Decolonization

Decolonization is the undoing of colonialism, the latter being the process whereby imperial nations establish and dominate foreign territories, often overseas.^[1] The meanings and applications of the term are disputed. Some scholars of decolonization focus especially on independence movements in the colonies and the collapse of global colonial empires.^[2]^[3] Other scholars extend the meaning to include economic, cultural and psychological aspects of the colonial experience.^[4]^[5]

As a movement to establish independence for previously colonized territories from their respective metropoles, decolonization began in 1775 in North America. However, the term became far more widespread after the Second World War, receiving a new amplification by the development of new nationalisms in subaltern communities in the 20th century. In the 21st century, the UN has promoted decolonization and "thus has become a platform of militant anticolonialism."^[6] In 2023, the UN has taken the position that decolonization is not over, as there are still 17 "non-self-governing territories," mostly islands.^[7]

Decolonization scholars form the school of thought known as decoloniality and apply decolonial frameworks to struggles against the coloniality of power and coloniality of knowledge. Indigenous and post-colonial scholars have critiqued Western worldviews, promoting decolonization of knowledge and the centering of traditional ecological knowledge.^[8]^[9] Extending the meaning of decolonization beyond political independence has been disputed and received criticism.^[10]^[11]^[12]

^ Note however discussion of (for example) the Russian and Nazi empires below.
^ Hack, Karl (2008). International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Detroit: Macmillan Reference. pp. 255–257. ISBN 978-0028659657.
^ John Lynch, ed. Latin American Revolutions, 1808–1826: Old and New World Origins (1995).
^ Betts, Raymond F. (2012). "Decolonization a brief history of the word". Beyond Empire and Nation. Brill. pp. 23–37. doi:10.1163/9789004260443_004. ISBN 978-90-04-26044-3. JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctt1w8h2zm.5.
^ Corntassel, Jeff (8 September 2012). "Re-envisioning resurgence: Indigenous pathways to decolonization and sustainable self-determination". Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society. 1 (1). ISSN 1929-8692.
^ Grimal, Henri (1985). La décolonisation de 1919 à nos jours [Decolonization from 1919 to Today] (in French). Éditions Complexe. p. 349. ISBN 978-2-87027-157-5.
^ "Non-Self-Governing Territories". United Nations Website.
^ Nabobo-Baba, Unaisi (2006). Knowing and Learning: An Indigenous Fijian Approach. Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific, Suva. pp. 1–3, 37–40. ISBN 978-982-02-0379-2.
^ Tuhiwai Smith, Linda (2013). Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. Zed Books. ISBN 978-1-84813-953-4.^{[page needed]}
^ Táíwò, Olúfẹ́mi (2022). Against decolonisation: taking African agency seriously. African arguments. London: Hurst & Company. ISBN 978-1-78738-692-1.^{[page needed]}
^ Kurzwelly, Jonatan; Wilckens, Malin S (2023). "Calcified identities: Persisting essentialism in academic collections of human remains". Anthropological Theory. 23 (1): 100–122. doi:10.1177/14634996221133872. S2CID 254352277.
^ Naicker, Veeran (2023). "The problem of epistemological critique in contemporary Decolonial theory". Social Dynamics. 49 (2): 220–241. doi:10.1080/02533952.2023.2226497. S2CID 259828705.

[1] Note however discussion of (for example) the Russian and Nazi empires below.

[:0-2] Hack, Karl (2008). International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Detroit: Macmillan Reference. pp. 255–257. ISBN 978-0028659657.

[3] John Lynch, ed. Latin American Revolutions, 1808–1826: Old and New World Origins (1995).

[:6-4] Betts, Raymond F. (2012). "Decolonization a brief history of the word". Beyond Empire and Nation. Brill. pp. 23–37. doi:10.1163/9789004260443_004. ISBN 978-90-04-26044-3. JSTOR 10.1163/j.ctt1w8h2zm.5.

[5] Corntassel, Jeff (8 September 2012). "Re-envisioning resurgence: Indigenous pathways to decolonization and sustainable self-determination". Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society. 1 (1). ISSN 1929-8692.

[6] Grimal, Henri (1985). La décolonisation de 1919 à nos jours [Decolonization from 1919 to Today] (in French). Éditions Complexe. p. 349. ISBN 978-2-87027-157-5.

[7] "Non-Self-Governing Territories". United Nations Website.

[:5-8] Nabobo-Baba, Unaisi (2006). Knowing and Learning: An Indigenous Fijian Approach. Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific, Suva. pp. 1–3, 37–40. ISBN 978-982-02-0379-2.

[9] Tuhiwai Smith, Linda (2013). Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. Zed Books. ISBN 978-1-84813-953-4.^{[page needed]}

[10] Táíwò, Olúfẹ́mi (2022). Against decolonisation: taking African agency seriously. African arguments. London: Hurst & Company. ISBN 978-1-78738-692-1.^{[page needed]}

[11] Kurzwelly, Jonatan; Wilckens, Malin S (2023). "Calcified identities: Persisting essentialism in academic collections of human remains". Anthropological Theory. 23 (1): 100–122. doi:10.1177/14634996221133872. S2CID 254352277.

[12] Naicker, Veeran (2023). "The problem of epistemological critique in contemporary Decolonial theory". Social Dynamics. 49 (2): 220–241. doi:10.1080/02533952.2023.2226497. S2CID 259828705.

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