decoloniales

Decoloniales refers to a family of theoretical and activist approaches that critique the ongoing effects of colonialism in knowledge, power, and social arrangements. Often used in Latin American intellectual circles, decoloniales seek to destabilize what is described as coloniality of power, the persistence of colonial hierarchies after formal independence, embedded in institutions, economies, and epistemologies. Proponents argue that coloniality shapes who can know, who can speak, and who can govern, producing epistemic violence when non-European knowledges are marginalized.

Originating in late 20th-century critical thought, decolonial ideas draw on Aníbal Quijano’s analysis of coloniality, Walter Mignolo’s decolonial theory, Arturo Escobar’s development studies, and the philosophy of liberation by Enrique Dussel. They emphasize pluriversality, arguing for recognition of multiple, coexisting worldviews rather than a single universal standard.

Key concepts include the coloniality of power, which ties race, labor, and knowledge to structures of domination; epistemic decolonization, which seeks to validate Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and other non-Western epistemologies; and decolonial praxis, which links theory to grassroots struggle, education reform, and decolonizing curricula, archives, and museums. The decolonial project often promotes decolonizing development, history, and religion, and foregrounds local and regional autonomies.

Critiques note that the term can be broad or ambiguous and that its political implications vary across contexts. Nevertheless, decoloniales remain influential in anthropology, education, art, and social movements, contributing to debates about decolonizing knowledge production and reconfiguring power relations.

See also: decolonization, postcolonial theory, coloniality of power, epistemic violence, indigenous studies, critical pedagogy.