Process Of Decolonization Research Articles

Reimagining self-determination: Relational, decolonial, and intersectional perspectives

Self-determination language and practice are increasingly perplexing in the 21st century. Historically linked to decolonization processes and post-imperial transformations of the international system, self-determination has espoused both violent and non-violent resistance, and supported both existing and emergent sovereignty. With the Janus-faced relationship between self-determination and colonialism continuing to this day, the contemporary moment is an opportune time to take stock of self-determination. However, as conventional jurisprudence and international legalism framings have, in many ways, hampered its emancipatory potential, alternative ways of reimagining self-determination are needed. Bringing together scholars from the fields of political and development geography, indigenous studies, international relations, and sociology, this intervention demonstrates how articulations of self-determination in specific sites offer powerful critiques of the state system and the liberal world order and unsettle hegemonic forms of knowledge production. These articulations open up conceptual space to push self-determination beyond the realm of rights, allowing us to reimagine self-determination as a vision and practice, and to recover and reconceptualize the hopeful, emancipatory and aspirational politics that have always underpinned self-determination. This intervention seeks to re-envision self-determination from three novel and interlinked angles: decoloniality, intersectionality, and relationality. Drawing on a range of examples of contemporary and historical self-determination claims and contestations, each author focuses on one or more of these angles to examine the extent to which current practices of and visions for self-determination engender novel understandings of emancipation from ‘foreign’ domination and/or colonial systems of governance.

Italian history, Mediterranean history: New perspectives on an imperial and colonial past

In recent years, historiographical research has increasingly focused on the link between Italy and the Mediterranean, taking into account the debate on new spatial categories in national, regional and global history, and showing a growing interest in imperial history. This article discusses the status quo and future research perspectives. Focusing on four recent Englishlanguage publications, it approaches the Mediterranean as a space that challenges mainstream Italian history by highlighting its imperial nature, including decolonisation processes and their legacies in the present. Based on these premises, the article engages in a dialogue with other geohistorical "areas" of the Mediterranean, examining sources written in different languages and paying particular attention to local experiences prior to the Italian occupation. 

Rewriting the flesh of the world for the new human: Merleau‐Ponty, Fanon, and Wynter on the ethics of futurity

AbstractThis article reads Maurice Merleau‐Ponty's ontology of the “flesh of the world” alongside the ontology that seems to undergird Frantz Fanon's sociodiagnostics as well as his theory of sociogeny. It argues that reading Fanonian sociogeny in terms of the ambiguity and intercorporeality of the flesh of the world renders the ethical and political imperatives of Fanon's decolonial project all the more pressing, since the “new human” is prefigured—if not totally determined—in the national consciousness obtained by “les damnés” through the decolonization process. It then examines how Sylvia Wynter's Fanonian call to (re)fashion the future of humanness through (re)conceptualizing “being human as praxis,” also seems to rely on this ontology of the flesh of the world. Bringing these arguments together, the article suggests that the conceptual content of the new human can be found in the liberation struggles of les damnés across what Wynter calls the “poverty archipelagos” wrought by colonial humanism. Hence, the “new skin” for which Fanon calls is fashioned through forming international solidarity with les damnés, with the conceptual content of the new humanism emerging sociogenically—and autopoetically—from those struggles themselves.

Statelessness and Solidarity: Palestinians, Dhofaris, and Saharawis in Tricontinental Media

Abstract From its beginning, the Organisation of Solidarity of the Peoples of Africa, Asia, and Latin America (ospaaal) used its print media to campaign on behalf of Palestinian nationalism, articulating the concerns of displaced Palestinians from a perspective of unrecognised and thwarted national liberation movements. This organisation, responsible for carrying out the activities of the Tricontinental group that began meeting in Havana in 1966, identified the issue of Palestinian statelessness as a key feature of ongoing colonialism. From this perspective, ospaaal developed a platform from which to articulate solidarity against ongoing imperialism, one which could be usefully extended to explain and render solidarity with other causes. We argue that ospaaal’s visual and narrative framework, extended to the anti-colonial advocacy first for Dhofar (from the late 1960s to middle of the 1970s) and later for Western Sahara (late 1970s to 1990), presented a powerful, though limited, critique of international governance institutions from the Global South. Tricontinental publications’ reporting and solidarity media, in framing statelessness as an inherent problem of an incomplete process of decolonisation, critiqued the rhetorical strategies employed by imperial powers to maintain colonial relationships through international organisations like the United Nations.

A Book in a Thousand. Translating Dutch (Post-)Colonial Literature in the Late Fifties: Maria Dermoût’s The Ten Thousand Things In the U.S. and Italy

ABSTRACT This paper examines the successful translation and reception of Maria Dermoût’s De tienduizend dingen (1955), most particularly in the U.S. and Italy: a quite unique case of a Dutch book which has found its way to world literature. In the late Fifties, this beautifully crafted literary work about the faded world of the Dutch Molucca’s prior to WWII, could reckon on sympathy, empathy and interest in different countries. In the U.S., the ongoing decolonization process found a certain support, while Italy did its best to fully erase all traces of its colonial past and only few people with colonial roots tried to keep them alive. The ambivalent, liminar status of this fascinating book, written from a distant elsewhere by a displaced Eurasian author, can explain its appeal to translators Hans Koning and Quirino Maffi – both displaced, too – and international audiences.

Decolonization Debacle: The Bane of Sustainable Development Attainment in Nigeria

Colonization, an imperial conquest of native lands by European countries, became an epoch-making, monumental highlight in the historical development of third-world countries. There is no gainsaying that the colonial exercise did more evil than good for the colonized world. The decolonization of Africa and other colonized areas of the world was a slow process that was triggered by the First and Second World Wars. The devastating effects of the two wars on the economies of the West, coupled with the native resistance from the colonies, made colonialism impracticable. Hence, the European imperialist states were faced with no other choice than to relinquish their dominance in their colonies. Nigeria, which finally, attained independence in 1960, tailored its national development policy along the welfarist paradigm. In 1987, Nigeria joined the rest of the world in subscribing to the ideology of sustainable development by partaking in the World Commission on Environment and Development summit. The realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) became entrenched in national developmental planning after Nigeria attended the Sustainable Development Conference held by the UN in 2012. However, following the years of decolonization, Nigeria has grappled with developmental challenges and appeared to be in reverse gear in the developmental process. The post-colonial upheavals and mismanagement of Nigeria became a glaring feature, thus having far-reaching consequences on her development strides. This begs the question as to what and how the decolonization exercise benefitted Nigeria. Therefore, this study examines the decolonization dilemma of Nigeria and how it has hampered Nigeria’s chances of attaining sustainable development. The study employed a qualitative and expository analysis in examining the effect of the decolonization process on the attainment of the SDGs. The study builds on data from a range of published and unpublished sources. It was concluded in the study, that the climate that arose from the decolonization process had not enhanced the actualization of sustainable development in Nigeria. Among the suggestions in the study includes retracing the decolonization steps taken thus far and redefining how Nigeria can be rid of the legacies and traces of colonialism so as to set out on a steady drive toward attaining sustainable development.

Diagnosis and Prevention of Periprosthetic Joint Infections by Staphylococcus aureus after Hip Fracture: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Hip arthroplasties are surgical procedures widely performed all over the world, seeking to return functionality, relieve pain, and improve the quality of life of patients affected by osteoarthritis, femoral neck fractures, osteonecrosis of the femoral head, among other etiologies. Periprosthetic joint infections are one of the most feared complications due to the high associated morbidity and mortality, with a high number of pathogens that may be associated with its etiology. The aim of the present study was to analyze aspects correlated with the occurrence of infection, diagnosis and prevention of periprosthetic joint infections in the hip associated with Staphylococcus aureus after corrective surgery for hip fractures. This is a systematic review of the literature carried out in the databases indexed in the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) carried out in accordance with the precepts established by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. Twenty studies that addressed the diagnosis and prevention of periprosthetic joint infections after hip fractures were selected for analysis. It is observed that there is no consensus in the literature on preventive measures for the occurrence of such infectious processes. Among the risk factors for the occurrence and severity of infections by S. aureus after hip arthroplasties, obesity, longer surgical time, older age, immunosuppression, recent use of antibiotics, and multicomorbidities were mentioned. The use of biomarkers for early diagnosis, as well as screening, decolonization, and antibiotic prophylaxis processes are among the preventive procedures proposed in the literature.

African Indigenous Research to Decolonisation of African Universities’ Curricula

The phrase African indigenous research (AIR) depicts a novel research thrust that seeks a global entrance into the mainstream research assortment as a competitive area of study. A discourse on decolonisation attempts to reverse the gains of colonialism. Existing studies show that most (South) African universities’ curricula can be traced to the colonial era. A rereading of available scholarly conversations depicts some reluctance on the part of education authorities towards decolonising the (South) African universities’ curricula. It is in the context of the above that the present study engages conversations on decolonisation in order to establish a common ground that affords AIR a notable articulation on decolonisation of (South) African Universities’ curricula. The present research is anchored on a critical race theory (CRT) in which narrative inquiry as a methodological approach is utilised. Although the phrase African universities’ curricula is employed, the study will focus on the (South) African universities’ curricula as representative examples. The (South) African scenario is preferred as a case study due to the author’s familiarisation with (South) African universities as well as African decolonisation discourses. The study attempts to answer the following three questions (1) what motivated research conversations on decolonisation? (2) why is the study on decolonisation of the curricula in (South) African universities necessary? and (3) what is the global impact of decolonisation processes in (South) Africa?

The right to development in Francophone Africa: Post-colonial agreements, sovereign authority and control over natural resources

This article critiques the decolonisation process of erstwhile colonised Francophone African states, during which France failed to effectively guarantee these states at independence the kind of sovereignty that empowered them to design their own political, educational and development policies. Consequently, the right to development in Francophone Africa remains a mere aspiration given that decolonisation failed to result in the attainment of self-reliance by the states that assumed independence. Instead, on the eve of independence, France secretly concluded cooperation agreements with the governments poised to ascend to independence and concluded others immediately after independence. Some of the secret agreements contained clauses that prioritised France to buy any natural resources of their choice in these Francophone states. Worse still, through cultural and educational assimilation, the French have colonised the minds of Francophone Africans to the extent that they defend French interests at the expense of theirs. The secret agreements have compromised the ability of the so-called independent states to implement and execute national development plans, and the AU Agenda 2063 on development in these states. Consequently, recommendations have been suggested to enable these states to recover from French exploitation and regain their total sovereignty.

Fishing for a New World Order in the Twentieth-Century Indo-Pacific

Abstract This article argues that the territorialization of the ocean was one of the crucial inflection points of the twentieth century, transforming the sovereignty of states and profoundly reshaping their territories. In terms of scale, it is the most planetary of the many remappings that have marked the twentieth century. A close study of the globalization of the Japanese tuna industry serves to illustrate this transition and can help us understand why and how this process evolved. The Japanese Empire was a key actor in the transimperial hotspot of the Indo-Pacific, where multiple empires met and interacted. Transimperial “brokers”—both human migrants and migratory species such as tuna—moved across boundaries and created an open oceanic frontier dependent on shifting ecological conditions. These transimperial entanglements did not end in 1945. Their legacies weighed heavy in the decolonization process that followed the Second World War, with new states seeking to establish their territories at sea as well as on land. Japan’s success in maintaining access to fishing grounds shows how these entanglements transcended the so-called Age of Empires to influence the establishment of a new global order and a new oceanic sovereignty.

“A Flight from History”? Nadine Gordimer’s Congo Journey

The aim of this article is to shed light on Nadine Gordimer’s political convictions in the context of the decolonization processes in the Belgian Congo (later the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the years 1960–61. The article begins with a brief overview of Gordimer’s political views. It is argued that while Gordimer’s stance in the early 1950s had been that of liberal humanism (an influence that came to her also from the reading of E. M. Forster), by the end of this decade she began to question its relevance in South Africa. As a result, she decided to redefine both her political and artistic views, trying to forge a vision that would be more attuned to her position as a white writer in postcolonial Africa. This attempt is visible in her essay “The Congo River” (1961), at whose centre lies an ambivalence: while Gordimer welcomes the political transformation in Congo with cautious optimism, she also demonstrates a tendency to de-emphasize the country’s colonial history by focusing on the natural habitat and describing it as an ahistorical space. This notion of nature is, to a large extent, a repetition of the colonial vision of the natural environment, which Gordimer unwittingly perpetuated, creating her own example of the socioecological unconscious.

The economic and political development of African states in the historical context of the decolonization process

The study of decolonization has long been dominated by political history, focused on formal emancipation of nations at the turn of the 19th and 20th century, societies subject to European colonial administration. The article reveals the reasons for the emancipation of colonised nations and the construction of a new social and economic order in the world. It also presents the relationship between decolonisation and the new global economic hierarchy. In fact, decolonisation did not change anything in the economic and political relations between former metropolises and former colonies, similarly at the cultural level, where the language of the coloniser still dominates in the official sphere and in education.

Islamism in Pakistan and the Kashmir Conflict

The conflict in Kashmir is influenced by various interactive factors among which the Islamization of Pakistan and the following Talibanization of the entire Sub-Indian region undoubtedly have played a significant role. The emergence of the dispute is a consequence of the decolonisation process which peaked after the Second World War. Unfortunately, this same period was also marked by the beginning of the Cold War. Hence, it is argued that the Islamization of Pakistan is the product of the negative interaction of two main factors – the geopolitical rivalry of the superpowers at that time, especially considering the negative impact of the war in Afghanistan, and the rise of Islam as a consequence of the overall religious revival around the world. Adding to them is the local rivalry between the newly emerged states of India and Pakistan producing an extremely explosive mixture with the potential to ignite the entire region of South-East Asia, involving also the leading international powers. Thus, the conflict in Kashmir became an integral part of the post-Cold War world directly affected by the Islamic revival and the dissemination of the Islamist principles in Pakistan.

Woman, Water, Freedom

Countermapping the conflict between hydrological interventions and women’s water literacy in the Khuzestan Region since the mid-twentieth century, this essay reveals the violent nature of hydrological paternalism across times and political regimes. Under the androcentric realm of colonial representations, resource development projects, Western modernizing missions, state violence, and financial strangulation by international economic sanctions, the multifaceted nature of women’s resistance against territorial dispossessions and the violence unleashed on women and waterbodies is at the center of the current struggles for social and environmental justice. Demystifying these historical entanglements makes the case for the rematriation of rivers as a necessary step in the transborder and crosscultural process of decolonization and feminist liberation.

UKRAINIAN CULTURAL STUDIES AS A “RISKY PROJECT ”: REVISION OF THE POST-COLONIAL EXPERIENCE

The article explores the current state of Ukrainian cultural studies, tracing its origins from the late 1980s and its development within Ukrainian universities and the cultural market, with an emphasis on decolonisation processes. It seeks to validate discussions among representatives of various cultural studies schools (Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Ostroh), offering insights into the challenges and progress in the field. The analysis draws from two key discussions: the Vilnius conference “The Decolonisation of Education and Research in Belarus and Ukraine” (September 2023) and the UAC Lviv event “Culturology as a Risky Project” (December 2023). Despite the establishment of cultural studies following Ukraine obtaining independence in 1991, the field continues to grapple with its objectives in the context of ongoing social and cultural shifts. The article questions whether cultural studies can liberate itself from the legacy of colonised discourse and speculates on its future trajectory amid decolonisation efforts. By examining political and methodological factors, the authors conclude that Ukrainian cultural studies navigate a complex landscape of evolving educational paradigms and societal expectations, defining the unique experience of the “Culturology project” in Ukraine.

The Process of Decolonization of Equatorial Guinea

The Process of Decolonization of Equatorial Guinea

Towards the creation of the Anti-Imperialist League: World Congress in Brussels (1927)

The article presents a study on the organization of the World Anti-Imperialist Congress in Brussels in 1927, one of the results of which was the creation of an international organization – the League against Imperialism and Colonial Oppression. Drawing on materials from the activities of the league in 1927–1937, stored in the funds of the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History, the author reconstructs the progress of preparations for the congress. The circle of people who responded to the initiative to convene a world congress to discuss the problems of colonial peoples has been identified. The author revealed that the place of the Comintern in the preparation for this event was leading, since the entire process of organizing the event, selecting delegates, as well as the agenda of the meetings completely depended on the directives of this organization. The reasons for the disagreements that arose between the organizers of the world congress about the place and date of the event, as well as about the people who were supposed to be involved in the congress, were identified. The author concludes that the World Anti-Imperialist Congress in Brussels was a successful attempt to gather delegations from colonial countries around the world, which made it possible to actualize the problem of oppression of the peoples of Asia and Africa. According to the author, the main result of the event is that an international organization with an anti-imperialist orientation was created, which would become the forerunner of the decolonization process after World War II.

Unwavering Resolve: The Sahrawi Diaspora and the Fight for Self-Determination

The Western Sahara conflict, stemming from Spain’s never finished decolonization process and Morocco’s invasion in 1975, led to the displacement of thousands of Sahrawi. The Sahrawi diaspora has become a significant force advocating for self-determination, freedom, sovereignty, and human rights. This paper highlights the diasporas’ diversity, noting unique contributions and challenges faced globally. Through its political, cultural and humanitarian activism, the diaspora has kept the Western Sahara issue visible. The article concludes emphasizing the need for sustained international support and solidarity to resolve this conflict.

SHEMBE PHILOSOPHY: THE DECOLONISATION OF RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY

This piece of scholarly work in the sight of the public is crafted to drive or to win any theological debate or argument but I simple seek to advance the understanding of Shembe in the specific area of His philosophy not the holistic Shembe. This I say because no one on earth can claim in totality that he or she has a better understanding of Shembe, hence choosing the concept of philosophy which is the critical examination of ground fundamental beliefs and analysis of concept, doctrines, and practices was relevant. The process of decolonization has been a significant area of scholarly inquiry in various fields, including religion and spirituality. Shembe philosophy placed a strong emphasis on cultural revival and the restoration of African spiritual practices. The movement sought to reclaim African spirituality while accommodating certain aspects of organic Christianity. Central to Shembe philosophy was to reconnect the so-called lost generation of Abantu in the ancestral connection, the veneration of ancestors, and the preservation of African traditions (Wababa, 2018). The complexity of such role from Jehovah was delicate and crucial. Isaiah Shembe known as Umqaliwendlela would hear a voice singing new unexpected words. A qualitative study method was employed in this study to enable a comprehensive exploration of the experiences, perspectives, and practices within Shembe communities. The study findings revealed that the key principles and teachings of Shembe philosophy have now a massive influence and understanding of decolonization in guiding the community’s beliefs and practices. The community have incorporation of Shembe philosophy into their daily lives for decolonial transformation. The findings further revealed although numerous challenges faced by the Shembe community in their pursuit of decolonization and cultural heritage preservation, but the post-colonial era in South Africa has made much better to defend His philosophy using the current constitution chapter 2 which clearly stipulates in the Bill of Rights, which states that everyone has right to freedom of religion, belief, and opinion. Section 9, the equality clause, prohibits unfair discrimination on various grounds including religion. Shembe fought spiritual the above religious right from as early as 1900 until the formation of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC), later known as the African National Congress (ANC) on the 08 January 1912. In conclusion, the Shembe philosophy has lightning influence in guiding the community’s beliefs and practices. The post-colonial role of Shembe philosophy in the decolonization of religion and spirituality requires further exploration and development.

Towards decolonising higher education: a case study from a UK university

This article presents initiatives undertaken by the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine (GHSM) at King’s College London (KCL), exploring avenues to decolonise higher education institutions (HEI). HEI must integrate anti-racism agendas, challenge the European-centric academic knowledge domination, and dismantle power asymmetries. During the academic year 2021, GHSM executed (1) a gap analysis of undergraduate modules, (2) a course on decolonising research methods taught by global scholars to 40 Global South and North university students who completed pre- and post-course surveys, and (3) semi-structured interviews with 11 academics, and a focus group with four students exploring decolonising HEI; findings were thematically analysed. (1) Gap analysis revealed a tokenistic use of Black and minority ethnic and women authors across modules’ readings. (2) The post-course survey showed that 68% strongly agreed the course enhanced their decolonisation knowledge. (3) The thematic analysis identified themes: (1) Decolonisation is about challenging colonial legacies, racism, and knowledge production norms. (2) Decolonisation is about care, inclusivity, and compensation. (3) A decolonised curriculum should embed an anti-racism agenda, reflexive pedagogies, and life experiences involving students and communities. (4) HEI are colonial, exclusionary constructs that should shift to transformative and collaborative ways of thinking and knowing. (5) To decolonise research, we must rethink the hierarchy of knowledge production and dissemination and the politics of North-South research collaborations. Decolonising HEI must be placed within a human rights framework. HEI should integrate anti-racism agendas, give prominence to indigenous and marginalised histories and ways of knowing, and create a non-hierarchical educational environment, with students leading the decolonisation process.