Decolonial theory challenges ongoing colonial power structures in the Global South. It critiques Eurocentric narratives and seeks to decolonize knowledge, being, and power. This approach draws on Latin American thinkers and is influenced by dependency theory and liberation theology.

Key thinkers like Quijano, Mignolo, and Lugones developed concepts like coloniality of power and gender. Decolonial theory differs from postcolonial theory by emphasizing epistemic delinking and centering lived experiences of colonized peoples, particularly in Latin America.

Origins of decolonial theory

• Decolonial theory emerged as a critique of the ongoing effects of colonialism and imperialism on the Global South, arguing that formal decolonization did not end colonial power structures
• Draws on Latin American thinkers and activists who challenged Eurocentric narratives of modernity and progress, emphasizing the need to decolonize knowledge, being, and power
• Influenced by dependency theory, world-systems analysis, and liberation theology, decolonial theory seeks to decenter Western epistemologies and valorize subaltern knowledge and experiences

Key thinkers in decolonial theory

Aníbal Quijano's coloniality of power

• Peruvian sociologist Aníbal Quijano developed the concept of the coloniality of power, referring to the enduring racial and cultural hierarchies established by European colonialism
• Argues that the modern world-system is founded on a racial classification of the world's population, with Europeans at the top and non-Europeans at the bottom
• Coloniality of power operates through the control of labor, resources, and knowledge production, perpetuating global inequalities and Eurocentrism even after formal decolonization

Walter Mignolo's colonial matrix of power

• Argentine semiotician Walter Mignolo expanded on Quijano's work, proposing the colonial matrix of power as a framework for understanding the interconnected domains of coloniality
• The colonial matrix of power consists of four interrelated domains: control of economy, control of authority, control of gender and sexuality, and control of subjectivity and knowledge
• Mignolo calls for epistemic disobedience and delinking from Western modernity, advocating for the pluriversality of knowledge and the valorization of indigenous and Afro-descendant epistemologies

María Lugones' coloniality of gender

• Argentine philosopher María Lugones introduced the concept of the coloniality of gender, highlighting the intersections of race, class, sexuality, and gender in colonial oppression
• Argues that the modern/colonial gender system imposes a binary, hierarchical, and heterosexual understanding of gender that erases the diverse gender identities and relations in pre-colonial societies
• Calls for a decolonial feminism that challenges the universality of Western feminist theories and recognizes the agency and resistance of colonized women

Decolonial theory vs postcolonial theory

Critique of Eurocentrism in knowledge production

• Both decolonial and postcolonial theories challenge the Eurocentrism inherent in Western knowledge production, questioning the universality and neutrality of Western epistemologies
• However, decolonial theorists argue that postcolonial theory remains too entangled with Western academia and fails to fully break with Eurocentric paradigms
• Decolonial theory emphasizes the need for epistemic delinking and the creation of alternative knowledge systems rooted in the experiences and cosmologies of the Global South

Emphasis on lived experiences of the colonized

• Decolonial theory places greater emphasis on the lived experiences and knowledge of colonized peoples, particularly indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in Latin America
• Argues that postcolonial theory, with its focus on textual analysis and discourse, can overlook the material realities and embodied struggles of the colonized
• Decolonial praxis involves a commitment to engaging with and learning from the resistance and resilience of marginalized communities, rather than simply theorizing about them

Decolonial theory in international relations

Challenging Western-centric IR theories

• Decolonial IR scholars critique the Eurocentrism and universalism of mainstream IR theories, such as realism and liberalism, arguing that they reflect and reproduce colonial power structures
• They challenge the state-centric focus of IR, highlighting the role of non-state actors, social movements, and indigenous peoples in shaping global politics
• Decolonial IR emphasizes the need to provincialize Europe and recognize the plurality of worldviews and ways of being in the world, rather than imposing a singular, Western-centric model of international relations

Decolonizing IR methodology and epistemology

• Decolonial IR scholars call for a decolonization of IR methodology and epistemology, moving beyond the positivist and Eurocentric foundations of the discipline
• This involves embracing alternative research methods, such as participatory action research, oral history, and indigenous methodologies, that center the knowledge and agency of marginalized communities
• Decolonizing IR epistemology requires a critical examination of the colonial origins and assumptions of key concepts, such as sovereignty, development, and human rights, and a willingness to engage with non-Western cosmologies and ways of knowing

Decolonial praxis and activism

Decolonization as an ongoing process

• Decolonial theory emphasizes that decolonization is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of dismantling colonial power structures and creating alternative futures
• This involves not only political and economic decolonization but also the decolonization of knowledge, being, and social relations
• Decolonial praxis requires a commitment to solidarity, collective action, and the creation of autonomous spaces for marginalized communities to assert their agency and self-determination

Indigenous resistance and knowledge

• Decolonial theory highlights the importance of indigenous resistance and knowledge in the struggle against colonialism and its legacies
• Indigenous peoples have long resisted colonial domination and maintained their own ways of knowing, being, and relating to the world, often in the face of violence and dispossession
• Engaging with indigenous knowledge systems and supporting indigenous struggles for land, culture, and autonomy is central to decolonial praxis

Critiques and limitations of decolonial theory

Accusations of essentialism and nativism

• Some critics argue that decolonial theory can slip into essentialist or nativist understandings of identity and culture, romanticizing pre-colonial societies and ignoring internal power dynamics and inequalities
• There is a risk of reproducing binary oppositions between the West and the non-West, or between colonizer and colonized, without acknowledging the complexities and hybridities of postcolonial identities and experiences
• Decolonial theorists need to be reflexive about their own positionality and the potential for their work to be co-opted or misused in ways that reinforce rather than challenge colonial hierarchies

Challenges in translating theory into practice

• Decolonial theory can be abstract and difficult to translate into concrete political and social change, especially in the face of entrenched power structures and global inequalities
• There are tensions and debates within decolonial movements around issues of strategy, tactics, and the role of the state in the process of decolonization
• Decolonial praxis requires a long-term commitment to building alternative institutions, economies, and social relations, which can be challenging in the context of ongoing colonial violence and neoliberal globalization

Future directions for decolonial IR scholarship

Engaging with other critical theories

• Decolonial IR scholars can benefit from engaging with other critical theories, such as feminist, queer, and Marxist approaches, to develop more intersectional and nuanced analyses of global power relations
• This involves recognizing the shared histories and struggles of marginalized communities around the world, while also acknowledging the specificities of different contexts and experiences
• Decolonial IR can also learn from and contribute to debates in related fields, such as political ecology, critical development studies, and global political economy, to develop a more holistic understanding of the contemporary world order

Decolonizing institutions and pedagogy

• Decolonizing IR requires not only theoretical innovations but also institutional and pedagogical transformations, challenging the Eurocentrism and elitism of the academy
• This involves hiring and supporting scholars from marginalized communities, decolonizing curricula and syllabi, and creating spaces for alternative ways of teaching and learning
• Decolonial IR scholars can also work to build alliances with social movements, activist networks, and community organizations, bridging the gap between theory and practice and contributing to the collective struggle for a more just and equitable world