Scholars Discuss Colonialism's Role in Knowledge Production at World Decolonization Forum
The World Decolonization Forum, held at the Atatürk Cultural Center, featured a session titled 'Knowledge Production Problem: Decolonized Methodologies,' where prominent academics analyzed the enduring impact of colonialism on global knowledge systems. US political scientist Professor Anne Norton argued that colonialism remains undefeated, permeating daily life and corporate structures, particularly within US universities. Professor Salman Sayyid from Leeds University emphasized that most global universities follow Western models, urging for decolonization to shift knowledge production toward public interest rather than profit. Dr. Syed Farid Alatas described current Eurocentric knowledge as a tool for neocolonialism, maintaining cultural and intellectual control. Meanwhile, Walter Mignolo, founder of decolonial theory, distinguished between de-Westernization and decolonization, noting that while classical colonial administrations have ended, colonial power persists through financial and media dominance. He defined decolonization as a process of achieving intellectual independence beyond state policies. The forum highlighted the necessity of aligning cultural, societal, and academic decolonization efforts to address the legacy of colonialism in modern crises.
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Scholars Discuss Colonialism's Role in Knowledge Production at World Decolonization Forum
The World Decolonization Forum, held at the Atatürk Cultural Center, featured a session titled 'Knowledge Production Problem: Decolonized Methodologies,' where prominent academics analyzed the enduring impact of colonialism on global knowledge systems. US political scientist Professor Anne Norton argued that colonialism remains undefeated, permeating daily life and corporate structures, particularly within US universities. Professor Salman Sayyid from Leeds University emphasized that most global universities follow Western models, urging for decolonization to shift knowledge production toward public interest rather than profit. Dr. Syed Farid Alatas described current Eurocentric knowledge as a tool for neocolonialism, maintaining cultural and intellectual control. Meanwhile, Walter Mignolo, founder of decolonial theory, distinguished between de-Westernization and decolonization, noting that while classical colonial administrations have ended, colonial power persists through financial and media dominance. He defined decolonization as a process of achieving intellectual independence beyond state policies. The forum highlighted the necessity of aligning cultural, societal, and academic decolonization efforts to address the legacy of colonialism in modern crises.
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