloniale

Dekoloniale refers to a concept or movement that aims to decolonize or re-evaluate historical narratives, cultural practices, and intellectual traditions from a colonial perspective. This idea emerged primarily in European academia, particularly in the context of postcolonial studies.

Proponents of dekolonial thought argue that traditional European-dominated narratives and methodologies in the social sciences, history, and literature have overlooked or misrepresented the experiences and viewpoints of subjects from colonized and formerly colonized societies. Critics of dekolonialism associate the movement with a perceived attempt to quash or rewrite history, abandoning the standard practices of scholarship and academic rigor.

Supporters of dekolonial thought, on the other hand, see it as an essential process of revision and self-reflection in academic fields. They contend that novel perspectives on history and culture are conducive to more inclusive and nuanced understandings, enriching academic scholarship and represented in areas like global history and postcolonial literature.

Key to dekolonial thought has been the repudiation of Western epistemologies and the incorporation of the theoretical insights and frameworks of thinker and scholars from the colonial world. Key figures associated with the dekolonial movement include feminist philosophers Chandra Talpade Mohanty, preeminent scholar of postcolony Aníbal Quijano, and Africanist scholars Adrien Payne and Donald Donham.