Decolonial Horizons

Publisher:
Pluto Journals
Publication date:
2023-03-02
ISBN:
2422-6343

Description:

Decolonial Horizons is an annual, double-blind peer reviewed publication which is an intellectual hub for the exploration of scholarship between global politics and religious discourses. It confronts years of systemic scholarly racism by privileging frameworks generated in the networks of the Global South. The journal is a project of Otros Cruces in South America.

Issue Number

Latest documents

  • Una teología destituyente

    This article provides an overview of the Jehovah’s Witnesses denomination. After a brief development of their origins, it breaks down some of their central beliefs. Next, it seeks to unveil and disentangle what lies behind what they call «political neutrality» and how this involves them in dilemmas vis-à-vis national states. The article concludes by demonstrating the compelling incidence of the private sphere —such as the religious and theological elements— on the public sphere, which recognizes the blurring of the line separating the two registers.

  • Teologização da política

    This article addresses the relationship between Hindu traditions and the Queer community. First, I seek to understand some elements of Hinduism in the dimensions of gender and sexuality. Then, I present the consequences of colonialism in India and its influences on Hindu religious thought regarding gender issues and point out which elements of postcolonial theory help in this struggle. I address the gender, caste, and nationalism dimensions of Hindutva ideology that dominate India even today, as these neoliberal policies capture the subjectivities, rights, and freedom of the Queer community.

  • Horizontes Decoloniales / Decolonial Horizons
  • Tabla de contenido
  • Dirty Subjects

    In the early 1900s in the settler colonial states in Southern Africa, the nascent Jewish community institutions took actions to avoid the racialised accusation of dirtiness, thus shaping the community into adopting white colonialist subjectivities. Using Albert Memmi’s analytic framework of colonisers and colonialists, and Anne McClintock’s conceptualisation of the racial function of dirt, this article reassesses existing archival sources through the lens of dirty bodies, dirty sex, and dirty work to show how communal subjectivities were formed through close collusion with the colonial state and the internal enforcing of the social habits of Whiteness. This article argues that this colonial subject formation foreclosed the possibilities of a peruvnik: a potential South African anticolonial Jewish barbarism.

  • The Usmeka System of Thought

    The ontological turn in humanities and social sciences exposed how the power structures supporting scientific knowledge production exclude non-Western relational knowledges as epistemologically invalid. Thus, the responses to this exclusionary knowledge production infrastructure range from anti-scientific to using science to validate indigenous knowledges. However, those responses overlook subaltern spiritualities and how they decolonise science to open epistemic emancipatory spaces. Based on ethnographic research, this article describes the Usmeka community in Bogotá. While addressing scientific knowledge as a mid-level language to dialogue with nature, it mobilises epistemological emancipation possibilities. The analysis contributes to understanding how colonial subjects subvert scientific inquiry as a tool of epistemic control.

  • Descolonizar la mente, sacralizar la existencia

    This article examines some of the central Buddhist teachings as a contribution to a postcolonial reading. It understands Buddhism not as a religion but as a cognitive theory. From that standpoint, its non-theistic outlook, its emphasis on introspection, and the practice of mindfulness make this discipline a powerful tool for individual transformation. Thus, Buddhism can redefine any social or political praxis from the most intimate and personal to the most external reality. A key to this is to take full responsibility for the actions, words, and thoughts that give rise to the world we all share.

  • Más allá de Babel
  • «Hasta que cambien lo que hay en sus corazones»: Comunidad islámica chiita y justicia social en Colombia

    Este ensayo analiza los sentidos de la justicia social en Colombia desde la idea de los «chiismos locales», construida a partir de: 1) historias icónicas y contrahegemónicas de los primeros mártires del islam chiita; 2) trayectorias personales de militancia progresista de musulmanes/as colombianos/as; y 3) el reciente asesinato de exguerrilleros/as de las FARC. Se argumenta que la historia política del chiismo permite adoptar posturas encaminadas a la defensa de los derechos humanos por parte de chiitas colombianos/as. En ese sentido, se propone ampliar el análisis sobre el rol social de religiones no mayoritarias en Latinoamérica. Palavras-chave: derechos humanos, hermenéutica teológica, teología política, yihad, América LatinaEste ensaio analisa os significados de justiça social na Colômbia a partir da ideia de «xiismos locais», construída a partir de: 1) histórias icônicas e contra-hegemônicas dos primeiros mártires do islamismo xiita; 2) trajetórias pessoais de militância progressiva de muçulmanos colombianos; e 3) o recente assassinato de ex-guerrilheiros das FARC. Argumenta-se que a história política do xiismo permite que os xiitas colombianos adotem posições de defesa dos direitos humanos. Nesse sentido, propõe-se ampliar a análise sobre o papel social das religiões não majoritárias na América Latina. Palavras-chave: direitos humanos, hermenêutica teológica, teologia política, jihad, América LatinaThis essay analyzes the senses around the call for social justice in Colombia through the idea of “local Shi'isms”, hereby composed of: 1) iconic and counter-hegemonic stories depicting the first martyrs of Shi'a Islam; 2) personal trajectories of Colombian muslims within progressive militancy; and 3) recent selective murders of former FARC guerrilla members. The essay states that the political history of Shi'ism enables the adoption of actions directed to the defense of human rights by Colombian shi'ites. In that sense, this paper proposes the broadening of the analytical spectrum on the social role of non-majority religions in Latin America. Keywords: human rights, theological hermeneutics, political theology, jihad, Latin America

  • De orientalismos y occidentalismos: Porosidades trans/decoloniales desde las miradas de Franz Fanon, Edward W. Said y Hassan Hanafi

    Este artículo analiza la situación del mundo árabe/musulmán en la mitad del siglo XX. Explica los tipos de colonialidad que han vivido Egipto, Palestina y Argelia. Centramos el análisis de las acciones político-sociales a la colonialidad en sus pueblos. Recobramos el pensamiento de Frantz Fanon desde la experiencia argeliana, para luego retomar en los casos de Edward Said —autor palestino— y su concepto de «orientalismo» y Hassan Hanafi — autor egipcio— y su propuesta del «occidentalismo». La última parte ensaya una contextualización de la obra de estos tres autores desde nuestra mirada latinoamericana situada en los conceptos de «porosidad» e «hibridez». Palavras-chave: colonialismo, Occidente, Oriente, islam, hibridez, porosidadEste artigo analisa a situação do mundo árabe/muçulmano em meados do século XX. Explique os tipos de colonialidade que o Egito, a Palestina e a Argélia experimentaram. Focamos a análise das ações político-sociais sobre a colonialidade em seus municípios. Recuperamos o pensamento de Frantz Fanon da experiência argelina, para depois voltar aos casos de Edward Said —autor palestino— e seu conceito de «orientalismo» e Hassan Hanafi —autor egípcio— e sua proposta de «ocidentalismo». A última parte tenta contextualizar a obra desses três autores a partir de nossa perspectiva latino-americana, situada nos conceitos de «porosidade» e «hibridez». Palavras-chave: colonialismo, Ocidente, Oriente, islã, hibridez, porosidadeThis article analyzes the situation in the Arab/Muslim world in the middle of the twentieth century. Explain the types of coloniality that Egypt, Palestine and Algeria have experienced. We focus the analysis of political-social actions on coloniality in their towns. We recover the thought of Frantz Fanon from the Algerian experience, to later return to the cases of Edward Said —Palestinian author— and his concept of «Orientalism» and Hassan Hanafi —Egyptian author— and their proposal of «Westernism.» The last part tries to contextualize these three authors' work from our Latin American perspective, situated in the concepts of «porosity» and «hybridity.» Keywords: colonialism, the West, the East, Islam, hybridity, porosity

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