Quote: "Decolonization or decolonisation is the undoing of colonialism, the latter being the process whereby imperial nations establish and dominate foreign territories, often overseas."
The process of undoing colonialism by granting independence to formerly colonized territories and returning power and control to the people who live there.
Colonialism: The practice of acquiring and maintaining political control over a territory and its inhabitants by a foreign power. The colonial rule was characterized by policies of subjugation, exploitation, and cultural imposition.
Imperialism: The expansionist policies of dominant powers seeking to assert their influence, control, and authority over weaker nations and regions.
Nationalism: The ideological and political movement that seeks to promote and defend the interests and aspirations of a nation, often in opposition to foreign domination and oppression.
Postcolonialism: The critical perspective that examines the social, cultural, and political effects of colonialism and imperialism on both colonizers and colonized societies, and offers strategies for decolonization.
Anti-colonial resistance: The political and social movements, organizations, and strategies that sought to resist and challenge colonialism and imperialism, and to achieve national liberation, independence, and sovereignty.
Indigenous peoples: The native inhabitants of a land or region who have distinct cultural, linguistic, and territorial identities, and who often suffer discrimination and marginalization under colonial rule.
Globalization: The interconnectedness and integration of markets, technologies, and cultures across national and international borders, often driven by economic interests and neoliberal policies.
Neocolonialism: The use of economic, cultural, and political power by former colonial powers and other dominant nations to maintain influence and control over former colonies and other weaker nations.
Cultural identity: The individual and collective sense of self, belonging, and cultural values and practices that is shaped by historical, social, and political contexts, and that may be challenged and transformed by colonialism and decolonization.
Memory and trauma: The long-lasting effects of colonialism on individual and collective experiences of loss, displacement, violence, and trauma, and the role of memory and memorialization in processes of healing, reconciliation, and decolonization.
Political decolonization: Political decolonization refers to the process of a colony becoming an independent and sovereign state. This involves the transfer of political power and authority from the colonizers to the colonized people.
Economic decolonization: Economic decolonization is the process of dismantling colonial economic structures and systems. This includes the elimination of exploitative trade practices, resource extraction, and economic imperialism.
Cultural decolonization: Cultural decolonization involves the process of reclaiming and preserving indigenous cultures and traditions. This includes the promotion of indigenous languages, art, music, and spirituality.
Linguistic decolonization: Linguistic decolonization involves the process of reclaiming and promoting indigenous languages that were suppressed by colonial powers. This includes documenting languages that are at risk of disappearing and incorporating them into official education systems.
Psychological decolonization: Psychological decolonization refers to the process of freeing the colonized people from mental and emotional dependence on their colonizers. This includes challenging colonial narratives and stereotypes that have been internalized by the colonized people.
Environmental decolonization: Environmental decolonization is the process of reclaiming and protecting indigenous lands and natural resources. This includes recognizing indigenous rights to land and resources and promoting sustainable land use practices based on indigenous knowledge.
Spiritual decolonization: Spiritual decolonization involves the process of reclaiming and integrating indigenous spiritual beliefs and practices that were suppressed by colonial powers. This includes the recognition of the spiritual connections between indigenous people and their ancestors, the land, and other living beings.
Quote: "The meanings and applications of the term are disputed."
Quote: "Some scholars of decolonization focus especially on independence movements in the colonies and the collapse of global colonial empires."
Quote: "Other scholars extend the meaning to include economic, cultural and psychological aspects of the colonial experience."
Quote: "Decolonization scholars form the school of thought known as decoloniality."
Quote: "Decolonization scholars... apply decolonial frameworks to struggles against the coloniality of power and coloniality of knowledge within settler-colonial states even after successful independence movements."
Quote: "Indigenous and post-colonial scholars have critiqued Western worldviews."
Quote: "promoting decolonization of knowledge and the centering of traditional ecological knowledge."
Quote: "Such a broad approach that extends the meaning of decolonization beyond political independence has been disputed and received criticism."
Quote: "Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò argued that it is analytically unsound to extend the meaning of "coloniality" to this extent."
Quote: "[He] argued that approaches that see 'decolonization' as more than political emancipation deny the agency of people in former colonies who have consciously chosen to adopt and adapt elements from colonial rule."
Quote: "Others, such as Jonatan Kurzwelly and Malin Wilckens or Veeran Naicker, argued that such scholarly and practical attempts at 'decolonization' perpetuate reified and essentialist notions of identities."
Quote: "Some scholars extend the meaning to include economic, cultural and psychological aspects of the colonial experience."
Quote: "Decolonization scholars apply decolonial frameworks to struggles against the coloniality of power and coloniality of knowledge."
Quote: "Indigenous and post-colonial scholars have critiqued Western worldviews."
Quote: "promoting decolonization of knowledge and the centering of traditional ecological knowledge."
Quote: "Such a broad approach that extends the meaning of decolonization beyond political independence has been disputed and received criticism."
Quote: "approaches that see 'decolonization' as more than political emancipation deny the agency of people in former colonies who have consciously chosen to adopt and adapt elements from colonial rule."
Quote: "such scholarly and practical attempts at 'decolonization' perpetuate reified and essentialist notions of identities."
Quote: "Indigenous and post-colonial scholars have critiqued Western worldviews, promoting decolonization of knowledge."