Decolonizing Antiracism
A study guide of Lawrence and Dua’s academic 2005 article ‘Decolonizing Antiracism’
Summary, part 3
How has antiracism/postcolonial theory been constructed on a colonizing framework?
To answer the above question, Lawrence and Dua focus on critical race theory, postcolonial theory, and theories of nationalism––all of which share similar ontological underpinnings. All theories “fail to make Indigenous presence and ongoing colonization … foundational to their analyses of race and racism. As a result, we fear that there is a body of work that is implicitly constructed on a colonizing framework and participates in the ongoing colonization of Aboriginal peoples” (p. 127).
Additional Information
Post-colonial theory: "Postcolonial theory is a body of thought primarily concerned with accounting for the political, aesthetic, economic, historical, and social impact of European colonial rule around the world in the 18th through the 20th century. Postcolonial theory takes many different shapes and interventions, but all share a fundamental claim: that the world we inhabit is impossible to understand except in relationship to the history of imperialism and colonial rule" (Elam, 2019).
Theories of nationalism: "According to Llobera (1999), four main theories dominate the notion of nationalism. These are primordial and socio-biological theories, instrumentalist theories, modernization theories, and evolutionary theories...Primordialists .. see nationalism as something which was always present in people but had been reawakened under political self-consciousness.
Instrumentalist theories diverge from primordial theories by arguing that ethnic groups can be seen as nations and their boundaries are not fixed, but in fact, these can vary according to specific needs.
Modernization theories strongly oppose primordialism by arguing that nationalism emerged as the result of modern processes, such as industrialization, favorable political, cultural, and socio-economic conditions.
Evolutionary theory attempts to bring together the notion of modern and primordial (to some extent). As a result, evolutionary theories argue that indeed, nationalism is a product of modern times" (Llobera, 1999; Hall, 1998; Hutchinson and Smith, 1994).
Where have these theories failed?
These theories have failed in five ways:
By excluding Aboriginal people from theories of race and racism;
By not factoring in how diasporic identities are part of colonization projects that settle Indigenous land;
By erasing slavery in writings about the history of slavery;
By equating decolonization politics with antiracism politics; and
By delegitimizing Indigenous nationhood in theories of nationalism.
View the following table for an analysis of how antiracist theory fails.