Process Of Decolonization Research Articles

Exhibiting Colonialism and Nationalism: The Case of Egyptian Museums and Its Cultural Heritage

Abstract: Egypt is one of four ancient civilizations acknowledged by the international community as having a time-honored historical legacy and a profound cultural heritage. However, from the 19th century onward, Egypt's cultural development trajectory underwent a significant shift due to the influence of Western colonial powers. Subsequently, with the uninterrupted progression of the nationalist movement, the trajectory of Egyptian history and culture, in addition to the conservation and investigation of cultural heritage, underwent yet another transformation. Museums, as crucial instruments for the conservation and exhibition of cultural heritage, have played a pivotal role in the history of Egyptian cultural research, bearing witness to the transformation in the preponderance of Egyptian historical narratives. This paper examines how historical narratives and cultural developments in Egypt were shaped under the influence of colonialism, with a particular focus on the profound impact of Orientalist theories and practices on the construction of museums about the study of historical and cultural heritage. In the post-colonial period, Egyptian museums have served as conduits for disseminating the country's rich cultural heritage and as instruments for enhancing Egyptian national identity. These institutions have played a pivotal role in the formation of national identity and the "decolonization" of the country's cultural heritage, largely due to their irreplaceable cultural space and their capacity to adapt to changing needs. As Egyptian museums have evolved, they have played a significant role in shaping national identity and contributing to the processes of decolonization and de-Westernization. Furthermore, they symbolize the prospective trajectory of Egyptian national identity within the context of globalization and the emergence of a more interconnected world.

Decolonization is liberation: Operationalization of decolonial model of counseling using liberation psychology principles with the Latine population(s)

AbstractThe need for culturally affirming mental health interventions for Latine communities has been documented in the literature. Most of this literature centers around best practices, barriers to care, and Latine cultural values. Although much of this literature calls for providing services that acknowledge the specific needs of these communities and value ancestral knowledge, there is a void in the literature when exploring liberatory mental health interventions. Therefore, the present manuscript aims to offer readers a five‐stage counseling model centered on the decolonization process. The model integrates the principles of liberation psychology as interventions and outcomes, beginning with the stages of decolonization presented by Enriquez and further developed by Laenui. Furthermore, the model unpacks the principles of liberation psychology, such as deideologization, and provides bases to challenge the dominant social forces that shape realities. In addition, liberation psychology approaches imply Native counseling approaches, indicating that counselors must be familiar with precolonial cultures. The manuscript ends with recommendations for practitioners and implications for the counseling field, including the need to acknowledge trauma, given that colonization was a violent event.

Post-colonial Relations of Britain with India and Pakistan, 1947–71

Abstract The decolonization process of Britain in India was completed with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. Because of the long colonial history in that area, it was natural that creating bilateral relations between Britain and the two former colonized parties (India and Pakistan) would be challenging and not free of issues. Furthermore, the two colonized parties were in a bitter relationship with each other. The major concern of this paper is to present the post-colonial bilateral relations of Britain with each country, India and Pakistan, between 1947 and 1971. It argues that multiple factors led Britain to maintain a balanced relationship with its former colony. These are: 1) British trade interests, 2) cold war relations, 3) wars between India and Pakistan, 4) Commonwealth issues, and above all, 5) British national interests in that region.

Repertoire policy and activities of the national opera and ballet theaters in the conditions of military aggression

The purpose of the work is to identify changes in the repertoire policy of these institutions based on the analysis of the activities of the national opera and ballet theaters of Ukraine, which are determined by the influence of Russian military aggression and worldview and value transformations that are being formed in Ukrainian society and are aimed at protecting cultural and national identity. The research methodology is based on such scientific methods as analytical, comparative, and art studies, which made it possible to obtain reasonable research results and formulate appropriate conclusions. The scientific novelty of the work consists in the generalization and systematization of the activities of the national opera and ballet theaters (Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa) in the conditions of military aggression and the study of the corresponding changes in the repertoire policy, caused by the rejection of the repertoire related to Russian culture, instead of the promotion by the national opera theaters and ballet of Ukrainian culture and its values ​​among the international community. Conclusions. As a result of the conducted research, it was established that in the conditions of martial law, art, and in particular opera and ballet, in addition to continuing to perform their immediate functions, become expressions and symbols of indomitability and national stability. Modern productions, reflecting the drama of the time, make it possible to convey the complex emotions of the people, their pain of loss and hope for victory in an artistic form. In addition, national opera and ballet theaters acquire other features in their activities, transform into cultural hubs engaged in charity, volunteering, joining various public initiatives, especially among foreign colleagues and partners. Performances of opera and ballet troupes become an important component of the informational and cultural struggle against aggression, demonstrating the strength and beauty of Ukrainian culture to the world. The abandonment of the Russian repertoire by Ukrainian opera and ballet theaters during the war is a significant and symbolic step, driven by both cultural and political motives, which is part of a wider process of decolonization of Ukrainian culture and a break with the imperial heritage. This step symbolizes the desire for cultural independence, support of national identity and rejection of any form of cultural dependence on the aggressor country. Thus, the national opera and ballet theaters in Ukraine, despite all the difficulties, continue their activities, fulfilling not only a cultural, but also a social and patriotic mission in the conditions of war.

‘Doesn’t Paris like the Portuguese spring’? France and the Carnation Revolution

France was one of the countries that followed with the greatest attention and concern the events that took place in Portugal between 25 April 1974 and the end of 1976. In 1974, there were 800,000 Portuguese living in France and French investment in Portugal had increased significantly in the early 1970s. While the French government initially looked favorably on 25 April and the decolonization process, the French attitude changed significantly after 11 March 1975 and especially during the Hot Summer. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing then advocated for suspending the financial aid that European institutions intended to grant to Portugal.

Lizard with a Double-Ended Tail—Is That All?

Specimen GLAHM:120240 (Fig. 1) has been on display in The Hunterian Anatomy Museum at the University of Glasgow for more than a century labelled as “Lizard with Double-ended Tail.” An interesting enough reason for display and being under the spotlight perhaps? Maybe not: examples of lizards being found with two, or even more, tips to their tails are not that uncommon and is possible due to their caudal autotomy behaviour, where a lizard can shed its tail when attacked by a predator to provide a distraction and a possible means of escape. However, if a tail is only partially shed during an incident then sometimes another tip may start to grow at the break point, eventually resulting in two tips to the tail. There are many examples of this phenomenon viewable from a quick online search, and specimens showing this can often be seen in museums, collected and displayed as curiosities. Is having a lizard on display in an anatomy museum reason enough for being in the spotlight? Possibly, but it's not that original, in fact the other Hunterian museum in London at the Royal College of Surgeons also has specimens of lizards with two tails in their collections and the inclusion of animal specimens alongside human remains is fairly common due to the teaching of comparative anatomy in the last century. However, the real reason I have brought this specimen to the spotlight talks is that I only recently identified it in a very serendipitous and timely way. I had seen the lizard before, when getting to know the Anatomy Museum but as it was displayed alongside other specimens with malformations I did not pay it much attention as a zoological specimen. Months later when I was conducting a tour of the Anatomy Museum, a visitor pointed out an error on a label on one of the human specimens on the same shelf, so I looked more closely at all the objects to work out what had been mislabelled. It was then that I realized that the double-tailed specimen was the same genus or possibly even species as another lizard in our zoology collection, which I had been photographing earlier in the week for another project. This is where it gets interesting, the lizard I had been photographing was not just any lizard, but an endemic species, only found in Jamaica. The Jamaican Giant Galliwasp (Celestus occiduus), which is presumed to have gone extinct in the 1800s due to loss of habitat, and invasive rats and introduced mongoose preying on them. There are only a handful of specimens, maybe fewer than 30, in collections in Europe and the USA, so to find a Celestus sp. sitting openly on a shelf was a fantastic moment. Further investigation of an old register (Reference Code: GB 247 MR 49/4 in the University of Glasgow Archives and Special Collections), written by Prof Allen Thomson, who was head of Anatomy in the mid-1800s, provided a very tantalising clue as to its provenance: "Large lizard (?) The Galawasp from Jamaica given me by Dr Douglas Maclagan 19th Nov. 1853, found in the swamps on the S.W. part of the island, piebald colour much brighter during life as stated by Dr M's correspondent Dr Macfarlane of Montego Bay." However, I must say I am slightly wary of connecting this record with the specimen, as there is no mention of it having a double-tipped tail. Having said that, there are no other galliwasp specimens in Anatomy, so the odds are high that this entry is talking about the same specimen. Its discovery was very timely as it was made when the other Jamaican giant galliwasp in The Hunterian was in the process of being repatriated to Jamaica. This lizard had been in our zoology collections since 1888, but as part of the decolonization process and as a way of building relationships, I suggested offering the specimen back to a museum in its country of origin. The reasons being that it was endemic, more than likely extinct (so no new specimens could be collected), but mainly because at that time, there were no known specimens of this species in Jamaica. The repatriation went ahead in April 2024, when curators from Jamaica came for a knowledge exchange visit to Scotland and took the galliwasp back home with them. As we still have the "double-ended tail" galliwasp in the collection, we can continue to tell the tragic story of this species. Interesting and significant specimens can be hidden in plain sight in many collections, so keep your eyes open and who knows what you may find.

Can Asian Communicators Think ? Asiacentricity as a Paradigm for Decolonizing the Asian Mind

Asiacentricity is the thought and practice of centering Asians as subjects and agents and Asian cultures as reflective resources in seeing and shaping the Asian world. This article contends that decolonizing the Asian mind is a key for the Asian future, and that the Asiacentric idea can play an important role in this decolonization process. The article divides the definition of Asiacentricity into three parts and then relates each part to the possible future developments of the sadharanikaran model of communication. The article especially sheds light on Asiacentricity as a decoloinal paradigm for intercultural equality and mutuality, which demands that we know our own culture, have the mindset of embracing the best of our culture, and learn how to talk about our culture in relation to another. The present article concludes that to theorize communication is to theorize humanity, while to theorize humanity is to theorize culture.

Critically Interrogating the Decolonization of Development: Possibilities and Pitfalls

This essay delves deep into the intricate issues pertaining to the concept of "decolonization" within the realm of international development. The study is grounded in the profound understanding that the legacy of colonialism continues to cast a long shadow over contemporary development, giving rise to pervasive inequalities and marginalization in various parts of the world. The central theme of the research revolves around critically examining the potential avenues and potential pitfalls associated with the process of decolonization. Through a meticulous analysis of relevant theories and a close examination of real-world cases, the study seeks to unravel the multifaceted dimensions of the definition, possibilities, and the formidable challenges encountered in the implementation of decolonization in the development context. The findings of the research suggest that while decolonization holds the promise of steering development towards more equitable and sustainable trajectories, it also confronts a multitude of challenges, including the stubborn inertia ingrained within institutional frameworks and the resistance posed by the entrenched global power structures. The conclusions drawn emphasize the imperative need for further in-depth research to propel the process of decolonization forward and to strive towards the realization of a just and equitable global society.

Rituals of Colonial Memory: Crafting Imperial Nostalgia in Republican Italy

The latest historiographical trends are revealing how the end of colonialism has influenced the political and social configuration of former metropolitan centres. In particular, the return of former colonial settlers has raised a series of issues that have resonated in European political debates and societies. In Italy, these processes were shaped by a peculiar decolonization process, coinciding with the equally tortuous transition from fascism to the Republic. Drawing on recent historiography on the return of colonial settlers, and expanding the chronological span and methodological scope of previous works through original archival sources, my intervention aims to reconstruct how imperial nostalgia became a political resource exploited by both repatriate associations and conservative political factions. Although similar to contemporaneous cases, in Italy colonial commemorative practices had peculiarities linked to the role of Catholicism and to the fact that far right and even neo-fascist movements exploited the demands of repatriates for their own political benefit. This article thus broadens the historiographical understanding concerning the decline of Italy's empire and deepens the analysis of its lasting impacts on the politics and society of Republican Italy.

Exploring Awareness Through Race-Based Epistemologies

Awareness is the ultimate goal of a truth-seeking individual. Some reach that stage early on in life; however, some of us never quite get there. Yet, can full awareness ever be reached? Is it an illusion or a mirage of the human mind? This is something I cannot answer. It is up to an individual to decide what awareness or truth is and means to them and when they’ve reached that point (Ladson-Billings and Tate 1995) if they ever do. Nevertheless, awareness or truth is not definite or a set destination, but rather a dynamic, evolving and open-ended process that occurs throughout life. It is a process of decolonization of the mind, heart and soul (Henrichs 2020) that allows us to reframe our perspectives (Tuhiwai Smith, 1999) and leads us to discovery, understanding, and transformation (Freire 1970).

Power Dynamics and Cultural Clashes in Doris Lessing’s The Grass Is Singing: Decolonising the Discourse of Differences

This paper examines the power dynamics and cultural clashes in Doris Lessing’s The Grass Is Singing, focusing on the interactions between the white protagonist, Mary Turner, and her black servants Samson and Moses, as well as a white servant Tony. Set in colonial Southern Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe), the novel portrays the pervasive racism and superiority complex of the white colonialists. Mary’s negative perceptions of black culture highlight the colonialists’ failure to appreciate indigenous traditions, reinforcing unequal power structures. Drawing attention to theoretical frameworks such as Franz Fanon’s concept of anti-racism and Ngugi wa Thiang’o’s theory of decolonisation, this paper examines Moses’s resistance to oppression and his quest for decolonisation as manifestations of individual agency within imperialism. Moses’ journey toward decolonisation symbolises a broader struggle for psychological, cultural, and economic liberation from colonial oppression. This analysis underscores the complexities of authority and resistance, illustrating how Mary’s attitudes inadvertently trigger Moses’s decolonisation process. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of Lessing’s exploration of colonial authority, cultural differences, and the necessity of decolonisation.

Gender and postcolonial studies: history of the concept and debate.

The debate on the concept of gender in postcolonial studies is extremely complex and involves a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives. Postcolonial studies has shown the connection between gender identity, colonial power, and decolonisation processes. This paper will explore the social construction of gender in colonial contexts, the way in which colonial practises have influenced gender dynamics, and the struggles for resistance and freedom in which women and gender-nonconforming people have engaged in postcolonial countries. The issue will be raised of how gender is interpreted and experienced in different cultures and social contexts. Furthermore, the analysis of colonisation and decolonisation processes will provide a starting point to understand how gender hierarchies have been built and criticised in postcolonial contexts, leading to the development of the most recent ecofeminist and decolonial perspectives.

Decolonisation agriculture: challenging colonisation through the reconstruction of agriculture in Western Kurdistan (Rojava)

This article examines the colonial homogenising policies of the Syrian Ba’ath regime and the subsequent decolonisation processes that led to the emergence of Rojava as a pluriverse. In 1963, the Ba’ath regime implemented nation-state colonialism in the predominantly Kurdish region, using agricultural modernisation as a tool for its colonisation efforts. This modernisation bolstered the central state, perpetuated the underdevelopment of the region as a periphery, and asserted control through the settlement and distribution of land to Arab families loyal to the regime. Following the regime’s collapse in Rojava in 2012, the communities that comprise the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) dismantled the colonial agricultural system. They developed a decentralised governance and agrarian development approach, referred to here as the decolonisation of agriculture. Based on interviews and fieldwork in the region, this article explores the interplay between agricultural development and colonial politics, as well as the critical role of agriculture in the broader struggle for decolonisation. We conclude that in the anti-colonial struggle, people and the rhizomatic governance structures they develop challenge colonial submission to the central state, exploring life beyond the nation-state, which is crucial for a decolonial shift.

Colonial Dis/Continuities in Cameroon and the Postcolonial Dilemma in the Archive

Abstract Despite how significantly processes of decolonization have shaped contemporary political and social realities, their study remains marginal in the peace and security fields. Understanding historical legacies and how embedded they are in today’s peace and conflict structures is essential to the analysis of current conflicts. This article argues that by tracing dis/continuities in colonial relations, we can gain a better understanding of these contentious processes and of the marginalized positionalities they create. In doing so, much needed research on the ambiguities of these legacies and on who had a say in shaping historical events can be done without reiterating colonial power relations. Alongside its analysis of the Cameroonian internationalized decolonization process under a UN Trusteeship and of how it developed into the current Anglophone conflict, this article uncovers and explores the existing dilemmas in, and potential new avenues for security studies research on colonial dis/continuities using post- and decolonial theories. Its findings and discussion contribute widely to debates within post- and decolonial research, peace, security, and conflict studies.

The exploration of academic staff’s perceptions of the concept of curriculum decolonization in the selected Eastern Cape TVET college

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of academic staff on the concept of curriculum decolonization in a selected technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college in Eastern Cape Province. South Africa has been confronted with calls for curriculum decolonization and at some point, students all over the country decided to embark on a nationwide protest asking for the decolonization of the curriculum in the institutions of higher learning between 2015 and 2016 through the #feesmustfall movement. The study focused on one Eastern Cape TVET college as an institution of higher learning as a case study. A qualitative approach was adopted, and an interpretive paradigm was employed. There are about eight TVET colleges in Eastern Cape Province offering different courses. The researcher purposively selected two lecturers from each of the five campuses, one assistant director academic and one deputy principal academic to get to a sample size of 12. Critical theory guided this investigation. Data was analysed thematically. The study revealed that some academics do not know what decolonization all is about. There is no formal involvement of lecturers, when it comes to the process of curriculum decolonization at the said TVET college, however, there are engagements on general perspectives about transformation in TVET college sector. The study recommends that TVET colleges should develop a policy on curriculum decolonization. TVET colleges should form a committee that will look at matters of curriculum transformation, which should be inclusive of lecturers, students, managers, and relevant external expects of curriculum transformation.

Bringing English Back in School Education: English in Government Schools of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh

In the immediate aftermath of Indian Independence in 1947, there was a palpable attempt to replace English with Hindi and other Indian languages to unleash the processes of decolonisation. English was castigated as the language of the British Empire and was seen to be the basis of power and privilege for a handful of English-educated elites. A new nation-state thought it imperative to replace English with other languages which ultimately led to language-based reorganisation of Indian states. Subsequently, there was the replacement of English with Indian languages as mediums of instruction at different levels of education. Such a demand was hugely supported by a large number of Indian intelligentsia. However, six to seven decades down the line, there appears to be a reversal of earlier language politics as governments in various states of India are bringing English back as an aspirational language. This article attempts to understand the context of such a reversal. It also analyses ideological constructions of linguistic reality and its hold on popular perception. Ideologically constructed realities of language become a concrete, tangible force to reckon with. The article explores the renewed interest and urgency in learning English, using the frameworks of language ideology and the Bourdieusian framework of ‘language as a praxis’. Following Hilary Janks, the article underlines the significance of providing critical access to English by historicising and denaturalising its prevalence as one of the major contact languages at the international level.

EMBELLISHED, MARGINALIZED, AND MISUNDERSTOOD: WOMEN’S EXPERIENCES IN UKRAINIAN WOMEN’S PROSE ABOUT THE STRUGGLE OF UIA

The paper examines the role of literature in creating a social framework for the memory of women combatants. The aim is to outline the problematic issues of forming a collective memory of women in the UIA ranks, based on the analysis of the literary representation of their experiences in prose. The objects of the study are the novels “Lemkivshchyna in Fire” by Mariia Ostromyra, “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets” by Oksana Zabuzhko, and “Because It Hurts” by Yevheniia Senik. To achieve this goal, the paper considers aspects of women’s experiences in the UIA as presented by historians and then compares the real experiences with those depicted in the analyzed texts, identifying and interpreting problematic issues. Historians describe women’s experiences by combining: 1) the functions that women performed in the army (scouts, typists, couriers, nurses, suppliers, and, rarely, riflemen); 2) changes in the concept of femininity, including the rejection of motherhood, loss of children, separation from family or beloved men, and forced relationships; 3) the instrumentalization of fear initiated by the Soviet secret services. The analyzed women’s novels have different strategies for representing women’s experiences. “Lemkivshchyna in Fire” emphasizes the contribution of women to the struggle but avoids depicting a specifically female experience. “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets” highlights the distinctive experience of war caused by biological (but not social) factors and doesn’t account for women’s participation in the struggle. “Because It Hurts” captures a wide range of women’s experiences but avoids interpreting and evaluating them. Thus, these novels make women’s experiences during armed conflicts visible but do not convey their fullness and complexity. At the same time, all three works aim to deny the Soviet narrative of the ‘betrayal’ of women from the underground movement: the portrayed characters are steadfastly committed to the goals of the struggle and refuse to cooperate with the enemy. Therefore, these novels are significant in the context of the decolonization process.

Evaluating the dynamic interaction between the defence / security policy of the US, UN, and Western Sahara

The Western Sahara region has been a source of complex political dispute between Morocco and other parties regarding its control. This issue arose subsequent to the decolonization era, and it is obvious that the process of decolonization has encountered various challenges throughout history. Despite the various approaches proposed by global leaders to address such issues and mitigate potential conflicts that could jeopardize regional security, certain methods such as mandates or the exercise of self-determination may be considered. The issue of Western Sahara has an extensive history of disputes and contentions among three primary parties: The Kingdom of Morocco, Mauritania, and the Polis Ario Front. Each of these parties has advanced claims over Western Sahara that align with their respective interests. On the other hand, the territorial dispute garnered the attention of various key players, including the United Nations and Spain, the former colonizer of the region, among others ("Western Sahara | Facts, History, Conflict, Map, & Population," 2023). This study will centre on the interplay between the defence and security policies of the United States and the United Nations in this multifaced issue.

Performance as Apology: Deconstructing the Legacy of the Japanese Empire in Shin’ya Eiko’s Shinsetaryon

ABSTRACT This article explores the historical narrative of Zainichi Koreans in the Japanese actress Shin’ya Eiko’s solo performance of Shinsetaryon in an attempt to reflect on the decolonisation process between Japanese and Koreans in postwar Japan. In Shinsetaryon, the Zainichi Korean protagonist, Sin Yŏng-suk, narrates her life story interwoven with historical incidents in Japan and Korea during and after Japanese colonial rule. I argue that Shin’ya treated her performance as an apology for her ignorance of the plight of Zainichi Koreans, who have struggled politically and socially in both imperial and post-imperial Japan. She continually revised the script to include her growing understanding about unseen others in the narrative, positing herself as an aggressor who did not completely understand the formerly colonised Koreans. Through these revisions Shin’ya clarified her sense of distance from the Zainichi Korean protagonist, which was essential if her performance was to constitute an apology. She also challenged the idea of the linguistic hierarchy between the Japanese and Korean languages, which is a legacy of Japan’s assimilation policy during the colonial period. In doing so, Shinsetaryon suggested the possibility of remembering the Japanese empire in multiple ways without assimilation between the former coloniser and the colonised.

Restitution of material objects and indigenous ontology: towards coloniality of dispossession/theft in Africa

ABSTRACT Indigenous African people had mastery and ownership of material objects and land more broadly before colonialism and enslavement. Without indigenous people mastery and ownership over their material objects, indigenous progress, liberation, development, and emancipation would be elusive. This paper contends that decolonization/decoloniality is a function of abating dispossession/theft of indigenous material objects by imperialists through restitution and repossession. In fact, to forestall claims for restitution and reparations require mastery and ownership of their material objects to enable those that are colonized to assume sovereignty and autonomy. This paper theorizes coloniality as theft/dispossession as its critical framework. The underlying argument here is that theorizing coloniality as theft/dispossession makes it possible to conceive of the limitations of theories that define coloniality simplistically in terms of hierarchies, binaries, and dominance. Based on this assemblage, I frame the coloniality of theft/dispossession along the Asante (the people of Ghana) dispossessed material objects in the eras of colonialism and enslavement. The paper concludes that decolonizing ontologies by way of restitution is a necessary component of the process of reversing colonial/imperial theft/dispossession of objects for which they should be compensated as part of the process of decolonization rather than erroneous conceptualization of decolonization in terms of hierarchy, oppression, and binaries.