Abstract
This book is a selection of key works that have contributed to the foundation and consolidation of decolonial theory. Originated in Latin America, decolonial theory examines how the power relations that constructed the ‘indio’ as inferior race and created a global pattern of capital accumulation during colonization remain in force in the current global era, which indicates that current economic and political structures have colonial roots. More importantly, the decolonial school offers theoretical insights to analyse key sociological notions such as ‘modernity’ (Bhambra, 2011) and the problem of Eurocentric perspectives in the field (Gutiérrez et al., 2010).
The book is divided into five sections and 17 articles. The introduction, written by Mignolo, and an article by Escobar on the research programme of decolonial theory in the first section address the history of the movement and its theoretical originality in relation to Wallerstein’s world system theory and post-colonial studies. The first section also includes Quijano’s discussion of ‘coloniality of power’. To Quijano, modernity began with the conquest of America and the control of the Atlantic after 1492, rather than with the Enlightenment. The principles of modernity (rationalism and universalism) cannot be explained without the expansion, racial classification and colonial justifications of the 15th century. Thus, race constituted the basis on which the European ontology and epistemology were constructed, and what further justified the economic divisions of the world. The other two contributions of this section focus on other epistemologies. Grosfoguel connects the epistemic decolonial turn and political economy. Walsh argues that knowledge production is spatially and timely located: there is a ‘geo-politics of knowledge’ that denies the universalist pretensions of imperial discourses.
In section two, Schiwy discusses gender and race, while Maldonado proposes the term ‘coloniality of being’ to refer to the lived experience of colonization. This term complements two others used to designate the colonization of ‘knowledge production’ (coloniality of knowledge) and the interrelation between modern forms of exploitation and domination (coloniality of power).
Section three revolves around three key words: nation, diaspora and frontiers. Sanjines explores the complexities of the encounters between nation and race in the formation of the Brazilian state, while Lao analyses the African diaspora in Latin America, its relation to the formation of the modern state and its position in the colonial matrix of power. Saldívar discusses the connections between critical Latino studies and border thinking in the USA.
Section four moves beyond Latin America. Boatcă analyses the effects and consequences of the colonial matrix of power in Romania, whereas Janer explores the question of the commodification of nature and food. Tlostanova explores the concept of aesthetic from a decolonial perspective instead of European Renaissance and Enlightenment.
The last section returns to the problem of (de)colonization of knowledge. Castro-Gómez’ critique of Hardt and Negri’s ‘Empire’ points to their lack of reference to coloniality. Mignolo elaborates on the notion of decoloniality and ‘de-linking’, while Lugones develops the coloniality of gender, exploring the validity of patriarchy as intercultural category.
The book contributes to the consolidation of decolonial thinking as a rich field for intellectual exchange and critique. It can enlighten sociological projects that confront Eurocentric sociology, such as Akiwowo’s ‘indigenous sociologies’ (1999), i.e. sociological analyses from non-western frameworks; Keim’s study (2011) on the counter-hegemonic potential of southern sociologies; the project of decolonizing European sociology by opening up a space for a multiplicity of critical projects in the sociological arena (Gutiérrez et al., 2010); Bhambra’s critique on modernity as a Eurocentric device that has become a key notion for sociology (2011), and Santos’ solution to the ‘paradigmatic crisis of sociology’ and his call for a sociology of absences and emergences (2007).
One shortfall is the lack of discussion of the dialogue between western and non-western critical thought, and the absence of case studies of decolonial struggles; for example, social and political processes in Bolivia and Ecuador towards indigenous cosmologies (e.g. Buen vivir) and plurinationality. While the book emphasizes the issues of subjectivity and epistemology, not enough attention is given to the environment, social movements, citizenship or indigenous peoples’ rights. Finally, since the book’s title refers to ‘globalization’, it would have been important to include an article that explicitly problematizes the concept of ‘pluriversality’ used by some decolonial scholars.
Overall, the book is a valuable contribution to understanding the force of coloniality in shaping the modern state, the production of subjectivity and knowledge, and global political economy and could become a significant source for the project of decolonizing sociology.