dekolonisaation

Dekolonisaation, or decolonization in English, refers to the process by which colonies achieve political independence from colonial powers, transfer sovereignty to local populations, and end imperial rule. It encompasses political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions and often involves negotiations, constitutional changes, and the withdrawal of metropolitan authority.

The modern wave began in the early-to-mid 20th century and accelerated after World War II, driven by anti-colonial movements, new international norms of self-determination, and changing geopolitical conditions. The United Nations and its member states articulated the right of peoples to self-determination, culminating in the 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples.

Methods varied: peaceful negotiations and constitutionalism, referendums and elections, or armed struggle. Once independence is achieved, new states draft constitutions, establish institutions, and address post-colonial legacies, including economic dependence, state-building, and national identity.

Impacts are mixed. Some states achieved stable governance and development; others faced political instability, civil conflict, or ongoing economic and strategic influence by former metropoles. Debates continue over neocolonialism, development models, and repatriation of cultural patrimony.

Notable cases include India (1947), Indonesia (1949/1950), Ghana (1957), Algeria (1962), many African and Caribbean nations during the 1950s–1970s, and Timor-Leste (2002). The term also covers ongoing processes of decolonization in territories seeking greater autonomy or complete independence, and in cultural and academic contexts.