Decolonial Approach Research Articles

Towards decolonial IS: Insights from applying pluriverse and conviviality to analyse a co‐production intervention in Peru

AbstractWhile there is a growing interest in applying decolonial approaches within the field of information systems (IS), effective avenues for engagement remain largely unexplored. To this end, our paper introduces a framework focused on decolonial IS research informed by the notions of the pluriverse and conviviality. These concepts emphasise a focus on ontological, epistemological and methodological dimensions, with a strong orientation to justice. We illustrate the application of the framework through a re‐analysis of our own research project, the co‐production of the Metropolitan Water Observatory (MWO) in Lima, Peru. Applying the framework to learn new insights about the MWO, this paper contributes to the IS field by providing a framework from which to examine IS interventions from a decolonial perspective. In addition to advancing theoretical understanding, our framework serves as a valuable resource for scholars navigating the complex landscape of decolonial approaches in IS.

Decolonizing the Academic Study of Science and Religion? Engaging Wynter’s Epistemic Disobedience

With roots in the early 1960s, decoloniality as a sub-sect of postcolonial studies made successful attempts at redefining and unearthing essentially Western conceptualizations of knowledge and knowledge formation across different fields of endeavor. Many academic disciplines have benefited from decolonial studies’ self-reflective theories and deconstructive approaches, and religion and science should not be an exception. Within religion and science as an academic field, Western and European intellectual frames have been overwhelmingly presented as definitive of globalized perspectives and knowledge, especially the definition of “religion” and “science” within the academic field. The subtle but evident impact of adopting Western epistemology as ‘the’ definitive reference frame for all peoples and cultures is the transposition of colonial and overtly Eurocentric conceptualizations and definitions of what religion and science mean as perfunctory for what religion and science should mean within non-Western frames as well as a disregard for the latter. This has led to the presentation (or overrepresentation, according to Sylvia Wynter) of a single homogenized perspective for meaning-making and interpretation of topics and themes within the field, a decision which has not only significantly impacted the field, in terms of ongoing dialectics about the relationship between religion and science, but which has also seen the exclusion of other forms of beneficial epistemic reference frames, which have been viewed as subaltern. Drawing from Wynter’s epistemic disobedience, this paper highlights decolonial approaches for engaging in the academic study of science and religion, and which will advance the path towards delinking the field from Euro-Western conceptualizations. This will unravel the rich epistemic formation within non-Western knowledge frames and the inclusion of which will greatly enrich and redefine the academic study of religion and science in the days ahead.

From transnational to trans-Indigenous: a critical analysis of the role of categorization and everyday coloniality in Indigenous mobilities

ABSTRACT Addressing the special issue’s focus on the contestation of state categories, this article investigates the categorization of Indigenous Peoples on the move and how they resist and re-exist these categorizations. Rooted in decolonial approaches from Latin America, we propose a trans-Indigenous conceptual framework for the analysis of such mobilities. Based on 15 semi-structured interviews with Indigenous people on the move conducted in the State of Roraima in Brazil and supplemented by an examination of relevant policy documents in the region, our arguments are built around the perspectives of Indigenous people on the move and their resistance. In outlining the contours of a trans-Indigenous conceptual framework, this article’s primary contributions lie in contextualizing Indigenous mobilities within a decolonial critique of the modern-colonial nation-state and human rights in Latin America that may lead toward an independent praxis related to territory, sovereignty, and mobilities.

(Un) Learning and Re (Learning) Counterterrorism in Kenya: A Pilgrimage Towards Indigeneity

Abstract To a great extent, Kenya’s counterterrorism approach is criticised for being a copycat of the Western state-centric approach. This raises questions on whether the country’s approach is indeed based on African heritage or embedded in Eurocentric dispositions. Despite being framed largely by discourses of Islamophobia Kenya’s counterterrorism approach is also a product of the dominant universalistic knowledge that is not entirely suitable for the country’s counterterrorism situation. Debates have emerged on whether this scenario is attributed to the failure to place terrorism in the wider historical context or whether coloniality and Western modernity are contributing to this threat. To address these issues, this paper employs the Afrocentric decolonial approach anchored on the Ubuntu philosophy to investigate what a decolonised counterterrorism approach that reflects indigenous perspectives should entail in Kenya. Consequently, this paper attempts to shed light on history through the eyes of the subaltern by deconstructing some of the mainstream assumptions that have dominated Kenya’s counterterrorism discourse. Consequently, this paper aims to provide the platform for epistemic reconstitution by debunking the myth that Indigenous Knowledge about counterterrorism is insubstantial.

A Decolonial Approach in English Language Teaching as a Lingua Franca:

Language is a social practice and, therefore, is embedded within social, cultural, political, and economic relations. According to Benesch (2001), language is a site of struggle, a range of discourses competing for legitimacy in specific social contexts where power is unevenly distributed. Due to its transnational and transcultural scope, English is increasingly understood as a Lingua Franca that challenges the ideology of the supposed superiority of the native speaker, as well as the concept of the nation-state and the interrelations between language, territory, and culture. Furthermore, since the establishment of the Modernity/Coloniality group (CASTRO-GOMEZ; GROSFOGUEL, 2007), theories of decoloniality have been widely discussed in various academic fields, including Applied Linguistics and English teaching and learning. For this reason, Souza and Duboc (2021) argue in favor of a more performative decolonial praxis in order to identify, interrogate, and disrupt coloniality in different spheres of contemporary social relations, including language teaching and learning. In this sense, this article aims to reflect upon the role of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) in teacher education as a key concept for promoting a decolonial approach to English language teaching from the Global South.

The Western psychologization of global development: A cultural and decolonial approach

Euro-American psychology’s strong focus on the individual mind and behavior has become a fundamental part of global development agendas. Concepts like self-regulation, self-actualization, self-efficacy, and behavior change decorate the development discourse. Scholars term this phenomenon the “psychologization of development.” The main driver of this focus is likely rooted in the hegemonic belief that Western psychological theories are universally applicable. Yet, the discipline’s embeddedness in Euro-American imperialism, globalization, and neoliberalism makes its theories particularly un-universal and unfit in many contexts. Nevertheless, people in non-Western societies are increasingly subjected to development interventions targeting their individual behavior. Using examples from research in sub-Saharan Africa of how articulations of harmful witchcraft may increase because of development interventions that promote individualized ways of being and thinking, this article prompts a cultural and decolonial perspective to reimagine other ways of doing development.

A localised perspective in educational policy studies: understanding actor interaction in a Hong Kong school through mohap

ABSTRACT Asia as Method, in decolonial thinking, endorses the value of local knowledge while concurrently recognizing colonial and global knowledges’ ongoing influence and potential value in knowledge production. The author takes such a decolonial approach to examine how actors interact in translating the Fine-tuning Medium of Instruction Policy in a Hong Kong school. To grasp the nuances of actor interaction, the Cantonese term mohap (wearing in) is employed. Three concepts from distinct traditions are used to explain mohap: meritocracy, harmony and agency. This study examines actors’ mohap process through three stages: How actors perceive the government guidelines, form the school-based policy, and develop the school-based policy. The findings show that actors’ mohap in the local context entails the meritocracy ideology, sought-after harmony, and actor agency. It reveals the need and the potential of localised approaches to educational policy studies in the Global South.

THE CATEGORY OF THE “OTHER” IN THE AXIOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY LITERARY FAIRY TALES OF KAZAKHSTAN

The article examines various aspects of the discourse of the "Other" through the lens of psychoanalytic, decolonial, and ecological theories. The leitmotif mythologem of the initiation and the accompanying archetypal dichotomy of "self/other" in the literary fairy tale implies the actualization of the discourse of the "Other." The encounter with the "Other" represents a fundamental ethical event for each individual. Understanding being begins with ethical responsibility towards the "Other." The "Other" is also essential for the self-knowledge of the subject (successful completion of the initiation stage). Moreover, the "Other" plays a key role in the formation of the human subject through the symbolic order of language and culture. The main focus is on analyzing the motif of encountering otherness, which is key to understanding the ethical and existential transformation of fairy tale characters. The study integrates multidisciplinary perspectives, including Lacanian psychoanalytic theory, decolonial literary studies, feminist literary criticism, and ecological philosophy. Lacan's theory defines the "Other" as central to subjectivity; the decolonial approach explores the suppression of marginalized voices, while feminist criticism deconstructs patriarchal norms defining women as the "Other." Ecophilosophy extends the category of the "Other" to natural phenomena, reflecting a pantheistic worldview where all living beings have value. The authors conclude that contemporary Kazakh literary fairy tales demonstrate the deconstruction of traditional negative hierarchies through integrating ecological sensitivity and anti-power discourse. These categories emphasize a shift from an object paradigm to a subject paradigm, recognizing nature and people as active subjects of being. Thus, the Kazakh literary fairy tale, by actualizing the discourse of the "Other," significantly contributes to forming a contemporary axiological worldview, promoting a critical rethinking of negative hierarchies. This allows overcoming various forms of oppression and inequality, contributing to creating a just and inclusive society.

‘Racialised nudity’ in social work education: critical reflections on cross-cultural pedagogies

ABSTRACT Fostering cross-cultural learning is an important component in social work education in Australia. However, cross-cultural learning competencies are often criticized for lacking meaningful engagement with effective decolonial processes. Drawing on a postcolonial perspective, this paper offers a theoretical critique of pedagogical practices that create, sustain, and reinforce racial hierarchy in cross-cultural learning. These practices are discussed within the notions of tokenistic inclusion and racialized nudity that illustrate deficit models of cultural engagement. The paper is underpinned by the argument that a broadly defined and uncritically designed cross-cultural teaching and learning experience runs the risk of perpetuating white supremacy and dominance in social work education. By critiquing tokenistic cross-cultural pedagogical practices, this paper advocates for a re-orientation of social work education where a decolonial approach to knowledge production is embraced within curriculum design with a prioritized focus on the intersection of whiteness and racism.

African Migration at a Crossroads: The Social and Theoretical Implications of Emerging International Migration Trends

This study examines international migration trends in Africa since the mid-1960s. It argues that African international migration trends are at a turning point that could significantly affect the future of migration studies. New African immigrant communities are emerging in Asia, South America, and other world regions, while the influence of state and non-state institutions is increasing. Moreover, interstate migration in Africa is now more disconnected from the legacies of the continent's colonial labor migration systems. By 2050, Africa is also expected to have the world's largest population in the age-groups that typically have the highest probabilities of migration, while per-capita incomes will increase in ways that could reduce the costs of migration. Although Africa's influence on future migration research is likely to increase, progress in developing theories to examine its emerging trends has been limited. With few exceptions, studies on migration in Africa focus on theory application rather than theory building. New theoretical approaches are therefore needed to adequately situate Africa's emerging migration trends within the larger context of migration studies. The building blocks for developing these theories include decolonial approaches that highlight African perspectives and the integration of the substantive influences of future migration trends into theory-building processes.

The Land of the Moderns: The Sense of Latour’s Pragmatism

In his major work, An Inquiry into the Modes of Existence, Bruno Latour sets out to establish an anthropology of the Moderns based on the plurality of the modes of existence that make up their world. What about the beings of science, politics, art, religion, economics and so on? How do these beings relate to one another, and how do they constitute the specific forms of thought of the Moderns? Taking as its starting point one of the central notions of modern thought, namely the notion of matter, this article seeks to identify the way in which Latour shows its importance in the constitution of modern thought. It examines its topicality through the double prism of an ecological and decolonial approach that animates Latour’s work, and which this article proposes to revisit.

Unlocking the Potential of the Decolonial Approach in Migration Studies

ABSTRACTBased on a bibliometric analysis of Scopus‐indexed articles on decolonial research on migration from Social Science disciplines this article outlines the main topics covered by the sampled literature, namely: (1) the academic migration as framed by the internationalization discourse in higher education; (2) migrants' social movements and their transnational dimension; (3) gender and age in decolonial studies of migration; (4) the ways in which intersectionality shapes migrants' experiences through their class, race, gender and sexual orientation; and (5) critique of humanitarian discourse regarding refugees and asylum seekers. The article shows that type of literature first emerged in 2010 and significantly increased after 2020. Likewise, the geographic distribution of the knowledge production in this field highlights the uneven contributions by various countries and regions. Moreover, this picture is further complicated by the biographies of authors who, in many instances, are academic migrants coming from different national backgrounds in the Global South to work in higher education institutions in the Global North. The article ends with suggestions for further developments of the decolonial approach in the study of migration.

Training on Terra Nullius? A decolonial approach to militarisation in Sápmi and Northern Finland

Training on Terra Nullius? A decolonial approach to militarisation in Sápmi and Northern Finland

Clashing Decolonial and Sociocultural Factors: Revisiting Palestinian Queer Liberation Using the Events of Summer 2019

ABSTRACT Starting in the summer of 2019, a series of events saw queer Palestinians taking to the streets and appearing in mainstream Palestinian culture and media at an unprecedented scale. Drawing on 53 interviews with queer Palestinians, activists and nonactivists, this article critiques the queer organizing around these events as it appears in the two largest queer Palestinian organizations alQaws and Aswat. Because most research and activism on queer life in Palestine centers either the decolonial discourse against “homonationalism” within the Israeli nation-state expansion project and the Palestinian queer opposition to it, or the anti-orientalist critique of Western interventionist internationalization of queer rights, participants’ opinions and lived experiences challenge the scholarly and grassroot organizing tendency to ignore queer lives and voices who believe that targeting the sociocultural aspects of their queerness is an equally viable strategy for creating change. In doing so, this article sheds a new light on the clashing sociocultural and decolonial approaches—whereby clash refers to the debates regarding the ideologies and practices Palestinian activists and scholars find most ideal for their queer liberation.

Decolonising Minds, Empowering Futures: Rethinking Entrepreneurial Education for University Students in Africa

This paper provides a theoretical synthesis of entrepreneurial education in African universities. It argues that these models are deeply influenced by colonial legacies, which perpetuate disempowerment and dependency. The paper advocates for a transformative decolonial approach, stressing the need to reimagine and restructure entrepreneurial education in a way that aligns it with African realities, values, and aspirations. The paper underscores the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge systems, local contexts, and African philosophies into the educational curriculum. This integration ensures that the learning experience is relevant, contextual, and empowering for African university students. By presenting a range of arguments, the paper establishes a framework for a decolonial approach to entrepreneurial education. It demonstrates the potential of such models to foster innovation, self-reliance, and critical thinking. In conclusion, the paper asserts that decolonising entrepreneurial education in African universities is essential for nurturing a generation of entrepreneurs who possess economic acumen, cultural grounding, and social responsibility. This paper contributes to the existing knowledge by offering a theoretical framework for decolonial entrepreneurial education. It also provides practical insights for implementation and highlights the transformative potential of such education in shaping the future of African nations.

Touring Absences, Erasures, and Futures in the Unholy Land: A Religiously Literate Diasporic Reading of Palestine/Israel

Abstract This article examines a decolonial approach to teaching a course on Palestine/Israel involving experiential travel to the region. A decolonial syllabus studies absences, erasures, the multiple intersecting mechanisms and matrices of violence, and alternative futures as they inhabit subordinated pasts (histories) and the present in various activist spaces. We expand on other decolonial learning-in-context by underscoring the need for religious literacy. This is especially urgent because the land is a destination for apocalyptic, messianic, and birthright tourism designed to confirm and reinforce people’s redemptive scripts and fantasies about the land. The objective of the decolonial approach is not “metaphorical.” It is to dismantle the oppression of Palestinians, institute mechanisms for restorative justice, and draw ethical political maps. It is also hermeneutical, denoting the urgent need to dezionize Jewish consciousness. This article centers on those dimensions of our work that engage with pathways for decolonial Jewish political ethics in Palestine.

Decolonizing global AI governance: assessment of the state of decolonized AI governance in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Global artificial intelligence (AI) governance must prioritize equity, embrace a decolonial mindset, and provide the Global South countries the authority to spearhead solution creation. Decolonization is crucial for dismantling Western-centric cognitive frameworks and mitigating biases. Integrating a decolonial approach to AI governance involves recognizing persistent colonial repercussions, leading to biases in AI solutions and disparities in AI access based on gender, race, geography, income and societal factors. This paradigm shift necessitates deliberate efforts to deconstruct imperial structures governing knowledge production, perpetuating global unequal resource access and biases. This research evaluates Sub-Saharan African progress in AI governance decolonization, focusing on indicators like AI governance institutions, national strategies, sovereignty prioritization, data protection regulations, and adherence to local data usage requirements. Results show limited progress, with only Rwanda notably responsive to decolonization among the ten countries evaluated; 80% are 'decolonization-aware', and one is 'decolonization-blind'. The paper provides a detailed analysis of each nation, offering recommendations for fostering decolonization, including stakeholder involvement, addressing inequalities, promoting ethical AI, supporting local innovation, building regional partnerships, capacity building, public awareness, and inclusive governance. This paper contributes to elucidating the challenges and opportunities associated with decolonization in SSA countries, thereby enriching the ongoing discourse on global AI governance.

How is it possible to confront coloniality through devouring? An anthropophagic decolonial approach.

How is it possible to confront coloniality through devouring? An anthropophagic decolonial approach.

Mapping for connection, a life beyond mapping for control: lessons from ‘mapping-as-performance’ with Empatheatre in South Africa

This paper critically examines the intersections of Science, colonialism, and cartography in shaping perceptions of the ocean and its human-nature relationships. Drawing on Postcolonial Science and Technology Studies (PCSTS) and Decolonial Theory, it scrutinizes historical mapping practices, revealing how they perpetuated ontological hierarchies and controlled narratives of the ocean. Through archival research spanning from the Revolution to colonial exploration, the paper exposes how maps framed the ocean as a controllable entity, obscuring socio-cultural dimensions of biodiversity. Focusing on a case study in Northern Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, the authors explore an Empatheatre mapping process, that challenges Western ontologies and promotes counter-hegemonic cartographic practices. Situating this within critical cartography and PCSTS literature, the paper reveals how colonial projects molded perceptions of oceanic space and influenced environmental governance. In the South African context, the ocean is haunted by a violent history of racial exclusion and ecological exploitation. Initiatives like Operation Phakisa’s Blue Economy plan underscore the tension between economic growth and ecological sustainability, leading to rapid coastal developments. Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) emerges as a tool to reconcile these interests, yet its implementation raises questions about inclusivity and community participation. Introducing the Empatheatre method, characterized by a ‘Call and Response’ approach, the paper invites local communities to co-create maps reflecting their concerns and relationships with the ocean. Through attentive listening and collaborative storytelling, Empatheatre challenges traditional consultation methods, prioritizing meaningful engagement and collective meaning-making. Mapping in this context is not merely a static representation but a dynamic process of collective thinking and relationality. By foregrounding the social, cultural, and ecological context, Empatheatre’s approach redefines the mapmaker-map relationship and empowers communities as active agents in shaping their narratives. The transformative potential of Empatheatre lies in its ability to shift power dynamics and foster empathy between diverse stakeholders. Through performative storytelling and visual representations, Empatheatre creates space for marginalized voices and alternative modes of knowledge transmission. In conclusion, this paper advocates for a decolonial approach to oceanic cartographies that acknowledges diverse ontologies and fosters inclusive governance structures.

Making Space for Peace in Contexts of ‘Non-war’ Violence: Challenging War-Peace Binaries Through Feminist, Spatio-Temporal, and Decolonial Approaches

ABSTRACT Peace is often represented as a matter of time, as a political state that happens after war. This special issue contests this linear and binary view by giving an account of being and thinking between the boundaries of peace and war. It challenges mainstream ideas, political discourses, and collective imaginaries about the location of violence, peace, and peacebuilding. It does so by providing empirical and theoretical arguments as to why Peace and Conflict Studies and Geographies of Peace should widen their scope of empirical sites to include contexts of non-war violence, such as military urbanism, counterterrorism, police violence, migration, environmental struggles, and continued everyday violence and peacebuilding in different locations such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Kenya, Lebanon, and Northern Ireland. To do so, the special issue presents four theoretical lines of inquiry: 1) spatiality; 2) temporality; 3) feminist phenomenology and; 4) decolonial thought. Collectively, the articles make a strong case, epistemologically, theoretically, and methodologically, about peace as a complex embodied experience that should be analysed in time and space. The special issue concludes by calling for ‘making space for peace’ through in-betweenness, care, and non-violent resistance.