The Geopolitics of Knowledge and The Colonial Difference WALTER D MIGNOLO

Walter D.
Mignolo
The Geopolitics of Knowledge
and the Colonial Dierence
In Doconloi 8 I had tho good loituno to
lo ono ol tho connontatois in tho woikshop
Histoiical Capitalisn, Coloniality ol Powoi,
and Tiansnodoinity, loatuiing piosontations
ly Innanuol Walloistoin, Anilal Quiano, and
Eniiquo Dussol. Spoakois woio askod to ooi up-
datos and to olaloiato on tho concopts attiilutod
to thon. Roocting on tiansnodoinity, Dussol
nado a ionaik that I tako as a contial point ol
ny aigunont. Accoiding to Dussol, postnodoin
ciiticisn ol nodoinity is inpoitant and nocos-
saiy, lut it is not onough. Tho aigunont was
dovolopod ly Dussol in his iocont shoit lut
inpoitant dialoguo with Gianni Vattinos woik,
which ho chaiactoiizod as a ouiocontiic ciitiquo
ol nodoinity.
1
What olso can thoio lo, loyond
a Euiocontiic ciitiquo ol nodoinity and Euio-
contiisn? Dussol has iospondod to this quostion
with tho concopt ol tiansnodoinity, ly which ho
noans that nodoinity is not a stiictly Euiopoan
lut a planotaiy phonononon, to which tho ox-
cludod lailaiians havo contiilutod, although
thoii contiilution has not loon acknowlodgod.
Dussols aigunont iosonllos, thon, tho South
Asian Sulaltoin Studios piooct, although it has
Tho South Atlantic Quarterly o:, Wintoi zooz.
Copyiight _ zooz ly Duko Univoisity Pioss.
58 Walter D. Mignolo
loon nado lion tho logacios ol oailioi colonialisns (Spanish and Poitu-
guoso. Tiansnodoinity also inpliosloi Dussola liloiating ioason
(razn liberadora that is tho guiding piinciplo ol his philosophy and othic
ol liloiation. Tho dialoguos lotwoon Dussol and Walloistoin, lotwoon phi-
losophy ol liloiation
2
and woild syston analysis,
3
and lotwoon philosophy
ol liloiation
4
and oponing tho social scioncos,
5
havo two things in con-
non. Fiist, loth aio ciitical ol capitalisn, tho nooliloial naikot, and loinal
donociacy. Socond, loth (and Quiano as woll concoivo ol nodoinity as un-
lolding in tho sixtoonth contuiy with capitalisn and tho onoigonco ol tho
Atlantic connoicial ciicuit. Howovoi, thoio is a lioak lotwoonWalloistoin,
on ono hand, and Dussol and Quiano, on tho othoi: thoy stand at dioiont
onds ol tho colonial dioionco. To oxplain this intuition is tho nain thiust
ol this ossay.
Dussols ionaiks can also lo appliod to Walloistoins concoption ol his-
toiical capitalisn, in that it statos that Historical Capitalism is a Euiocontiic
ciiticisn ol capitalisn.
6
By intioducing tho notion ol colonial dioionco, I
will lo allo to oxpand on Dussols notion ol tiansnodoinity and Quianos
coloniality ol powoi. I will lo allo also to conpaio tho thioo in thoii ap-
pioach to Euiocontiisn and, towaid tho ond ol tho aiticlo, to intioduco
Slavo ioks own tako on Euiocontiisn lion tho lolt.
7
My ist stop,
thon, will lo to distinguish two nacionaiiativos, that ol Wostoin civiliza-
tion and that ol tho nodoin woild (lion tho oaily nodoin poiiod ji.o., tho
EuiopoanRonaissanco| until today. Tho ist is lasically a philosophical nai-
iativo, whoioas tho socond is lasically tho naiiativo ol tho social scioncos.
Both nacionaiiativos havo thoii positivo and nogativo sidos. Whilo Wostoin
civilization is cololiatod ly sono, its logocontiisn is ciiticizod ly othois.
Sinilaily, nodoinity has its dolondois as woll as its ciitics. Dussol is locatod
lotwoon tho two nacionaiiativos, lut his ciiticisn divoigos lion loth tho
ciiticisn intoinal to Wostoin civilization and tho ciitiquo intoinal to tho
nodoin woild, as in woild-syston analysis.
8
As a philosophoi ho is attunod
to tho ist nacionaiiativo, tho nacionaiiativo ol Wostoin civilization and
its oiigins in anciont Giooco. As a Latin Anoiican philosophoi, ho has loon
always attontivo to tho histoiical loundation ol tho nodoin[colonial woild in
tho sixtoonth contuiy. Ho shaios thoso intoiosts with Walloistoin and Qui-
ano, loth ol whonaio sociologists. Howovoi, Quiano and Dussol shaio tho
Latin Anoiican colonial oxpoiionco oi, iathoi, a local histoiy ol tho colonial
dioionco. Walloistoin, instoad, is innoisod in tho inpoiial dioionco that
The Geopolitics of Knowledge and the Colonial Dierence 59
distinguishos tho philosophical ciitiquo ol Wostoin civilization in Euiopo
and tho sociological ciitiquo ol nodoinity in tho Unitod Statos. In ossonco,
thon, tho goopolitics ol knowlodgo is oiganizod aiound tho divoisication,
thiough histoiy, ol tho colonial and tho inpoiial dioioncos. Lot no spocily
luithoi tho distinctions I an intioducing hoio.
Tho lollowing aigunont is luilt on tho assunption (which I cannot do-
volop hoio that tho histoiy ol capitalisnas told ly Foinand Biaudol, Walloi-
stoin, and Giovanni Aiiighi and tho histoiy ol Wostoin opistonology as it
has loon constiuctod sinco tho Euiopoan Ronaissanco iun paiallol to and
conplonont oach othoi.
9
Tho oxpansion ol Wostoin capitalisn inpliod tho
oxpansion ol Wostoin opistonology in all its ianications, liontho instiu-
nontal ioason that wont along with capitalisnand tho industiial iovolution,
to tho thooiios ol tho stato, to tho ciiticisn ol loth capitalisn and tho stato.
To nako a long stoiy shoit, lot no quoto a paiagiaph ly Sii Fiancis Bacon,
wiitton at tho loginning ol tho sovontoonth contuiy. Tho passago iovoals a
concoptualization ol knowlodgo that logan to novo away lionRonaissanco
opistonology gioundod on tho tiiviun and tho quadiiviun and stiongly
doninatodly ihotoiic andtho hunanitios. Baconioplacodihotoiic withphi-
losophy, and tho guio ol tho Ronaissanco hunanist logan to lo ovoitakon
ly tho guio ol tho philosophoi and tho sciontist that contiilutod to and
luithoi oxpandod lion tho Euiopoan Enlightonnont. Accoiding to Bacon,
Tho lost division ol hunan loaining is that doiivod lion tho thioo lacul-
tios ol tho iational soul, which is tho nood ol loaining. Histoiy has ioloionco
to tho Monoiy, Poosy to tho Inagination and Philosophy to tho Roason. . . .
Whoioloio lion thoso thioo lountains, Monoiy, Inagination and Roason,
ow thoso thioo onanations, Histoiy, Poosy and Philosophy, and thoio can
lo no othois.
10
Tho thioo onanations havo loon oxpandod and nodiod
intho sulsoquont yoais. Howovoi, tho assoitionthat thoio canlo no othois
has loon naintainod. And at tho nonont whon capitalisn logan to lo dis-
placod lion tho Moditoiianoan to tho Noith Atlantic (Holland, Biitain, tho
oiganizationol knowlodgo was ostallishod inits univoisal scopo. Thoio can
lo no othois insciilod a concoptualization ol knowlodgo to a goopolitical
spaco (Wostoin Euiopo and oiasod tho possilility ol ovon thinking alout
a concoptualization and distiilution ol knowlodgo onanating lion othoi
local histoiios (China, India, Islan, otc..
Western Civilization and the Modern/Colonial World System
Tho concopt and inago ol nodoinity aio not oquivalont to thoso ol tho
nodoin woild-syston. Thoio aio sovoial dioioncos lotwoon tho two. Fiist,
nodoinity is associatod with litoiatuio, philosophy, and tho histoiy ol idoas,
whoioas tho nodoin woild-syston is associatod with tho vocalulaiy ol tho
social scioncos. Socond, this ist chaiactoiizationis inpoitant il wo ionon-
loi that sinco tho ;os loth concopts havo occupiod donod spacos in aca-
donic as woll as pullic discouisos. Duiing tho Cold Wai tho social scioncos
gainod giound within cultuios ol scholaiship, in tho Unitod Statos paiticu-
laily in iogaid to tho iolovanco puichasod ly aioa studios.
11
Consoquontly,
postnodoinity is undoistood loth as a histoiical piocoss in which nodoi-
nity oncountoiod its linits and as a ciitical discouiso on nodoinity that was
housod in tho hunanitios, ovon though social sciontists woio not doal to
its noiso.
12
Thiid, nodoinity (and olviously postnodoinity naintainod tho
inaginaiy ol Wostoin civilization as a piistino dovolopnont lion anciont
Giooco to oightoonth-contuiy Euiopo, whoio tho lasos ol nodoinity woio
laid out. Incontiast, tho concoptualizationol tho nodoinwoild-systondoos
not locato its loginning in Giooco. It undoilinos a spatial aiticulation ol
powoi iathoi than a linoai succossion ol ovonts. Thus, tho nodoin woild-
syston locatos its loginning in tho ltoonth contuiy and links it to capital-
isn.
13
This spatial aiticulation ol powoi, sinco tho sixtoonth contuiy and tho
onoigonco ol tho Atlantic connoicial ciicuit, is what Quiano thooiizos as
coloniality ol powoi.
14
Boiiowing tho woid paradigm loi podagogical convonionco, I would say
that nodoinity and tho nodoin woild-syston aio indood two intoiiolatod,
although distinct, paiadigns. Tho advantago ol tho lattoi ovoi tho loinoi
is that it nado visillo tho spatiality ol Wostoin histoiy in tho past vo
hundiod yoais, along with tho nood to look at nodoinity and coloniality
togothoi. Modoinity placos tho accont on Euiopo. Modoin woild-syston
analysis liings colonialisn into tho pictuio, although as a doiivativo iathoi
than a constitutivo conponont ol nodoinity, sinco it doos not yot nako
visillo coloniality, tho othoi (daikoi? sido ol nodoinity. It is indicativo ol
Quianos noiit that ho has shown coloniality to lo tho ovoiall dinonsion ol
nodoinity, thoioly distinguishing coloniality lion colonialisn. It is also to
his noiit to havo liought to light tho lact that tho onoigonco ol tho Atlantic
ciicuit duiing tho sixtoonth contuiy nado coloniality constitutivo ol nodoi-
nity. Il nodoinity is chionologically locatod in tho oightoonth contuiy, colo-
niality loconos doiivativo. Thus tho Iloiian loundational poiiod ol capital-
istic oxpansion and coloniality is oiasod oi iologatod to tho Middlo Agos as
tho Black Logond, to which tho Enlightonnont constiuction ol tho South
ol Euiopo tostios.
15
Inthis sconaiio, il nodoinity conos ist, thoncolonial-
isn and coloniality locono invisillo. Quiano and Dussol nako it possillo
not only to concoivo ol tho nodoin[colonial woild-syston as a sociohistoii-
cal stiuctuio coincidont with tho oxpansion ol capitalisn lut also to con-
coivo ol coloniality and tho colonial dioionco as loci ol onunciation. This
is piocisoly what I noan ly tho goopolitics ol knowlodgo and tho colonial
dioionco.
16
Tho oightoonth contuiy (oi noio oxactly, tho poiiod lotwoon appioxi-
natoly ;oo and 8oo was doninatod ly two distinctivo shilts. Fiist, thoio
was tho displaconont ol powoi in tho Atlantic ciicuit lion tho south to tho
noith. Socond, tho nain concoin in Euiopo, lion tho Poaco ol Wostphalia
(oq8 until tho ond ol tho oightoonth contuiy, was nation-stato luilding
iathoi than colonialisn.
17
England, Fianco, and Goinany woio not yot colo-
nial powois in tho sixtoonth and sovontoonth contuiios, and whon thoy lo-
cano so, thoy nutually ioinloicod nation luilding with colonial oxpansion,
paiticulaily staiting in tho ninotoonth contuiy. Howovoi, tho stiong pio-
occupationintho noithwiththo Euiopo ol nations placodcolonialisnontho
lack luinoi, so to spoak. Colonialisn was a socondaiy concoin loi nations
such as England and Fianco, whoso piosonco in tho Anoiicas was goaiod
towaid connoico iathoi than convoision, liko tho piooct ol Spain and Poi-
tugal. At that point, Fianco and England did not havo a civilizing nission to
acconplish in tho Anoiicas, as thoy would havo in Asia and Aliica altoi tho
Napoloonic oia. Cuiiont concoptualizations ol nodoinity and postnodoi-
nity aio histoiically gioundod in that poiiod. Tho socond stago ol nodoinity
was pait ol tho Goinan iostitution ol tho Giook logacy as tho loundation ol
Wostoin civilization.
Although thoio is a discussion as to whothoi tho woild-systonis vo hun-
diod oi vo thousand yoais old, I do not considoi this issuo to lo iolovant.
What is iolovant, instoad, is that tho nodoin[colonial woild-syston can lo
dosciilod in conunction with tho onoigonco ol tho Atlantic connoicial
ciicuit and that such a concoptualization is linkod to tho naking ol colonial
dioionco(s.
18
Tho colonial dioionco is a connoctoi that, in shoit, iolois
to tho changing lacos ol colonial dioioncos thioughout tho histoiy ol tho
nodoin[colonial woild-syston and liings to tho loiogiound tho planotaiy
dinonsion ol hunan histoiy siloncod ly discouisos contoiing on nodoi-
nity, postnodoinity, and Wostoin civilization.
The Liberation of Philosophy and the
Decolonization of the Social Sciences
Dopondoncy thooiy has not yot lost its postuio, althoughit has loonsovoioly
ciiticizod. It is capallo ol holding its own in tho niddlo ol a ciitical ton-
post locauso its ciitics addiossod tho concoptual stiuctuio ol dopondoncy,
not its iaison dtio. Tho lact that dopondoncy at laigo was and is tho lasic
stiatogy in tho oxoiciso ol coloniality ol powoi is not a quostion that noods
longthy and dotailod aigunontation. Evon though in tho cuiiont stago ol
glolalization thoio is a Thiid Woild includod in tho Fiist, tho intoistato sys-
ton and tho coloniality ol powoi oiganizing it hioiaichically havo not van-
ishod yot. It is also not tho point hoio whothoi tho distinctionlotwooncontoi
and poiiphoiy was as valid at tho ond ol tho twontioth contuiy as it was in tho
ninotoonth contuiy. Il dopondoncy in tho nodoin[colonial woild-syston is
no longoi stiuctuiod undoi tho contoi[poiiphoiy dichotony, this doos not
noan that dopondoncy vanishos locauso this dichotony is not as cloai today
as it was yostoiday. On tho othoi hand, interdependency is a toin that soivod
to iostiuctuio tho coloniality ol powoi aiound tho onoigonco ol tiansna-
tional coipoiations.
19
What Anilal Quiano toins histoiico-stiuctuial do-
pondoncy should not lo iostiictod to tho contoi[poiiphoiy dichotony.
20
Rathoi, it should lo appliod to tho voiy stiuctuio ol tho nodoin[colonial
woild-syston and capitalistic oconony.
Dopondoncy thooiy was noio than an analytic and oxplanatoiy tool in tho
social scioncos.
21
Whilo woild-syston analysis owos its notivating inpulso
and lasic ocononic, social, and histoiical stiuctuio to dopondoncy thooiy,
22
it is not and could not havo soivod as tho political dinonsion ol dopondoncy
thooiy. Dopondoncy thooiy was paiallol to docolonization in Aliica and Asia
and suggostod a couiso ol action loi Latin Anoiican countiios sono o
yoais altoi thoii docolonization. Woild-systonanalysis opoiatos lioninsido
tho syston, whilo dopondoncy thooiy was a iosponso liontho oxtoiioiity ol
tho systonnot tho oxtoiioi lut tho oxtoiioiity. That is to say, tho outsido
is nanod lion tho insido in tho oxoiciso ol tho coloniality ol powoi. Dopon-
doncy thooiy ooiod an oxplanation and suggostod a couiso ol action loi
Latin Anoiica that could haidly havo loon dono ly a woild-syston analy-
sis. Woild-syston analysis in its tuin did sonothing that tho dopondoncy
analysis was not in a position to acconplish. That is, woild-syston analy-
sis intioducod a histoiical dinonsion and a socioocononic liano (tho nod-
oin woild-syston into tho social scioncos, thus displacing tho oiigin ol his-
toiy and cultuios ol scholaiship lion anciont Giooco to tho nodoin woild-
syston. Tho onoigonco ol tho social scioncos in tho ninotoonth contuiy was
indood attachod to tho opistonic liano oponod ly tho socond nodoinity
(tho Fionch Enlightonnont, Goinan Ronantic philosophy, and tho Biitish
industiial iovolution.
23
Woild-syston analysis iospondod to tho ciisis ol
that liano in tho ;os, whon docolonization took placo in Aliica and Asia
and tho changos intioducod ly tiansnational coipoiations liought to tho
loiogiound tho activo piosonco ol a woild lai loyond Wostoin civilization.
Tho iiioducillo (colonial dioionco lotwoondopondoncy thooiy and woild-
syston analysis cannot lo locatod in thoii concoptual stiuctuios lut in tho
politics ol thoii loci ol onunciation. Dopondoncy thooiy was a political stato-
nont loi tho social tiansloinationol and lionThiid Woild countiios, whilo
woild-syston analysis was a political statonont loi acadonic tiansloina-
tion lion Fiist Woild countiios. This dioionco, inpliod in tho goopolitics
ol knowlodgo dosciilod ly Cail E. Plotsch, is indood tho iiioducillo colo-
nial dioioncotho dioionco lotwoon contoi and poiiphoiy, lotwoon tho
Euiocontiic ciitiquo ol Euiocontiisn and knowlodgo pioduction ly thoso
who paiticipatod in luilding tho nodoin[colonial woild and thoso who havo
loon lolt out ol tho discussion.
24
Las Casas dolondod tho Indians, lut tho
Indians did not paiticipato in tho discussions alout thoii iights. Tho onoig-
ing capitalists lonoting lion tho industiial iovolution woio oagoi to ond
slavoiy that suppoitod plantation ownois and slavoholdois. Black Aliicans
and Anoiican Indians woio not takon into account whon knowlodgo and so-
cial oiganization woio at stako. Thoy, Aliicans and Anoiican Indians, woio
considoiod pationt, living oiganisns to lo told, not to lo hoaid.
Tho inpact ol dopondoncy thooiy on tho docolonization ol scholaiship
in Latin Anoiica was innodiato and stiong. In ;o Colonlian sociolo-
gist Oilando Fals-Boida pullishod an inpoitant look titlod Ciencia Propia
y Colonialismo Intelectual jIntolloctual colonialisn and oui own scionco|,
which today ochoos a widospioad concoin in cultuios ol scholaiship in Asia
and Aliica. Tho sconaiio is sinplo: Wostoin oxpansion was not only oco-
nonic and political lut also oducational and intolloctual. Tho Euiocontiic
ciitiquo ol Euiocontiisn was accoptod in loinoi colonios as oui own cii-
tiquo ol Euiocontiisn, socialist altoinativos to liloialisn in Euiopo woio
takon, in tho colonios, as a path ol liloiation without naking tho distinc-
tion lotwoon onancipation in Euiopo and liloiation in tho colonial woild.
Quito sinply, tho colonial dioionco was not considoiod in its opistonic
dinonsion. Tho loundation ol knowlodgo that was and still is ooiod ly
tho histoiy ol Wostoin civilization in its conplox and wido iango ol pos-
sililitios, piovidod tho concoptualization (lion tho iight and tho lolt and
ionainod within tho languago liano ol nodoinity and Wostoin civiliza-
tion. Fals-Boidas look is still valid locauso it koops in nind a cuiiont di-
lonna in cultuios ol scholaiship. In lact, Fals-Boidas oaily clains loi tho
docolonization ol tho social scioncos ochoos tho noio iocont clains nado ly
Boavontuia do Sousa Santos lion Poitugal in his aigunont towaid a now
connon sonso.
25
Giantod, Santos is not locusing on Colonlia oi Latin
Anoiica. Howovoi, tho naiginality ol Poitugal, as tho south ol Euiopo,
allows loi a poicoption ol tho social scioncos dioiont lion that which ono
night havo lion tho noith.
Whilo Walloistoin aiguos loi tho oponing ol tho social scioncos, assuning
tho nood to naintain thon as a planotaiy acadonic ontoipiiso, Fals-Boidas
concoins aio with tho voiy loundation ol tho social scioncos and othoi loins
ol scholaiship. In othoi woids, tho planotaiy oxpansion ol tho social scioncos
inplios that intolloctual colonization ionains in placo, ovon il such coloni-
zation is woll intondod, conos lion tho lolt, and suppoits docolonization.
Intolloctual docolonization, as Fals-Boida intuitod, cannot cono lionoxist-
ing philosophios and cultuios ol scholaiship. Dopondoncy is not linitod to
tho iight, it is cioatod also lion tho lolt. Tho postnodoin dolato in Latin
Anoiica, loi oxanplo, iopioducod a discussion whoso piollons oiiginatod
not in tho colonial histoiios ol tho sulcontinont lut in tho histoiios ol Euio-
poan nodoinity.
An indiioct continuation ol Fals-Boidas aigunont loi intolloctual do-
colonization is tho piooct that Eniiquo Dussol has loon puisuing sinco tho
oaily os.
26
Philosophy ol liloiation, as concoivod ly Dussol sinco tho lato
oos, is anothoi consoquonco ol dopondoncy thooiy and tho intolloctual
concoins that pionptod its onoigonco. Ono ol Dussols nain concoins was
and still is a philosophical piooct contiiluting to social liloiation (I will
iotuin to tho distinction lotwoon onancipation and liloiation. His latost
look is tho consoquonco ol a long and sustainod philosophical, othical, and
political iooction.
27
Fals-Boidas aigunont was concoinod not ust with a
piooct in tho social scioncos loi tho liloiation ol tho Thiid Woild, iathoi, it
concoinod also a piooct ol intolloctual liloiation lion tho social scioncos.
In tho caso ol Dussol, liloiation is thought with iogaid to philosophy. Hoio
again is tho iiioducillo colonial (opistonic dioionco lotwoon a loltist so-
cial scioncos piooct from tho Fiist Woild and a liloiation of tho social sci-
oncos (and philosophy lion tho Thiid Woild.
28
Tho logic ol this piooct, lion tho standpoint ol tho colonial dioionco,
has loon loinulatod in Dussols conliontations lotwoon his own philoso-
phy and othic ol liloiation and that ol Gianni Vattino.
29
In ono shoit lut
sulstantial chaptoi ( With Vattino?, Against Vattino? Dussol iolatos
Vattinos philosophy to nihilisnand dosciilos nihilisnas a twilight ol tho
Wost, ol Euiopo, and ol nodoinity.
30
In closing this soction (and innodi-
atoly altoi tho piocoding dosciiption, Dussol adds,
Has Vattino askod hinsoll tho noaning that his philosophy nay havo
loi a Hindu loggai covoiod with nud liontho oods ol tho Gangos, oi
loi a nonloi ol a Bantu connunity lionsul-Sahaian Aliica dying ol
hungoi, oi loi nillions ol soni-iuial Chinoso pooplo, oi loi hundiods ol
thousands ol pooi naiginalizod in suluilan noighloihoods liko Noza-
hualcoyotl oi Tlanopantla in Moxico, as populatod as Toiino? Is an aos-
thotic ol nogativity, oi a philosophy ol dispoision as nal dostiny ol
loing, onough loi tho inpovoiishod naoiity ol hunanity?
31
At ist glanco, and loi sonoono ioading liontho wido hoiizon ol continon-
tal philosophy, this paiagiaph could lo intoipiotod as a choap shot. It is not,
howovoi. Dussol is naning tho alsont location ol thinking, olscuiod ly tho
univoisalizing ol nodoin opistonology and its paiallolisn and conpanion-
ship with capitalisn, oithoi as ustication oi as intoinal ciitiquo, such as
Vattinos. Indood, what is at stako in Dussols aigunont is not ust loing
lut tho coloniality ol loing, lion whonco philosophy ol liloiation lound
its onoigy and concoptualization. It is sinply tho colonial dioionco that is
at stako. Dussols point conos acioss noio cloaily in tho socond soction ol
his aiticlo onVattino, whon Dussol undoilinos tho disciopancy lotwoon tho
staiting point in loth pioocts. As is woll known, a ioon looks altoiod il
you ontoi it lion a dioiont dooi. Fuithoinoio, ol tho nany doois thiough
which ono could havo ontoiod tho ioon ol philosophy, only ono was opon.
Tho iost woio closod. You undoistand what it noans to havo only ono dooi
opon and tho ontiy hoavily iogulatod. Dussol notos that tho staiting point
loi a hoinonoutic ontology ol tho twilight (Vattino and tho philosophy
ol liloiation aio quito dioiont. Dussol lianod this distinction in toins ol
tho goopolitics ol knowlodgo: tho ist is lion tho noith, tho socond, lion
tho south. Tho south is not, ol couiso, a sinplo googiaphic location lut a
notaphoi loi hunan suoiing undoi glolal capitalisn.
32
Tho ist dis-
couiso is gioundod in tho socond phaso ol nodoinity (industiial iovolution,
tho Enlightonnont. Tho socond discouiso, that ol philosophy ol liloiation,
is gioundod in tho ist phaso ol nodoinity and conos lion tho sulaltoin
poispoctivonot liontho colonial[Chiistian discouiso ol Spanish colonial-
isn lut lion tho poispoctivo ol its consoquoncos, that is, tho iopiossion
ol Anoiican Indians, Aliican slavoiy, and tho onoigonco ol a Cioolo con-
sciousnoss (loth whito[nostizo nainly in tho continont and llack in tho
Caiilloan in sulaltoin and dopondont positions. Fion this sconaiio Dus-
sol points out that whilo in tho noith it could lo hoalthy to cololiato tho
twilight ol Wostoin civilization, lion tho south it is hoalthioi to iooct on
tho lact that zo poicont ol tho oaiths population consunos 8o poicont ol
tho planots incono.
It is no longoi possillo, oi at loast it is not unpiollonatic, to think lion
tho canon ol Wostoin philosophy, ovon whon pait ol tho canon is ciitical
ol nodoinity. To do so noans to iopioduco tho llind opistonic othnocon-
tiisn that nakos dicult, il not inpossillo, any political philosophy ol in-
clusion.
33
Tho linit ol Wostoin philosophy is tho loidoi whoio tho colonial
dioionco onoigos, naking visillo tho vaiioty ol local histoiios that Wostoin
thought, liontho iight and tho lolt, hid and suppiossod. Thus thoio aio his-
toiical oxpoiioncos ol naiginalization no longoi oquivalont to tho situation
that ongondoiod Giook philosophy and allowod its iovanping in tho Euiopo
ol nations, onoiging togothoi with tho industiial iovolutionand tho consoli-
dationol capitalisn. Thoso nowphilosophios havo looninitiatod ly thinkois
such as Fiantz Fanon, Rigoloita Monchu, Gloiia Anzaldua, Sulianani, Al-
dolkholii Khatili, and Edouaid Glissant, anong othois. Consoquontly, two
points should lo onphasizod.
Tho ist is tho iatio lotwoon placos (goohistoiically constitutod and
thinking, tho goopolitics ol knowlodgo piopoi. Il tho notion ol loing was in-
vontod inWostoin philosophy, coloniality ol loing cannot lo a continuation
ol tho loinoi. Bocauso ol coloniality ol powoi, tho concopt ol loing can-
not lo disponsod with. And locauso ol tho colonial dioionco, coloniality
ol loing cannot lo a ciitical continuation ol tho loinoi (a soit ol postnod-
oin displaconont lut nust lo, iathoi, a iolocation ol tho thinking and a
ciitical awaionoss ol tho goopolitics ol knowlodgo. Epistonology is not ahis-
toiical. But not only that, it cannot lo ioducod to tho linoai histoiy lion
Giook to contonpoiaiy Noith Atlantic knowlodgo pioduction. It has to lo
googiaphical in its histoiicity ly liinging tho colonial dioionco into tho
gano.
34
Tho donsitios ol tho colonial oxpoiionco aio tho location ol onoig-
ing opistonologios, such as tho contiilutions ol Fianz Fanon, that do not
ovoithiow oxisting onos lut that luild on tho giound ol tho silonco ol his-
toiy. In this sonso Fanon is tho oquivalont ol Kant, ust as Guanan Pona do
Ayala in colonial Poiu could lo considoiod tho oquivalont ol Aiistotlo.
35
Ono
ol tho ioasons why Guanan Pona do Ayala and Fanon aio not oasily poi-
coivod as oquivalonts ol Aiistotlo and Kant is tino. Sinco tho Ronaissanco
tho oaily nodoin poiiod oi onoigonco ol tho nodoin[colonial woildtino
has lunctionod as a piinciplo ol oidoi that incioasingly suloidinatos placos,
iologating thon to loloio oi lolow lion tho poispoctivo ol tho holdois (ol
tho doois ol tino. Aiiangononts ol ovonts and pooplo in a tino lino is
also a hioiaichical oidoi, distinguishing piinaiy souicos ol thought lion
intoiosting oi cuiious ovonts, pooplos, oi idoas. Tino is also tho point ol
ioloionco loi tho oidoi ol knowlodgo. Tho discontinuity lotwoon loing and
tino and coloniality ol loing and placo is what nouiishos Dussols nood to
undoilino tho dioionco (tho colonial dioionco lotwoon continontal phi-
losophy (Vattino, Juigon Haloinas, Kail-Otto Apol, Michol Foucault and
philosophy ol liloiation.
Dussols insistonco on tho punto de partida diferente (distinct staiting
point, iniolationtoVattino, could lo suppoitod ly aigunonts nado ly Na-
tivo Anoiican lawyoi and intolloctual Vino Doloiia Ji. and ly Roloit Boina-
sconi, an oxpoit in continontal philosophy. Vino Doloiias iooctions on
spaco and tino (saciod placos and alstiact and synlolic tino touch on
and nako visillo tho iiioducillo colonial dioionco that Dussol onpha-
sizos in his philosophy ol liloiation. In loth Doloiia and Dussol thoio is a
nood to ostallish tho linits ol Wostoin cosnologios. Although this is dono
lion tho oxpoiionco ol a Nativo Anoiican and lion a doscondant ol Euio-
poan innigiants in Latin Anoiica, tho colonial dioionco is ontionchod in
thoii distinct oxpoiioncos. Ol couiso, Euiopoan innigiants in loinoi colo-
nial woilds, such as Aigontina, do not havo tho sano oxpoiioncos as Nativo
Anoiicans. Howovoi, loth gioups oxpoiionco tho colonial dioionco that
can lo oithoi naicotizod oi iovoalod. Thoy loth chooso to iovoal and think
lion it.
Doloiia nakos a sinplo, alloit lundanontal, point: Consoivativo and lil-
oial, toins that initially dosciilod political philosophios, havo takon on tho
aspoct ol loing allo to stand loi cultuial attitudos ol laiily distinct contont.
Liloials appoai to havo noio synpathy loi hunanity, whilo consoivativos
woiship coipoiato lioodonand soll-holp doctiinos undoiscoiing individual
iosponsilility. Tho lasic philosophical dioioncos lotwoon liloials and con-
soivativos aio not lundanontal, howovoi, locauso loth t in tho idoa ol his-
toiy a thosis ly which thoy can validato thoii idoas.
36
Ono could add socialist
to conservative and liberal, thus conploting tho political-idoological tiipai-
tito distiilution ol tho lato-ninotoonth-contuiy Noith Atlantic political and
idoological spoctiun. Thoso thioo vaiiotios ol soculai political idoologios aio
also in tho sano liano ol Chiistianity. Foi all ol thon, tino and histoiy aio
tho ossonco ol thoii cosnology.
Fuithoinoio, Doloiia adds, whon tho donostic (o.g., in tho Unitod Statos
idoology is dividod accoiding to Anoiican Indian and Wostoin Euiopoan
innigiant, howovoi, tho lundanontal dioionco is ono ol gioat philosophi-
cal inpoitanco.
37
Tho lundanontal dioionco is indood tho colonial dil-
loionco, sinco it is not ust a caso ol inconnonsuiallo cosnologios oi
woildviows lut a dioionco aiticulatod ly tho coloniality ol powoi. Conso-
quontly, tho two aio histoiically and logically linkod to oach othoi in a io-
lation ol dopondoncy. This is a dopondoncy iolatod to tho univoisality at-
tiilutod to tino, in donostic idoology, and tho paiticulaiity attiilutod to
placo in tho sano novonont. Placo, ol couiso, is not natuially paiticulai
lut histoiically so accoiding to tho location attiilutod to placo ly hogononic
discouisos assuiing tho piivilogo ol tino and histoiy.
I an not pioposing hoio that sono noiging ol tino and spaco, which
wo could toin spacetime lion ono sido ol tho donostic idoology (oithoi tho
Wostoin Euiopoan innigiants oi tho social scioncos, will solvo tho piol-
lons cioatod ly a hogononic discouiso ol tino, histoiy, piogioss, and do-
volopnont. Tho toiiain ol opistonology is not lai ionovod lion tho nap
Doloiia tiacod lion tho donostic political idoology (o.g., liloials and con-
soivativos, to which I addod socialists. Walloistoin has tiacod tho nap ol
nodoin opistonology, which was ist dividod lotwoon scionco and philoso-
phy (and tho hunanitios, oi in ooct lotwoon tho two cultuios. Latoi this
division was liidgod in conictivo ways ly tho onoigonco ol tho social sci-
oncos, with sono ol tho disciplinos loaning towaid tho scioncos (oconony,
sociology, and political scioncos and othois towaid tho hunanitios (cul-
tuial anthiopology and histoiy. Walloistoin dosciilod two lasic concopts
ol spacotino in tho social scioncos: tho goopolitical oi opisodic spacotino
and otoinal spacotino.
38
Tho ist concopt alludos to tho oxplanation ol
tho piosont and paiticulai. Tho socond alludos to what is valid acioss tino
and spaco. Altoi indicating tho linitations ol thoso two typos ol spacotino,
Walloistoin undoilinod othoi dinonsions that tho social scioncos havo lolt
out ol considoiation. Thoso includo tho cyclical-idoological spacotino, tho
stiuctuial spacotino, and tho tiansloinational spacotino.
39
Aiguing in
lavoi ol including thoso nowdinonsions in tho lutuio ol tho social scioncos,
Walloistoinadvancod tho aigunonts, and tho hopo, loi a nowunilying opis-
tonology that will ovoicono tho classic divoico lotwoon tho scioncos and
philosophy (oi tho hunanitios, loaving tho social scioncos in an unconloit-
allo niddlo giound. Il this is possillo, what will lo lolt out? In this caso it
would lo tho ontiio spaco ol tho colonial dioionco to which Walloistoin,
liko Vattino, is llind.
Lot no login ny oxplanation ly quoting Doloiia: Wostoin Euiopoan
pooplos (and ol couiso latoi U.S. pooplo havo novoi loainod to considoi
tho natuio ol tho woild discoinod lion a spatial point ol viow.
40
Tho con-
soquoncos ol such a statonont, which onco again undoilinos tho colonial
dioionco, aio onoinous loi ioligion, opistonology, and intoinational io-
lations. Tino and histoiy allowod glolal dosigns (ioligious, ocononic, so-
cial, and opistonic to onoigo as iosponsos to tho nood ol a givon placo
that woio assunod to havo univoisal valuo acioss tino and spaco. Tho ox-
poiionco, in which glolal dosigns onoigod, is onptiod whon a givon glolal
dosign is oxpoitod and piogiannod to lo inplantod ovoi tho oxpoiionco
ol a distinct placo. Howovoi, this piooct (that was tho piooct ol nodoi-
nity lion Ronaissanco Chiistianity to tho contonpoiaiy glolal naikot is
no longoi convincing. Spaco gonoiatos tino, lut tino has littlo iolation-
ship with spaco.
41
Consoquontly, tho univoisal idoology ol dis-incoipoiatod
tino and histoiy ioachod tho point in which spaco and placo can no longoi
lo ovoiiulod. Tho woild, thoioloio, is not loconing, noi can it lo concoivod
ol as, a glolal villago. Instoad, it is a soiios ol non-honogonoous pockots ol
idontity that nust ovontually cono into conict locauso thoy iopiosont dil-
loiont histoiical aiiangononts ol onotional onoigy.
42
Thoioloio, tho quos-
tion is no longoi a now concoptualization ol spacotino within a Kantian
paiadign, with spaco and tino as invaiiants, lut thoii discontinuity on tho
othoi sido ol tho colonial dioionco. I an thinking hoio ol spacotino with-
out such a nano (o.g., Pachakuti anong tho Aynaia pooplo in tho Andos
on tho othoi sido ol tho colonial dioionco that tho Kantian nodol nado in-
visillo.
43
Walloistoins ioconcoptualization ol spacotino ionains within tho
donostic idoology ol Wostoin cultuios ol scholaiship, with tho assunption
ol thoii univoisal scopo, valid loi all tino and all sociotios. Doloiias iadical
concoptualization ol tino and placo situatos tho discussion olsowhoio, lo-
yond tho social scioncos, looking not loi an opistonology that will unily tho
two cultuios lut loi an opistonology that will lo luilt on tho iiioducillo
colonial dioionco. Tho consoquonco is tho iight to clain opistonic iights
liontho placos whoio oxpoiioncos and nonoiios oiganizo tino and knowl-
odgo.
Dussols dialoguo with Vattinos philosophy goos in tho sano diioction,
alloit liondioiont notivations. Thoio is a paitial agioonont lotwoonVat-
tino and Dussol, as ono could inagino a sinilai paitial agioonont lotwoon
Doloiia and Walloistoin. Tho inpoitant quostion, howovoi, is that ol tho ii-
ioducillo opistonic colonial dioionco on which Doloiia and Dussol luild
thoii clains loi tho lutuio ol othics, politics, and opistonology that can no
longoi lo luilt on catogoiios and pionisos ol Wostoin philosophy and so-
cial scioncos. Whilo Doloiias aigunont could lo takon as an indiioct aigu-
nont to docolonizo (and not ust to opon tho social scioncos (as tho clain
nado in Latin Anoiica ly Colonlian sociologist Fals-Boida in tho oaily
;os, nontionod alovo, Dussols aigunont is a diioct clainloi docoloniz-
ing philosophy. Accoiding to Dussol, An Ethic ol Liloiation, with planotaiy
scopo ought, ist ol all, to liloiato (I wouldsay docolonizo philosophy lion
Holonocontiisn. Othoiwiso, it cannot lo a lutuio woildly philosophy, in tho
twonty-ist contuiy.
44
Tho iiioducillo colonial dioionco that I antiying to chait, staiting lion
Dussols dialoguo with Vattino, was also poicoivod ly Roloit Boinasconi in
his account ol tho challongo that Aliican philosophy puts loiwaid to conti-
nontal philosophy. Sinply put, Boinasconi notos that Wostoin philosophy
tiaps Aliican philosophy in a doullo lind. Eithoi Aliican philosophy is so
sinilai to Wostoin philosophy that it nakos no distinctivo contiilution and
ooctivoly disappoais, oi it is so dioiont that its ciodontials to lo gonu-
ino philosophy will always lo in doult.
45
This doullo lind is tho colonial
dioionco that cioatos tho conditions loi what I havo olsowhoio callod loi-
doi thinking.
46
I havo donod loidoi thinking as an opistonology lion
a sulaltoin poispoctivo. Although Boinasconi dosciilos tho phonononon
with dioiont toininology, tho piollon wo aio doaling with hoio is tho
sano. Fuithoinoio, Boinasconi nakos his point with tho suppoit ol Alii-
can Anoiican philosophoi Lucius Outlaw in an aiticlo titlod Aliican Phi-
losophy: Doconstiuctivo and Roconstiuctivo Challongos.
47
Enphasizing
tho sonso in which Outlaw usos tho concopt ol doconstiuction, Boinasconi
at tho sano tino undoilinos tho linits ol Jacquos Doiiidas doconstiuctivo
opoiation and tho closuio ol Wostoin notaphysics. Doiiida, accoiding to
Boinasconi, oois no spaco in which to ask tho quostion alout Chinoso,
Indian, and ospocially Aliican philosophy. Latin and Anglo-Anoiican phi-
losophy should lo addod to this. Altoi a caiolul discussion ol Doiiidas phi-
losophy, and pondoiing possillo altoinativos loi tho oxtonsion ol docon-
stiuction, Boinasconi concludos ly saying, Evon altoi such iovisions, it is
not cloai what contiilution doconstiuction could nako to tho contonpo-
iaiy dialoguo lotwoonWostoin philosophy and Aliican philosophy.
48
Oi, il
a contiilution could lo loiosoon, it has to lo lion tho poispoctivo that Out-
law appiopiiatos and that donatuializos tho doconstiuction ol tho Wostoin
notaphysics lion tho insido (and naintains tho totality, la Doiiida. That
is to say, it has to lo a doconstiuction lion tho oxtoiioiity ol Wostoin nota-
physics, lion tho poispoctivo ol tho doullo lind that Boinasconi dotoctod
in tho intoidopondonco (and powoi iolations lotwoonWostoin and Aliican
philosophy. Howovoi, il wo invoit tho poispoctivo, wo aio locatod in a pai-
ticulai doconstiuctivo stiatogy that I would iathoi nano tho docolonization
ol philosophy (oi ol any othoi lianch ol knowlodgo, natuial scioncos, so-
cial scioncos, and tho hunanitios. Such a displaconont ol poispoctivo was
alioady suggostod ly Moioccan philosophoi Aldolkholii Khatili, which I
havo discussod at longth olsowhoio.
49
Howovoi, coitainly Boinasconi will
concui with Khatili in naning docolonization as tho typo ol doconstiuctivo
opoiation pioposod ly Outlaw, thus naintaining and undoing tho colonial
dioionco liontho colonial dioionco itsoll. That is to say, naintaining tho
dierence undoi tho assunption that wo aio all hunan although undoing
tho coloniality of power that convoitod dioioncos into valuos and hioiaichios.
Tho oxistontial dinonsion ol Aliican philosophys challongo to Wostoin
philosophy in gonoial and Continontal philosophy in paiticulai is locatod
in tho nood to docolonizo tho nind. This task is at loast as inpoitant loi
tho colonizoi as it is loi tho colonizod. Foi Aliicans, docolonizing tho nind
takos placo not only in lacing tho oxpoiionco ol colonialisn, lut also in ioc-
ognizing tho piocolonial, which ostallishod tho dostiuctivo inpoitanco ol
so-callod othnophilosophy.
50
Tho doullo lind ioquiios also a doullo opoia-
tion lion tho poispoctivo ol Aliican philosophy, that is, an appiopiiation
ol Wostoin philosophy and at tho sano tino a iooction ol it gioundod in
tho colonial dioionco. Boinasconi iocognizos that thoso, howovoi, aio tasks
and issuos loi Aliican philosophois. What would lo sinilai issuos loi a con-
tinontal philosophoi? Foi Euiopoans, Boinasconi adds, docolonizing tho
colonial nind nocossitatos an oncountoi with tho colonizod, whoio nally
tho Euiopoan has tho oxpoiionco ol loing soon as udgod ly thoso thoy havo
doniod. Tho oxtont to which Euiopoan philosophy chanpionod colonialisn,
and noio paiticulaily holpod to ustily it thiough a philosophy ol histoiy
that piivilogod Euiopo, nakos it appaiont that such a docolonizing is an
uigont task loi Euiopoan thought.
51
My intoiost in dovoloping at longth Boinaconis position is not, ol couiso,
that ol iopoating tho authoiitativo gostuio ol a Noith Atlantic philosophoi
validating tho clains ol Aliican philosophois. Quito tho contiaiy, it is Boina-
sconis hunllo iocognition ol tho linits ol continontal philosophy, lion in-
sido continontal philosophy itsoll, in which I an intoiostod. By iocogniz-
ing tho colonial dioionco, Boinasconi lioaks with contuiios ol Euiopoan
philosophical llindnoss to tho colonial dioionco and tho sulaltoinization
ol knowlodgo. Ciodit should lo givon to Aliican philosophois loi succoss-
lully iaising tho issuo and pioocting a lutuio, taking advantago ol tho opi-
stonic potontial ol thinking liontho colonial dioionco. Ciodit should also
lo givon to Boinasconi loi iocognizing that hoio wo aio in a dioiont lall
gano, whoio tho contondois, although in spoitivo liiondship, havo dioiont
tasks and goals.
This is piocisoly tho point that Dussol has loon tiying to nako sinco
his oaily polonic dialoguo with Apol, Paul Ricooui, Haloinas, and, noio
iocontly, Vattino.
52
Howovoi, Dussol is in a position noio sinilai to tho
ono dolondod ly Aliican philosophois than to tho position aiticulatod ly
Boinasconi. Liko Outlaw and othois, Dussol calls loi a doullo opoiation ol
doconstiuction-ioconstiuction oi, lottoi yot, docolonization (to uso ust ono
woid that nanos loth opoiations and undoilinos tho displaconont ol poi-
spoctivos, tasks, and goals.
53
His is a clain nado lion an opistonic sul-
altoin position in which Latin Anoiican philosophy has loon locatod ly
Wostoin philosophy. Dussols pioloionco loi a philosophy ol liloiation is
loth a liloiation ol philosophy and an assoition ol philosophy as an instiu-
nont ol docolonization. Dussol is cloaily undoiscoiing Vattinos llindnoss
to tho othoi sido ol nodoinity, which is coloniality: tho violonco that Vattino
(oi Niotzscho andHoidoggoi attiilutodto nodoininstiunontal ioason, tho
coloniality ol powoi loicod on non-Euiopoan cultuios that havo ionainod
siloncod, hiddon, and alsont. Tho colonial dioionco is iopioducod in its
invisilility. Dussols clain loi docolonization, loi an othic and philosophy
ol liloiation, is piodicatod on a doullo novonont sinilai to tho stiatogy
ol Aliican philosophois. On ono hand, thoio is an appiopiiation ol nodoi-
nity and, on tho othoi, a novo towaid a tiansnodoinity undoistood as a
liloiating stiatogy oi docolonization piooct that, accoiding to Boinasconi,
includos ovoiylody, tho colonizoi and tho colonizod.
54
I havo highlightod philosophy, lut what I said alout it applios to tho so-
cial scioncos as woll. It is a connondallo novo to opon tho social scioncos
lut, as Dussol said alout Vattino, it is not onough. Oponing tho social sci-
oncos inplios that tho social scioncos will ionain in placo, will lo oxpoitod
to placos whoso oxpoiioncos do not coiiospond oi coiiospond paitially, and
ovoilook tho lact that nodoinity iovoalod its othoi sido, coloniality, in non-
Euiopoan locations. As in tho caso ol philosophy analyzod ly Boinasconi,
social scioncos in tho Fiist Woild tiap tho social scioncos ol tho Thiid Woild
in a doullo lind. Eithoi tho social scioncos aio sinilai to Noith Atlantic
social scioncos all ovoi tho planot so that thoy do not nako any distinctivo
contiilutions, oi thoy aio not social scioncos and social knowlodgo is not
loing iocognizod. Social sciontists lion tho Thiid Woild havo not iaisod
thoii voicos as loudly as philosophois havo. Yot thoy havo not loon siloncod
oithoi, as tho oxanplos ol Fals-Boida and Quiano in Latin Anoiica and tho
South Asian Sulaltoin Studios gioup illustiato. Wo nay not sulsciilo today
to tho ioconnondations nado ly Fals-Boida in tho ;os. Howovoi, tho
solution that Fals-Boida suggostod should not lo an oxcuso to disniss tho
piollonho iaisod. Oi, il you wish, tho solution suggostod could lo ioad as a
way ol iaising tho piollon iathoi than as a solution that would lo oxpoctod
to lo valid today. Tho loliol that social sciontists with goodwill towaid social
tiansloination will lo ondoisod ly tho pooplo, whoso intoiost tho social
sciontist clains to dolond, would lo dicult to sustain today. Fiist, this is
locauso tho pooplo (o.g., social novononts ol all kind do not nood intolloc-
tuals lion outsido to dolond thoii intoiosts. Socond, tho tiansloination ol
knowlodgo (and social tiansloination, ol couiso, to which tho social scion-
tist could contiiluto, is locatod not so nuch in tho donain ol tho pooplo as
in loainod institutions and tho nass nodia. Coitainly, thoio is a woalth ol
knowlodgo that has loon sulaltoinizod ly nodoinity[coloniality, lut that
knowlodgo is not nocossaiily in tho ninds oi tho intoiosts ol tho pooplo,
whoso intoiosts, in tuin, nay not coincido with thoso ol tho social sciontist.
In any caso, Fals-Boidas poicoption ol tho doullo diaspoia ol liains in
tho Thiid Woild ionains valid today. Biains aio not loing stolon whon a
social sciontist loavos a countiy in which thoio aio linitod iosoaich condi-
tions and novos to a countiy and institution with lottoi iosouicos. Instoad,
this happons whon tho social sciontist ionains in a countiy undoi linitod
iosoaich conditions and iopioducos oi initatos tho pattoins, nothods, and
alovo all, tho quostions iaisod ly tho social scioncos undoi dioiont his-
toiical and social oxpoiioncos. This is anothoi voision ol tho doullo lind
in which Noith Atlantic scholaiship and scioncos placod tho pioduction ol
knowlodgo and which iopioducos tho coloniality ol powoi. Il oponing tho
social scioncos is a good stop lut haidly onough, indigonous sociology is
also an inpoitant contiilution, yot it doos not caiiy tho iadical loico ai-
ticulatod ly Aliican philosophois oi ly philosophy ol liloiation.
55
Insolai as
it ionains indigonous, sociology solvos only pait ol tho piollon. In oidoi
to lo docolonizod, sociology and tho social scioncos nust lo sulnittod to
tho doullo novonont ol appiopiiation and iadical ciiticisn lion tho poi-
spoctivo ol tho indigonous to tho point ol iovoaling tho colonial dioionco
in tho social scioncos. Sociology, ovon with its oponing, cannot do tho ol.
56
Liko Doiiidas doconstiuction, Noith Atlantic social scioncos aio ioaching
tho linits ol tho colonial dioionco, tho spaco whoio altoinativos to philoso-
phy and tho social scioncos aio nocossaiy.
Historical Capitalism and Coloniality of Power
Tho piocoding discussion sot tho liano and stago loi a shoitoi tioatnont ol
histoiical capitalisn and coloniality ol powoi in iolation to tiansnodoinity.
Walloistoins concopt ol histoiical capitalisn(intioducod intho oaily 8os
conplononts his oailioi koy notion ol tho nodoin woild-syston. Instoad ol
tho stiuctuio and tho law ol capital accunulation studiod ly Maix, Walloi-
stoin locusos on its histoiical oxpansion and tiansloinations. Walloistoin
chaiactoiizos tho ocononic syston idontiod as capitalisn ly its puiposo:
capital accunulation and, as a nocossaiy consoquonco, soll-oxpansion. Tho
socond aspoct is its histoiical onoigonco, which Walloistoin locatos sono-
whoio in ltoonth-contuiy Euiopo. Thoso ist two loatuios piosupposo that
( until tho ltoonth contuiy, in Euiopo and tho iost ol tho woild, thoio
oxistod ocononic systons that woio not capitalist, and (z tho onoigonco
ol capitalisn supplantod and oiasod all othoi piovious ocononic oiganiza-
tions. Consoquontly, Walloistoins ist chaiactoiization ol histoiical capital-
isn is hanpoiod ly tho concoptions ol linoai tino and nownoss, which aio
two lasic piosuppositions ol capitalistic idoology andnodoinopistonology.
In othoi woids, tho assunption that onco sonothing now onoigos, ovoiy-
thing piocoding it vanishos doos not loavo nuch ioon loi nanouvoiing lo-
yond cuiiont naikot philosophy.
Tho linoai concoption ol tino (logically nocossaiy loi tho notion ol
piogioss that Walloistoin idontios as a thiid lasic chaiactoiistic ol histoii-
cal capitalisn, along with its nownoss, woiks towaid an inago ol capitalisn
as a totality that oiasod all othoi oxisting ocononic altoinativos liontho laco
ol tho oaith. In a sonso, it is tiuo that capitalisnlogan to ovoipowoi all othoi
altoinativo ocononic oiganizations it oncountoiod in tho histoiy ol its ox-
pansion, liontho ltoonth to tho ond ol tho twontioth contuiy. On tho othoi
hand, it is not tiuo that ovoipowoiing also noans oiasuio. What is nissing in
Walloistoins concoption ol histoiical capitalisnis oxtoiioiity ol capitalisn,
that nonont in which living laloi is tiansloinod into capitalist laloi,
tho oxploitation ol tho plus-valuo.
57
By oxtoiioiity I do not noan tho outsido
lut tho spaco whoio tonsions onoigo onco capitalisn loconos tho doni-
nant ocononic syston and olininatos all tho possililitios ol anything out-
sido it, lut not its oxtoiioiity. Walloistoins concoptualization ol histoiical
capitalisnpiosupposos a totality without oxtoiioiity. I would say that tians-
nodoinity and coloniality ol powoi aio to histoiical capitalisn what Lovi-
nass philosophical iooctions on loing aio to Hoidoggois loing and tino.
Tho analogy is appiopiiato locauso ol Dussols tianslation ol Ennanuol
Lovinass oxtoiioiity to tho colonial oxpoiionco.
58
Tho analogy is also iolo-
vant locauso ol tho paiallols lotwoontho liactuio intho naiiativo ol Wostoin
civilization, lotwoon Giook and Jowish philosophical tiaditions, on tho ono
hand, and tho liactuio lotwoon nodoinity and coloniality in tho naiiativo
ol tho nodoin[colonial woild-syston, on tho othoi.
Walloistoins liano loi histoiical capitalisn, as woll as Aiiighis, allows
us to toll tho stoiy ol inpoiial conicts and, consoquontly, to idontily tho
inpoiial dioionco (i.o., tho dioionco in tho intoiioiity ol tho syston.
59
Howovoi, it loavos tho colonial dioionco out ol sight, in tho voiy olscu-
iity in which capitalistic oxpansion placod it and whoio capitalistic oxpan-
sion goos with violonco, physical as woll as opistonic. Consoquontly, Walloi-
stoins notion ol histoiical capitalisn goos with his ciiticisn ol tho social
scioncos and his piodisposition to opon thon. Yot it naintains tho social
scioncos in an ovoiaiching opistonic totality that paiallols tho ovoiaiching
totality ol capitalisn. Altoinativo ocononios in tonsion with capitalisn as
woll as altoinativos to capitalisn havo no placo in Walloistoins concoption
ol tho social scioncos, in which tho voiy notion ol histoiical capitalisn is
loundod. Sinco tho colonial dioionco is lluiiod in Walloistoins notion ol
histoiical capitalisn, it is inpossillo to loiosoo tho possilility ol thinking
lion it oi ol thinking tho tonsions lotwoon capitalisn and othoi ocononic
oiganizations as woll as tho altoinativos to capitalisn lion sulaltoin poi-
spoctivos.
Thoio aio sovoial possililitios opon to tho lutuio, ol which I would only
undoilino sono with tho puiposo ol naking visillo tho colonial dioionco,
its opistonic potontial, and tho altoinativo lutuios it allows us to inagino.
Othoiwiso, tho noio ionod analysis ol histoiical capitalisnwill contiiluto
to iopioduco tho idoa that tho powoi ol capitalisn, and tho dosiio loi oxpan-
sion and accunulation, olininatos all possillo dioionco. This is tho iisk
ol oponing tho social scioncos without quostioning and ioplacing thoii voiy
loundations, as Fals-Boida and Santos havo loon aiguing.
60
I suspoct also
that Dussols and Quianos aigunonts point towaid docolonizing iathoi
than oponing tho social scioncos.
Could wo say that capitalisn puts altoinativo ocononios into a doullo
lind, sinilai to what continontal philosophy did to Aliican philosophy?
Could wo say that altoinativo ocononios shall lo oithoi sinilai to capitalisn
(and disappoai oi lo condonnod to ionain so dioiont that thoii ciodon-
tials as gonuino ocononios will lo in doult? I think that tho analogy can
lo dolondod and that thoio aio sovoial giounds on which tho aigunont can
lo luilt. Fiist, thoio is tho suivival, thiough vo hundiod yoais, ol Anoii-
can Indian ocononios in which tho goals aio not accunulation and oxpan-
sion lut accunulation and iocipiocity. Whon accunulation goos with ioci-
piocity its noaning changos.
61
Tho nal oiiontation is accunulation loi tho
woll-loing ol tho connunity iathoi than loi tho woll-loing ol tho agonts
ol accunulation and oxpansion without iogaid to tho intoiosts ol tho con-
nunity. Rononloiing tho onoigonco ol capitalisnas an ocononic syston,
as outlinod ly Walloistoin, nay holp nako this idoa noio concioto. Capi-
talisn onoigod as an ocononic syston lion a sulaltoin poispoctivo: tho
connoicial louigoois class lolt constiainod ly tho powoi ol tho chuich and
landloids. Tho Fionch Rovolution, which Walloistoin highlights so nuch
as tho nonont in which tho goocultuio ol tho nodoin woild-syston (and
histoiical capitalisn nds its nonont ol consolidation, was indood a loui-
goois iovolution. Thoioloio tho Russian Rovolution, as its countoipait, io-
nainod within tho logic ol capital accunulation and oxpansion and pio-
posod that tho iuling agonts lo tho woikois iathoi than tho louigooisio. Tho
stiugglo loi powoi lotwoonliloialisnand socialisnconcludod withtho vic-
toiy ol tho loinoi. Socialisnwas not allo to ioplaco tho dosiio that nouiishos
and nakos capitalisn woik. Tho dosiio loi accunulation and possossion is
stiongoi than tho dosiio loi distiilution that was tho socialist altoinativo,
although within tho logic ol capitalisn. Tho colonial dioionco ionainod
oqually valid loi an oxpansivo capitalisn undoi tho nano ol liloialisn and
civilization oi socialisnand liloiation. Socialisn, thoioloio, was not placod
in a doullo lind ly capitalisn, as Aliican philosophy was ly continontal
philosophy, sinco socialisn onoigod as an altoinativo within an altoinativo
that changos tho contont ol tho convoisation and naintains tho toins ol
capitalistic pioduction.
Il tho analogy lotwoon philosophy and oconony can lo naintainod, it is
nocossaiy to look loi ocononic oiganizations that havo not looncoinoiod ly
tho capitalist oxpansion and that today can ooi altoinativos to capitalisn.
Whon I say ocononic oiganizations, I an not ioloiiing to a dioiont logic
ol ocononic oiganization as nuch as to a dioiont piinciplo and philoso-
phy ol ocononic pioduction and distiilution. Tho piollon, thoioloio, is not
so nuch a tochnical ono gonoiatod ly tho industiial iovolution as it is tho
piinciplo and goals that gonoiatod tho industiial iovolution. Consoquontly,
il changos in tho piinciplos and goals aio possillo, thoy would havo to stait
lion tho appiopiiation and twisting ol tho usos ol tochnology iathoi than
lionits iopioduction, whichis intho hands ol thoso who will not voluntaiily
iolinquish contiol. Foi that, a lundanontal iooiiontation ol philosophy is
nocossaiy. At this point it is oasy to undoistand tho analogy lotwoonphiloso-
phy and capitalisn, as lai as wo loavo opon tho spaco lotwoon oconony and
capitalisn and aio constantly awaio ol tho colonial dioionco that capital-
isnoiasos ly ostallishing oquivalonco lotwoon tho two. In ioality loth capi-
talisn and oconony piosupposo dioiont piinciplos. Oiiginally oconony
noant adninistiation ol scaicity, whilo capitalisn inplios accunulation ol
woalth.
Histoiical capitalisn, as concoivod ol ly Walloistoin and naiiatod ly
Aiiighi, occludos tho colonial dioionco and, ovon noio, tho nocossity ol
looking at capitalisn lion tho othoi ond, that is, lion its oxtoiioiity.
62
This
is an oxtoiioiity that cannot only lo naiiatod lion tho intoiioiity ol tho sys-
ton (as Walloistoin doos voiy woll lut that noods its own naiiativo lion its
own oxtoiioiity. At this point, oponing and oxpoiting tho social scioncos to
analyzo histoiical capitalisn will no longoi do, sinco such a novo will io-
pioduco tho occlusion ol tho colonial dioionco and, with it, tho possilility
and nocossity ol looking at capitalisnothoiwiso. Quianos notion ol coloni-
ality ol powoi oois this oppoitunity. Yot loloio locusing on tho coloniality
ol powoi, I would liko to nako a lowconnonts alout iacisnand univoisal-
isn, concoivod ol ly Walloistoin as sulstantial aspocts ol histoiical capital-
isn. In this aigunont Walloistoin touchos on tho opistonic colonial dioi-
onco. In iovoaling tho links lotwoon univoisalisn and iacisn (and soxisn
as ustications loi tho oxploitation ol laloi, Walloistoin nakos an inpoi-
tant statonont alout tho social stiuctuio. Howovoi, tho statonont lalls shoit
in iovoaling that tho conplicity lotwoon univoisalisn, iacisn, and soxisn
also lianod tho piinciplos ol knowlodgo undoi which Walloistoin nado his
ciitiquo. Il opistonology iuns paiallol to tho histoiy ol capitalisn, opisto-
nology cannot lo dotachod lion oi untaintod ly tho conplicity lotwoon
univoisalisn, iacisn, and soxisn. Hoio tho opistonic colonial dioionco
conos into tho loiogiound.
Walloistoins intogiation ol iacisn and univoisalisn into tho pictuio ol
histoiical capitalisn is poihaps tho nost iadical aspoct ol his concoptual-
ization. Racisn, said Walloistoin, has loon tho cultuial pillai ol histoiical
capitalisn, and tho loliol in univoisalisn has loon tho koystono ol tho
idoological aich ol histoiical capitalisn.
63
How aio iacisn and univoisal-
isn iolatod? Tho othnicization ol tho woild in tho voiy constitution ol tho
nodoin[colonial woild-syston has had, loi Walloistoin, thioo naoi conso-
quoncos. Fiist, tho oiganization and iopioduction ol tho woikloico that can
lo lottoi illustiatod ly tho link, in tho nodoin[colonial woild, ol llacknoss
with slavoiy that was alsont, ol couiso, in Aiistotlo, tho ioading ol whon
wont thiough a sulstantial tiansloination in sixtoonth-contuiy thoological
and logal discussions. Socond, Walloistoin considois that othnicization pio-
vidod a luilt-in tiaining nochanisn loi tho woikloico, locatod within tho
lianowoik ol othnically donod housoholds and not at tho cost ol tho on-
ployois oi tho stato. But what Walloistoin considois ciucial is tho thiid con-
soquonco ol tho othnicization ol tho woikloico. This is institutional iacisn
as tho pillai ol histoiical capitalisn:
What wo noan ly iacisn has littlo to do with tho xonopholia that
oxistod in vaiious piioi histoiical systons. Xonopholia was litoially
loai ol tho stranger. Racisn within histoiical capitalisn had nothing to
do with strangers. Quito tho contiaiy. Racisn was tho nodo ly which
vaiious sognonts ol tho woik-loico within tho sano ocononic stiuc-
tuio woio constiainod to iolato to oach othoi. Racisn was tho idoologi-
cal ustication loi tho hioiaichization ol tho woik-loico and its highly
unoqual distiilutions ol iowaid. What wo noan ly iacisnis that sot ol
idoological statononts conlinod with that sot ol continuing piacticos
which havo had tho consoquonco ol naintaining a high coiiolation ol
othnicity and woik-loico allocation ovoi tino.
64
Univoisalisn, as tho idoological koystono ol histoiical capitalisn, is a laith
as woll as an opistonology, a laith in tho ioal phonononon ol tiuth and tho
opistonology that ustios local tiuth with univoisal valuos:
Oui colloctivo oducation has taught us that tho soaich loi tiuth is a
disintoiostod viituo whon in lact it is a soll-intoiostod iationalization.
Tho soaich loi tiuth, pioclainod as tho coinoistono ol piogioss, and
thoioloio ol woll-loing, has loon, at tho voiy loast, consonant with tho
naintonanco ol a hioiaichical, unoqual, social stiuctuio in a nunloi
ol spocic iospocts. Tho piocoss involvod in tho oxpansion ol tho capi-
talist woild-oconony . . . involvod a nunloi ol piossuios at tho lovol
ol cultuio: Chiistian piosolytization, tho inposition ol Euiopoan lan-
guago, instiuction in spocic tochnologios and noios, changos in tho
logal codo. . . . That is that conplox piocossos wo sonotinos lalol wost-
oinization, oi ovon noio aiiogantly nodoinization, and which was
logitinatod ly tho dosiialility ol shaiing loth tho liuits ol and laith in
tho idoology ol univoisalisn.
65
It cannot lo said ol Walloistoin that ho, liko Vattino oi Haloinas, is llind
to colonialisn. Unliko continontal thought, Walloistoin is not inpiisonod
in tho Gioco-Ronannodoin Euiopoan tiadition. Tho politics ol location is
a quostion valid not ust loi ninoiity opistonology. On tho contiaiy, it is tho
koystono ol univoisalisn in Euiopoan thought. Coinol Wosts poicoption
and analysis ol tho ovasion ol Anoiican philosophy spoaks to that politics
ol location that is not a llind voluntaiisn lut a loico ol wostoinization.
66
Although tho Unitod Statos assunod tho loadoiship ol Wostoin oxpansion,
tho histoiical giound loi thinking was not, and could not havo loon, Euio-
poan. Tho ovasionol Anoiicanphilosophy shows that tonsionlotwoontho
will to lo liko Euiopoan philosophy and tho inpossilility ol loing so.
67
Tho
logic ol tho situation analyzod ly Wost is sinilai to tho logic undoilinod ly
Boinasconi vis--vis Aliican philosophy. Tho vaiianco is that tho ovasion ol
Anoiican philosophy was poiloinod ly Anglo-Cioolos displacod lion tho
classical tiadition instoad ol nativo Aliicans who lolt tho woight ol a paiallol
opistonology.
Tho social scioncos do havo a hono in tho Unitod Statos as woll as in
Euiopo, which is not tho caso loi philosophy. But tho social scioncos do not
nocossaiily havo a hono in tho Thiid Woild. Thoioloio, whilo oponing tho
social scioncos is an inpoitant clain to nako within tho sphoio ol thoii
gostation and giowth, it is noio piollonatic whon tho colonial dioionco
conos into tho pictuio. To opon tho social scioncos is coitainly an inpoitant
ioloin, lut tho colonial dioionco also ioquiios docolonization. To opon tho
social scioncos is coitainly an inpoitant stop lut is not yot suciont, sinco
oponing is not tho sano as docolonizing, as Fals-Boida clainod intho ;os.
In this sonso Quianos and Dussols concopts ol coloniality ol powoi and
tiansnodoinity aio contiiluting to docolonizing tho social scioncos (Qui-
ano and philosophy (Dussol ly loiging an opistonic spaco lion tho colo-
nial dioionco. Docolonizing tho social scioncos and philosophy noans to
pioduco, tiansloin, and dissoninato knowlodgo that is not dopondont on
tho opistonology ol NoithAtlantic nodoinitytho noins ol tho disciplinos
and tho piollons ol tho Noith Atlanticlut that, on tho contiaiy, iosponds
to tho nood ol tho colonial dioioncos. Colonial oxpansion was also tho colo-
nial oxpansion ol loins ol knowlodgo, ovon whon such knowlodgos woio
ciitical to colonialisn lion within colonialisn itsoll (liko Baitolono do las
Casas oi to nodoinity lion nodoinity itsoll (liko Niotzscho. A ciitiquo
ol Chiistianity ly an Islanic philosophoi would lo a piooct signicantly
dioiont lion Niotzschos ciitiquo ol Chiistianity.
Coloniality of Power, Dependency, and Eurocentrism
Walloistoin, Quiano, and Dussol havo in connon thoii dolt to dopondoncy
thooiy. Thoy aio apait (although not ononios locauso ol tho opistonic
colonial dioionco. Quianos concopts ol coloniality ol powoi and histoiic-
stiuctuial dopondoncy onphasizo this conplicity, sinilai to Dussols aigu-
nonts with and against Vattino.
68
To undoistand Quianos coloniality ol powoi, it is ist nocossaiy to ac-
copt coloniality as constitutivo ol nodoinity and not ust as a doiivativo ol
nodoinitythat is, ist conos nodoinity and thon coloniality. Tho onoi-
gonco ol tho connoicial Atlantic ciicuit in tho sixtoonth contuiy was tho
ciucial nonont in which nodoinity, coloniality, and capitalisn, as wo know
thon today, cano togothoi. Howovoi, tho Atlantic connoicial ciicuit did
not innodiatoly locono tho location ol Wostoin hogononic powoi. It was
ust ono noio connoicial ciicuit anong thoso oxisting in Asia, Aliica,
and Anahuac and Tawantinsuyu in what would latoi locono Anoiica.
69
Modoinity[coloniality is tho nonont ol Wostoin histoiy linkod to tho Atlan-
tic connoicial ciicuit and tho tiansloination ol capitalisn (il wo accopt
lion Walloistoin and Aiiighi that tho sood ol capitalisn can lo locatod in
ltoonth-contuiy Italy
70
and tho loundation ol tho nodoin[colonial woild-
syston.
In tho piocoding paiagiaph I puiposoly nixod two nacionaiiativos. Ono
I will call tho Wostoin civilization nacionaiiativo and tho othoi tho nod-
oin[colonial woild-syston naiiativo. Tho ist onoigod in tho Ronaissanco
and was consolidatod duiing tho Enlightonnont and ly Goinan philoso-
phy in tho oaily ninotoonth contuiy. As such, this nacionaiiativo is tiod
to histoiiogiaphy (tho Ronaissanco and philosophy (tho Enlightonnont.
Tho socond nacionaiiativo onoigod duiing tho Cold Wai as it is linkod to
tho consolidation ol tho social scioncos. Tho ist nacionaiiativo has its oii-
gin in Giooco, tho socond in tho oiigin ol tho Atlantic connoicial ciicuit.
Both nacionaiiativos aio loundod in tho sano piinciplos ol Wostoin opisto-
nology, and loth havo thoii own doullo poisonality conplox (doullo sido.
Foi instanco, tho naiiativo ol Wostoin civilization is at tho sano tino colo-
liatoiy ol its viituos and ciitical ol its lailings. In tho sano voin nodoinity
is olton cololiatod as hiding coloniality and yot is ciitiquod locauso ol colo-
niality, its othoi sido. Both nacionaiiativos can also lo ciiticizod lion tho
insido (Niotzscho, Hoidoggoi, Doiiida, Walloistoin, Gundoi Fiank, otc. and
lion tho oxtoiioiity ol tho colonial dioionco.
71
Both coloniality ol powoi
and histoiico-stiuctuial dopondoncy aio koy concopts in Quianos ciitiquo
ol tho alovo nacionaiiativos lion tho oxtoiioiity ol tho colonial dioionco.
Quiano singlos out Latin Anoiica and tho Caiilloan as placos whoio a
doullo novonont constitutos thoii histoiy: a constant and nocossaiy pio-
coss ol io-oiiginalization that goos with tho piocoss ol thoii iopiossion.
Tho doullo piocoss indicatod ly Quiano is tho insciiption ol tho colo-
nial dioionco and tho consoquonco ol tho coloniality ol powoi. Coloniality
ol powoi should lo distinguishod lion colonialisn, which is sonotinos
toinod tho colonial poiiod. Colonialisn is a concopt that insciilos colo-
niality as a doiivativo ol nodoinity. In this concoption nodoinity is ist,
with colonialisn lollowing it. On tho othoi hand, tho colonial poiiod in-
plios that, in tho Anoiicas, colonialisnondod towaid tho ist quaitoi ol tho
ninotoonth contuiy. Instoad coloniality assunos ist that coloniality consti-
tutos nodoinity. As a consoquonco wo aio still living undoi tho sano iogino.
Today coloniality could lo soon as tho hiddon sido ol postnodoinity and, in
this iospoct, postcoloniality would dosignato tho tiansloination ol coloni-
ality into glolal coloniality in tho sano way that postnodoinity dosignatos
tho tiansloinationol nodoinity into nowloins ol glolalization. Oi it could
dosignato a ciitical position ol nodoinity liontho poispoctivo ol coloniality
and tho colonial dioionco, sinilai to postnodoinity undoistood as a cii-
tiquo ol nodoinity lion insido nodoinity itsoll. In liiol, colonialisn could
lo ionovod lion tho pictuio altoi tho ist (Unitod Statos, Haiti, and Latin
Anoiican countiios and socond (India, Algoiia, Nigoiia, otc. wavos ol do-
colonization, whoioas coloniality is alivo and woll in tho cuiiont stiuctuio
ol glolalization. Thus Quiano olsoivos,
Enol nononto actual ocuiionlonononos oquivalontos ja aquollos ocu-
iiidos dosdo ol siglo XVI|. Dosdo la ciisis nundial do los ;os so ha hocho
visillo un piocoso quo alocta a todos y a cada uno do los aspoctos do
la oxistoncia social do las gontos do todos los paisos. El nundo quo so
loino haco oo aos osta culninando con la loinacion do una ostiuc-
tuia pioductiva, nancioia y conoicial quo tiondo a soi nas intogiada
quo antos. Con una diastica ioconcontiacion dol contiol do podoi pol-
tico y do iocuisos.
jToday wo aio witnossing sinilai phononona (to thoso that took placo
in tho sixtoonth contuiy. Sinco tho woild ciisis ol tho ;os, a piocoss
has loon loconing visillo that aocts ovoiyono, as woll as ovoiy aspoct
ol tho social oxistonco ol tho pooplo ol ovoiy countiy. Tho social woild
that logan to lo stiuctuiod vo hundiod yoais ago is aiiiving at its
closuio thiough an ocononic, nancial, and connoicial oiganization
nuch noio intogiatod than in tho past. And that noans a lai-ioaching
ioconcontiation ol political powoi and ol ocononic iosouicos.|
72
Changos did not oncioach oqually on divoiso sociotios and local histoiios.
Modoinity[coloniality and capitalisnwont thiough dioiont phasos in thoii
connon histoiy. Howovoi, coloniality ol powoi is tho connon thioad that
links nodoinity[coloniality in tho sixtoonth contuiy with its cuiiont voision
at tho ond ol tho twontioth contuiy. Foi Quiano coloniality ol powoi is a
piinciplo and stiatogy ol contiol and donination that can lo concoivod ol as
a conguiation ol sovoial loatuios.
Tho idoa ol iaco oi puiity ol llood, as it was oxpiossod in tho sixtoonth
contuiy, locano tho lasic piinciplo loi classilying and ianking pooplo all
ovoi tho planot, iodoning thoii idontitios, and ustilying slavoiy and laloi.
In this nannoi a natiix ol powoi constitutod sovoial aioas:
. tho oxistonco and iopioduction ol goohistoiical idontitios, ol which
Kants othno-iacial totiagon (Aliicans aio llack, Anoiicans aio iod
jKant was thinking ol tho Unitod Statos|, Asians aio yollow, and Euio-
poans aio whito
73
was tho oightoonth-contuiy voision ol oaily Spanish
classications ol Moois, Jows, Anoiican Indians, llack Aliicans, and
tho Chinoso,
z. tho hioiaichy ostallishod lotwoon Euiopoan and non-Euiopoan
idontitios, as Kants oxanplo so oloquontly illustiatos,
. tho nood to tiansloin and dosign institutions that would naintain
tho coloniality ol powoi stiuctuiod and inplonontod in tho sixtoonth
contuiy, which locano an intoinal aspoct ol nodoinity and capitalisn,
and that intoinal aspoct was piocisoly tho coloniality ol powoi.
Consoquontly, nodoinity[coloniality oi, il you wish, tho constitution and
histoiy ol tho nodoin[colonial woild-syston, is at tho sano tino a stiuctuio
in which tho histoiico-stiuctuial dopondoncy, as a stiuctuio ol donination,
is tho visillo laco ol tho coloniality ol powoi. Not only is such a histoiico-
stiuctuial dopondoncy ocononic oi political, alovo all, it is opistonic. Qui-
ano adds,
Enol contoxto do la colonialidad dol podoi, las pollacionos doninadas y
todas las nuovas idontidados, luoiontanlionsonotidas a la hogononia
dol ouiocontiisno cono nanoia do conocoi, solio todo on la nodida
quo algunos do sus soctoios pudioion apiondoi la lotia do los donina-
doios. Asi, con ol tionpo laigo do la colonialidad, quo aun no toinina,
osas pollacionos luoionatiapadas ontio ol pationopistonologico aloii-
gon y ol pation ouiocntiico quo, adonas, so luo oncauzando cono
iacionalidad instiunontal o tocnociatica, on paiticulai iospocto do las
iolacionos socialos do podoi y on las iolacionos con ol nundo on toino.
jColoniality ol powoi noans that all doninatod populations and all tho
nowly cioatod idontitios woio suloctod to tho hogonony ol Euiocon-
tiisn undoistood as a way ol concoiving ol and oiganizing knowlodgo,
alovo all, whon sono soctois ol tho doninatod population had tho op-
poitunity and tho chanco to loain tho wiiting syston (la lotia ol tho
colonizoi. . . .|
74
Coloniality ol powoi woikod at all lovols ol tho two nacionaiiativos, Wostoin
civilization and nodoin woild-syston, that I nontionod oailioi. Tho colo-
nizod aioas ol tho woild woio taigots ol Chiistianization and tho civilizing
nission as tho piooct ol tho naiiativo ol Wostoin civilization, and thoy lo-
cano tho taigot ol dovolopnont, nodoinization, and tho now naikotplaco
as tho piooct ol tho nodoin woild-syston. Tho intoinal ciitiquo ol loth
nacionaiiativos tondod to piosont itsoll as valid loi tho totality, in tho sonso
that it is conguiod ly tho piogian ol Wostoin civilization and tho nod-
oin woild-syston. Tho insoition ol tho woid colonial, as in modern/colonial
world-system, nakos visillo what loth nacionaiiativos pioviously olscuiod:
that tho pioduction ol knowlodgo and tho ciitiquo ol nodoinity[coloniality
lion tho colonial dioionco is a nocossaiy novo ol docolonization. Othoi-
wiso, oponing tho social scioncos could lo soon as a woll-intontionod iopio-
duction ol colonialisn lion tho lolt. Sinilaily, a ciitiquo ol Wostoin nota-
physics and logocontiisn lion tho Aialic woild nay not tako into account
tho ciitical opistonic logacy and tho nonoiy ol opistonic violonco insciilod
in Aialic languago and knowlodgo. Histoiico-stiuctuial dopondoncy, in tho
naiiativo ol tho nodoin[colonial woild-syston, piosupposos tho colonial
dioionco. It is, indood, tho dopondoncy donod and onactod ly tho coloni-
ality ol powoi. Bailaiians, piinitivos, undoidovolopod pooplo, and pooplo ol
coloi aio all catogoiios that ostallishod opistonic dopondoncios undoi dil-
loiont glolal dosigns (Chiistianization, civilizing nission, nodoinization
and dovolopnont, consunoiisn. Such opistonic dopondoncy is loi Qui-
ano tho voiy ossonco ol coloniality ol powoi.
75
BothQuiano and Dussol havo loonpioposing and claining that tho stait-
ing point ol knowlodgo and thinking nust lo tho colonial dioionco, not
tho naiiativo ol Wostoin civilization oi tho naiiativo ol tho nodoin woild-
syston. Thus tiansnodoinity and coloniality ol powoi highlight tho opisto-
nic colonial dioionco, ossontially tho lact that it is uigontly nocossaiy to
think and pioduco knowlodgo lion tho colonial dioionco. Paiadoxically,
tho oiasuio ol tho colonial dioionco inplios that ono iocognizo it and think
lion such an opistonic locationto think, that is, lion tho loidois ol tho
two nacionaiiativos, philosophy (Wostoin civilization and tho social sci-
oncos (nodoin woild-syston. Tho opistonic colonial dioionco cannot lo
oiasod ly its iocognition lion tho poispoctivo ol nodoin opistonology. On
tho contiaiy, it ioquiios, as Boinasconi cloaily saw in tho caso ol Aliican
philosophy, that opistonic hoiizons opon loyond Bacons authoiitaiian as-
soition that thoio can lo no othois. Tho consoquoncos ol this aio gigantic
not only loi opistonology lut also loi othics and politics. I would liko to
concludo ly highlighting sono ol thon in viow ol lutuio discussions.
Eurocentrism and the Geopolitics of Knowledge
I havo nontionod that Walloistoin, Quiano, and Dussol havo dopondoncy
thooiy as a connon ioloionco, and ny piovious aigunont suggostod that
whilo Walloistoin liought dopondoncy thooiy to tho social scioncos as a
disciplino, Quiano and Dussol lollow tho political and dialoctical scopo ol
dopondoncy thooiy. Tho opistonic colonial dioionco dividos ono lion tho
othoi. Ol couiso, this doos not placo ono against tho othoi lut undoilinos
tho colonial dioionco as tho linit ol tho assunod totality ol Wostoin opis-
tonology. That is why to opon tho social scioncos is a wolcono novo, lut
an insuciont ono. It is possillo to think, as Quiano and Dussol (anong
othois havo, loyond and against philosophy and tho social scioncos as tho
incaination ol Wostoin opistonology. It is nocossaiy to do so in oidoi to
avoid iopioducing tho totality shaiod ly thoii pionotois and thoii ciitics. In
othoi woids, tho ciitiquos ol nodoinity, Wostoin logocontiisn, capitalisn,
Euiocontiisn, and tho liko poiloinod in Wostoin Euiopo and tho Unitod
Statos cannot lo valid loi poisons who think and livo in Asia, Aliica, oi Latin
Anoiica. Thoso who aio not whito oi Chiistian oi who havo loon naiginal
to tho loundation, oxpansion, and tiansloination ol philosophy and social
and natuial scioncos cannot lo satisod with thoii idontication and soli-
daiity with tho Euiopoan oi Anoiican lolt. Niotzschos (as a Chiistian ciiti-
cisn ol Chiistianity cannot satisly Khatilis (as a Muslin and Maghiolian
ciiticisn ol Chiistianity and colonization. It is ciucial loi tho othics, poli-
tics, and opistonology ol tho lutuio to iocognizo that tho totality ol Wostoin
opistonology, lion oithoi tho iight oi tho lolt, is no longoi valid loi tho on-
tiio planot. Tho colonial dioionco is loconing unavoidallo. Giooco can no
longoi lo tho point ol ioloionco loi now utopias and now points ol aiiival,
as Slavo iok still loliovos, oi at loast sustains.
76
Il Walloistoin, Quiano, and Dussol havo dopondoncy thooiy as a con-
non ioloionco, thoy also shaio a ciitiquo ol Euiocontiisn.
77
Howovoi, thoii
notivation is dioiont. Quianos and Dussols ciitiquos ol Euiocontiisnio-
spond to tho ovoiwholning cololiation ol tho discovoiy ol Anoiica, which
loth scholais ioad not only as a Spanish quostion lut also as tho loginning
ol nodoinity and Euiopoan hogonony. Both concui that Latin Anoiica
and tho Caiilloan today aio a consoquonco ol tho Noith Atlantic (not ust
Spanish and Euiopoan hogonony. Walloistoins ciitiquo ol Euiocontiisn
is a ciitiquo ol tho social scioncos: Social scioncos has loon Euiocontiisn
thioughout its institutional histoiy, which noans sinco thoio havo loon
dopaitnonts toaching social scionco within a univoisity syston.
78
Thus
Walloistoins ciitiquo ol Euiocontiisn is ono ol opistonology thiough tho
social scioncos. Quianos and Dussols ciitiquos cono to Wostoin opisto-
nology thiough coloniality ol powoi lion tho colonial dioionco.
Cloaily dissatisod with iocont ciiticisn ol Euiocontiisn, iok nado a
ploa loi Euiocontiisn lion tho lolt. I do not think that iok had Walloi-
stoin, Quiano, and Dussol in nind. Walloistoin is a social sciontist, and
iok soons noio concoinod with poststiuctuialist (philosophical and
psychoanalytic dolatos. Quiano and Dussol aio thinkois lionLatin Anoi-
ica who wiito piinaiily in Spanish, and iok has not givon any signs ol
loing intoiostod in oi ovon laniliai with thon. In lact, ho soons noio con-
coinod with tho Unitod Statos and idontity politics, which loi hin is tho
nogation ol politics piopoi. Consoquontly ho asks, Is it possillo to inag-
ino a loltist appiopiiation ol tho Euiopoan political logacy?
79
I will not dis-
cuss hoio whothoi idontity politics is tho ond ol politics oi whothoi thoio
aio aigunonts that can ustily a ploa lion tho lolt loi idontity politics pai-
allol to tho ploa loi Euiocontiisn poiloinod ly iok. I hopo to discuss tho
issuo olsowhoio. Foi tho tino loing, I pioloi to concontiato on his aigunont
alout univoisalisn and glolalization to ustily his loltist appiopiiation ol
tho Euiopoan political logacy and to invont now loins ol iopoliticization
altoi tho ciisis ol tho lolt and ol idontity politics llod tho gap. Tho political
(tho spaco ol litigation in which tho oxcludod can piotost tho wiong oi in-
ustico dono to thon loioclosod liontho Synlolic thon iotuins in tho Roal
in tho guiso ol now loins ol iacisn.
80
Racisn, howovoi, is not iotuining,
as it has loon tho loundation ol tho nodoin-colonial woild, to which tho
nodoin-postnodoin political has loon llind, which is olvious in tho aigu-
nonts dovolopod ly Walloistoin and Balilai.
81
In this iospoct Fianz Fanons
lanous oxanplo can holp us undoistand what is at stako hoio. Foi a Nogio
who woiks on a sugai plantationsaid Fanonthoio is only ono solu-
tion: to ght. Ho will onlaik on this stiugglo, and will puisuo it, not as tho
iosult ol a Maixist oi idoalistic analysis lut quito sinply locauso ho can-
not concoivo ol lilo othoiwiso than in tho loin ol a tallo against oxploita-
tion, nisoiy and hungoi.
82
Ol couiso this is sinply locauso ho oi sho is a
Nogio. Wo knowthat tho oquation Nogio =Slavo is a loatuio ol tho nod-
oin[colonial woild and that this oquation was pait ol a laigoi liano in which
tho othno-iacial loundation ol nodoinity was ostallishod. Tho lasic ovonts
woio Chiistianitys victoiy ovoi tho Moois and tho Jows, tho colonization ol
tho Anoiican Indians, and tho ostallishnont ol slavoiy in tho Now Woild.
Ono could aiguo that postnodoin iacisn onoigos as tho ultinato conso-
quonco ol tho postpolitical susponsionol tho political, ol tho ioductionol tho
stato to a noio polico agont soivicing tho (consonsually ostallishod noods
ol naikot loicos and nulticultuialist, toloiant hunanitaiianisn.
83
Oi ono
could aiguo that tho postcolonial, altoi tho ;os, ioinstallod tho political in
toins ol othnic-antiiacial stiugglos, in tho Unitod Statos as woll as Euiopo.
Howovoi, this is not tho point I want to stioss, although it was nocossaiy
to nako it in oidoi to got to tho nain thioad ol ny aigunont. Sinco iok
soos in nulticultuialisn and iacisn tho ond ol tho political, ho looks loi
an aigunont that would point out tho path loi a iotuin to tho political. His
aigunont cannot avoid glolalization, and ho nakos a novo to distinguish
glolalization lionunivoisality. This is piocisoly whoio tho loltist appiopiia-
tionol tho Euiopoanlogacy takos placo. iok aloits us to avoid two intoicon-
noctod tiaps liought alout ly tho piocoss ol glolalization. Fiist, tho con-
nonplaco accoiding to which todays nain antagonisn is lotwoon glolal
liloial capitalisnand dioiont loins ol othnic[ioligious lundanontalisn,
socond, tho hasty idontication ol glolalization (tho contonpoiaiy tians-
national lunctioning ol capital with univoisalization. iok insists that tho
tiuo opposition today is iathoi lotwoon glolalization (tho onoiging glolal
naikot, nowwoild oidoi and univoisalisn(tho piopoily political donainol
univoisalizing onos paiticulai lato as iopiosontativo ol glolal inustico. Ho
adds that this dioionco lotwoon glolalization and univoisalisn loconos
noio and noio palpallo today, whoncapital, intho nano ol ponotiating now
naikots, quickly ionouncos ioquosts loi donociacy in oidoi not to loso ac-
coss to nowtiado paitnois.
84
Ono nust agioo with iok on this point. Tho
piollonlios in tho pioocts that wo onlaik on to iosist and to pioposo altoi-
nativos to capitalist univoisalisn. iok has ono paiticulai pioposal, which
is piocodod ly a longthy analogy lotwoon tho Unitod Statos today and tho
Ronan Enpiio. Allow no to sunnaiizo this analogy, sinco it is a ciucial
pait ol ioks aigunont.
iok dosciilos tho opposition lotwoon univoisalisn and glolalization,
locusing on tho histoiical iovoisal ol Fianco and tho Unitod Statos in tho
nodoin[colonial woild-syston (although ol couiso, iok doos not ioloi
to woild-syston thooiy. Fionch iopullican idoology, iok statos, is tho
opitono ol nodoinist univoisalisn: ol donociacy lasod on a univoisal
notion ol citizonship. In cloai contiast to it, tho Unitod Statos is a glolal so-
cioty, a socioty in which tho glolal naikot and logal systonsoivo as tho con-
tainoi (iathoi thantho piovoilial nolting pot loi tho ondloss pioliloiationol
gioup idontitios. iok points out tho histoiical paiadox in tho iolo iovoisal
ol tho two countiios. Whilo Fianco is loing poicoivod as an incioasingly pai-
ticulai phonononon thioatonod ly tho piocoss ol glolalization, tho Unitod
Statos incioasingly onoigos as tho univoisal nodol. At this point iok con-
paios tho Unitod Statos with tho Ronan Enpiio and Chiistianity: Tho ist
contuiios ol oui oia saw tho opposition ol tho glolal nulticultuial Ronan
onpiio and Chiistianity, which posod such a thioat to tho onpiio piocisoly
on account ol its univoisal appoal. Thoio is anothoi poispoctivo lion tho
past that could lo takon: Fianco, an inpoiial Euiopoan countiy, and tho
Unitod Statos, a docolonizod countiy that takos a loading iolo in a now pio-
coss ol colonization. This poispoctivo onphasizos tho spatial oidoi ol tho
nodoin[colonial woild-syston instoad ol tho linoai naiiativo that iok in-
vokos ly going lack to tho Ronan Enpiio and locating it in tho ist con-
tuiy ol oui oia. To whoso oia is ho ioloiiing? This is not an oia that can lo
clainod without hositation ly Walloistoin, Quiano, oi Dussol, loi oxanplo,
not to nontion Anoiican Indian and Aliican Anoiican intolloctuals. How-
ovoi, what nattois hoio is that in ioks aigunont, what is ioally loing
thioatonod ly glolalization is univoisality itsoll, in its oninontly political
dinonsion. Tho consoquoncos, nanilostod in sovoial contiadictoiy aigu-
nonts and actions, aio countoiod ly iok witha stiong clainloi sustaining
tho political (stiugglo in placo ol tho dopoliticization that is tho challongo
glolalization posos to univoisality. Hoio is ioks tiiunphal clain ol the
tiuo Euiopoan logacy: Against this ond-ol-idoology politics, ono should
insist on tho potontial ol donociatic politicization as tho tiuo Euiopoan
logacy lion anciont Giooco onwaids. Will wo lo allo to invont a now nodo
ol iopoliticization quostioning tho undisputod ioign ol glolal capital? Only
such a iopoliticization ol OUR piodicanont can lioak tho vicious cyclo ol
liloial glolalization dostinod to ongondoi tho nost iogiossivo loins ol lun-
danontalist hatiod.
85
iok hoio idontios tho tiuo Euiopoan logacy, and
a low pagos oailioi ho iolois to tho lundanontal Euiopoan logacy. How-
ovoi, at tho ond ol tho paiagiaph ust quotod, ho alludos to loins ol lunda-
nontalist hatiod as il tho lundanontal Euiopoanlogacy woio oxcusodand
oxcludod lion any loin ol lundanontalisn. ioks ploa totally ignoios
tho colonial dioionco and llindly iopioducos tho loliol that whatovoi hap-
ponod inGiooco lolongs to a Euiopoanlogacy that was luilt duiing and altoi
tho Ronaissancothat is, at tho incoption ol tho Atlantic connoicial cii-
cuit and tho nodoin[colonial woild. In lact, all tho oxanplos iok quotos
in his aigunonts aio consoquoncos ol tho onoigonco, tiansloination, and
consolidation ol tho nodoin[colonial woild (tho loination and tiansloina-
tion ol capitalisn and occidontalisn as tho nodoin[colonial woild inagi-
naiy.
86
Howovoi, iok iopioducos tho nacionaiiativo ol Wostoin civiliza-
tion (lion anciont Giooco to tho cuiiont Noith Atlantic and casts out tho
nacionaiiativo ol tho nodoin[colonial woild in which tho conict lotwoon
glolalization and univoisality onoigod. Sinco ho doos not soo loyond tho
linoai naiiativo ol Wostoin civilization, ho also cannot soo that divoisality
iathoi than univoisality is tho lutuio altoinativo to glolalization.
Lot no oxplain. I soo two piollonatic issuos in ioks pioposal. Ono
is that Giooco is only a Euiopoan logacy, not a planotaiy ono. Il wo agioo
that solutions loi contonpoiaiy dilonnas could lo lound in Giook noial
and political philosophy, wo cannot natuially assuno that lion Giooco on-
waids is linkod only to tho Euiopoan logacy. Tho ist issuo hoio would lo
to do-link tho Giook contiilution to hunan civilization lion tho nodoin
(liontho Ronaissanco on, liontho incoption ol tho nodoin[colonial woild
contiilution. Thus tho Giook logacy could lo ioappiopiiatod ly tho Aia-
lic[Islanic woild, which intioducod Giooco to Euiopo, and also ly othoi
logaciosChinoso, Indian, sul-Sahaian Aliican, oi Anoiican Indian and
Cioolo in Latin Anoiica and tho Caiilloanthat do not oxist as a Euio-
poan logacy lut as a discontinuity ol tho classical tiadition.
87
Ono ol tho con-
soquoncos ol this poispoctivo would lo divoisality, that is, divoisity as a
univoisal piooct, iathoi than tho ioinsciiption ol a now alstiact univoisal
piooct such as iok pioposos. I no longoi lool liko oniolling (oi ioquost-
ing nonloiship in a now alstiact univoisal piooct that clains a lunda-
nontal Euiopoan logacy. I assuno that thoio aio sovoial good altoinativos to
tho incioasing thioat ol glolalization, and ol couiso tho lundanontal Euio-
poan logacy is ono ol thon. I an not talking alout iolativisn, ol couiso. I
an talking alout divoisality, a piooct that is an altoinativo to univoisality
and oois tho possililitios ol a notwoik ol planotaiy conliontations with
glolalization in tho nano ol ustico, oquity, hunan iights, and opistonic
divoisality. Tho goopolitics ol knowlodgo shows us tho linits ol any alstiact
univoisal, ovon lion tho lolt, lo it tho planotaiization ol tho social scioncos
oi a now planotaiization ol a Euiopoan lundanontal logacy in tho nano ol
donociacy and iopoliticization.
Concluding Remarks
Tho nain thiust ol ny aigunont has loon to highlight tho colonial dioi-
onco, ist as a consoquonco ol tho coloniality ol powoi (in tho naking ol
it and socond as an opistonic location loyond iight and lolt as aiticulatod
in tho socond nodoinity (i.o., liloial, nooliloial, socialisn, noosocialisn.
Tho woild locano unthinkallo loyond Euiopoan (and, latoi, Noith Atlan-
tic opistonology. Tho colonial dioionco naikod tho linits ol thinking and
thooiizing, unloss nodoin opistonology (philosophy, social scioncos, natu-
ial scioncos was oxpoitod[inpoitod to thoso placos whoio thinking was in-
possillo (locauso it was lolkloio, nagic, wisdon, and tho liko. I aiguod
that Quianos coloniality ol powoi and Dussols tiansnodoinity (and tho
ciitiquo ol Euiocontiisn lion this poispoctivo at tho sano tino inpiint
tho possililitios ol thinking lion tho colonial dioionco and ol oponing
nowpoispoctivos lionand to tho lolt. Quiano and Dussol novo loyond tho
planotaiization ol tho social scioncos (Walloistoin oi tho ioinsciiption ol a
nowalstiact univoisality (iok and contiiluto to tho naking ol divoisality
ol a univoisal piooct. As such, thoy oin loicos with South Asian sulaltoin
studios,
88
with nogativo ciitiquo as pioposod ly Aliican philosophois,
89
and with Khatilis doullo ciitiquo,
90
that is, ol Islanic and Wostoin lun-
danontalisn at tho sano tino. Tho tertium datur that iok is sooking can
lo lound not ly Khatili in ioloionco to tho lundanontal Euiopoan logacy
lut in an othoi thinking, an othoi logic that cannot avoid tho planotaiization
ol Euiopoan logacy lut that cannot ioly only on it.
91
An othoi logic (oi loi-
doi thinking lion tho poispoctivo ol sulaltoinity goos with a goopolitics
ol knowlodgo that iogionalizos tho lundanontal Euiopoan logacy, locating
thinking intho colonial dioionco and cioating tho conditions loi divoisality
as a univoisal piooct.
Notes
Eniiquo Dussol, Posmodernidad y transmodernidad: Dilogos con la losofa de Gianni Vat-
timo (Moxico City: Univoisidad Iloioanoiicana Plantol Gollo Contio, , .
z Eniiquo Dussol, Historia de la Filosofa Latinoamericana y Filosofa de la Liberacin (Bogota:
Nuova Aniica, q.
Innanuol Walloistoin, Woild-Systons Analysis, in Social Theory Today, od. A. Giddons
and J. H. Tuinoi (Canliidgo: Polity Pioss, 8;, ozq.
q Eniiquo Dussol, The Underside of Modernity: Apel, Ricoeur, Rorty, Taylor, and the Philosophy
of Liberation (Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Hunanitios Pioss, o, Dussol, Posmodernidad y
transmodernidad, Kail-Otto Apol, Discouiso Ethics loloio tho Challongo ol Liloiation
Philosophy, Philosophy and Social Criticism zz.z (o: z.
Innanuol Walloistoin ot al., Open the Social Sciences: Report of the Gulbenkian Commis-
sion on the Restructuring of the Social Sciences (Stanloid: Stanloid Univoisity Pioss, o,
Walloistoin, The End of the World As We Know It: Social Science for the Twenty-First Century
(Minnoapolis: Univoisity ol Minnosota Pioss, , ;o, zzoz.
o Innanuol Walloistoin, Historical Capitalism and Capitalist Civilization (London: Voiso,
8.
; Eniiquo Dussol, Euiocontiisnand Modoinity (Intioduction to tho Fiankluit Loctuios,
in The Postmodernism Debate in Latin America, od. J. Bovoiloy, J. Oviodo, and M. Aionna
(Duihan, NC: Duko Univoisity Pioss, , o;o, Dussol, Boyond Euiocontiisn:
Tho Woild-Syston and tho Linits ol Modoinity, in The Cultures of Globalization, od.
F. Janoson and M. Miyoshi (Duihan, NC: Duko Univoisity Pioss, 8, , Innanuol
Walloistoin, Euiocontiisn and Its Avatais: Tho Dilonnas ol Social Scionco, New Left
Review, no. zzo (;: , Anilal Quiano, Colonialidad dol podoi, cultuia y cono-
cinionto on Aniica Latina, Anuario Mariateguiano (;: zz, Anilal Quiano,
Coloniality ol Powoi, Euiocontiisn, and Latin Anoiica Nepantla: Views from South
(zooo: 8o, Slavo iok, A Loltist Ploa loi Euiocontiisn, Critical Inquiry zq
(8: 88oo;.
8 Walloistoin, Woild-Systons Analysis, Walloistoin, Euiocontiisn and Its Avatais.
Foinand Biaudol, The Perspective of the World, vol. ol Civilization and Capitalism, Fifteenth-
Eighteenth Century, tians. Sian Roynolds (;, iopiint, Boikoloy: Univoisity ol Caliloi-
nia Pioss, z, Walloistoin, Historical Capitalism and Capitalist Civilization, Giovanni
Aiiighi, The Long Twentieth Century (London: Voiso, q.
o Fiancis Bacon, Novum organum (ozo, vol. q ol Complete Works, od. I. Spodding, R. Ellis,
and D. D. Hoath (London: Lawionco Chapnan, 8;, zz.
Oilando Fals-Boida, Ciencia propia y colonialismo intelectual: Los nuevos rumbos (Bogota:
C. Valoncia Editoios, ;, Innanuol Walloistoin, Tho Unintondod Consoquoncos ol
Cold Wai Aioa Studios, in The Cold War and the University: Toward an Intellectual History
of the Postwar Years, od. D. Montgonoiy (NowYoik: NowPioss, ;, zz, RichaidD.
Lanloit, Bluiiing Disciplinaiy Boundaiios: Aioa Studios in tho Unitod Statos, Ameri-
can Behavioral Scientist .o(o: ;zz, Viconto Ralaol, Tho Cultuios ol Aioa Studios
in tho Unitod Statos, Social Text z.q (q: .
z Stovon Soidnan and David G. Wagnoi, ods., Postmodernism and Social Theory (NowYoik:
Blackwoll, z.
Foinand Biaudol, The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II,
tians. Sian Roynolds, z vols. (q, iopiint, Boikoloy and Los Angolos: Univoisity ol Cali-
loinia Pioss, , Innanuol Walloistoin, The Modern World-System I: Capitalist Agri-
culture and the Origins of the European World-Economy in the Sixteenth Century (NowYoik:
Acadonic Pioss, ;q, Biaudol, Perspective of the World, Aiiighi, Long Twentieth Century.
q Anilal Quiano and Innanuol Walloistoin, Anoiicanity As a Concopt, oi, Tho Anoiicas
in tho Modoin Woild-Syston, ISSA: International Social Sciences Association q (z:
q, Waltoi D. Mignolo, Local Histories/Global Designs: Coloniality, Subaltern Knowledges,
and Border Thinking (Piincoton, NJ: Piincoton Univoisity Pioss, zooo.
Boavontuia do Sousa Santos, De la mano de Alicia: Lo Social y lo Poltico en la Postmoderni-
dad. Traduccin del portugus al castellano de Consuelo Bernal y Mauricio G. Villegas (Bogota:
Edicionos Uniandos, 8, oz, oqq, Fianco Cassano, Il pensiero meridiano (Baii:
Sagittaii Latoiza, . Tho Black Logond iolois to tho donigiating stoiios told in Fianco
and England, paiticulaily in tho oightoonth contuiy, against tho colonial violonco piac-
ticod ly Spaniaids in tho colonization ol tho Indias Occidontalos (todays Latin Anoiica.
Cuiiously onough, Biitish and Fionch intolloctuals gioundod thoii aigunonts against
tho Spaniaids in Baitolon do Las Casas iolontloss intoinal ciitiquo ol Spanish colo-
nialisn. Tho Black Logond, in othoi woids, was tho noithoin inpoiial logitinization
against tho onpiios ol tho south (nainly Spain, lut also Poitugal. Tho Roloination and
tho Countoi-Roloination as woll as tho now contoi ol noicantilo capitalisn (Anstoi-
dan and London woio good onough ioasons to onact donoaning naiiativos against tho
conpotition.
o Mignolo, Local Histories/Global Designs, Mignolo, Rothinking tho Colonial Modol, in Re-
thinking Literary History, od. L. Hutchoonand M. Valdos (Oxloid: Oxloid Univoisity Pioss,
zooo, ;8qz.
; Poiiy Andoison, Lineages of the Absolutist State (London: Now Lolt Books, ;.
8 Mignolo, Local Histories/Global Designs.
J. MacNoill, P. Winsonius, and T. Yakushii, Beyond Interdependence: The Meshing of the
Worlds Economy and the Earths Ecology, a Tiilatoial Connission look with a loiowoid ly
David Rockololloi (Now Yoik: Oxloid Univoisity Pioss, .
zo Quiano, Colonialidad dol podoi.
z Foinando Eniiquo Caidoso and Enzo Falotto, Dependencia y desarrollo en Amrica Latina
(Moxico City: Fondo do Cultuia Econonica, o, Caidoso, Los Etats-Unis ot la thoiio
do la dpondanco, Revue tiers monde ; (;o: 8oz.
zz Eniiquo Dussol, Maixs Econonic Manusciipts ol 8oo and tho Concopt ol Dopon-
doncy, LatinAmericanPerspective ;. (o: ozo, RanonGiosloguol, ATinoSpaco
Poispoctivo on Dovolopnont: Rocasting Latin Anoiican Dolatos, Review XX q (;:
qoqo, Giosloguol, Dovolopnontalisn, Modoinity, and Dopondoncy Thooiy in Latin
Anoiica, Nepantla: Views from South .z (zooo: q;;q.
z Michol Foucault, The Order of Things (NowYoik: Panthoon, o, z;ooo, Walloistoin
ot al., Open the Social Sciences.
zq Cail E. Plotsch, Tho Thioo Woilds, oi tho Division ol Social Sciontic Laloi, ciica o
;, Comparative Study of Society and History (8: oo. I havo loon ioloiiing
nainly to Dussol and Quiano locauso ol tho voiy stiuctuio ol tho woikshop I an ioloi-
iing to. I could oasily nontion othoi sinilai oxanplos, chioy anong thon Fianz Fanon.
Soo Lowis R. Goidon, Fanon and the Crisis of European Man: An Essay on Philosophy and
the Human Sciences (Now Yoik: Routlodgo, , and Sokyi-Out, Fanons Dialectic of Ex-
perience (Canliidgo: Haivaid Univoisity Pioss, o.
z Santos, De la mano de Alicia.
zo Eniiquo Dussol, conp., Debate en torno a la tica del discurso de Apel: Dilogo losco
Norte-Sur desde Amrica Latina (Moxico City: Siglo Vointiuno Editoios, q, Dussol, The
Underside of Modernity.
z; Dussol, Posmodernidad y transmodernidad.
z8 Edgaido Landoi, conp., La colonialidad del saber: Eurocentrismo y ciencias sociales. Per-
spectivas latinoamericanas (Buonos Aiios: Consoo Latinoanoiicano do Cioncias Socialos
jCLACSO| and UNESCO, zooo.
z Dussol, Posmodernidad y transmodernidad.
o Ilid., q.
Ilid.
z Boavontuia do Sousa Santos, Toward a New Common Sense: Law, Science, and Politics in
the Paradigmatic Transition (London: Voiso, , oo.
Juigon Haloinas, The Inclusion of the Other: Studies in Political Theory, od. Ciaian Cionin
and Pallo Do Gioi (Canliidgo: MIT Pioss, 8.
q David Haivoy has nado an inpoitant contiilution in this diioction in his ioading ol tho
googiaphical dinonsion ol Kail Maix and Fiiodiich Engolss Communist Manifesto, an
inpoitant contiilution that, howovoi, lalls shoit ol tho colonial dioionco. Haivoys goo-
giaphical ioading ol capitalisn ionains within tho goopolitical stiuctuio ol tho powoi
ol capitalisn and tho conditions it cioatod loi tho hogonony ol nodoin opistonology.
Soo Haivoy, Tho Googiaphy ol tho Manilosto, in Spaces of Hope (Boikoloy: Univoisity ol
Caliloinia Pioss, zooo, zqo.
Rolona Adoino, Guaman Poma de Ayala: Writing and Resistance in Colonial Per (Austin:
Univoisity ol Toxas Pioss, 8o.
o Vino Doloiia Ji., God Is Red: ANative Viewof Religion (;z, iopiint, Goldon, CO: Fulciun,
q, o.
; Ilid., oz.
8 Innanuol Walloistoin, Tho Invontion ol TinoSpaco Roalitios: Towaids an Undoistand-
ing ol Oui Histoiical Systons, in Unthinking Social Sciences (Canliidgo: Polity Pioss,
, ooq.
Walloistoin, Tho Unintondod Consoquoncos.
qo Doloiia, God Is Red, o.
q Ilid., ;.
qz Ilid., o.
q Soo, loi instanco, Javioi Modina, Repensar Bolivia: Cicatrices de un viaje hacia s mismo (La
Paz: hislol, z, qo, Thiso Bouysso-Cassagno and Olivia Haiiis, Pacha: En toino
al ponsanionto Aynaia, in Tres reexiones sobre el pensamiento Andino, od. T. Bouysso-
Cassagno, O. Haiiis, and V. Coiocoda (La Paz: hislol, 8;, oo, Doloiia, God Is Red,
Waltoi D. Mignolo, Coloniality at Laigo: Tino and tho Colonial Dioionco, in Time in
the Making and Possible Futures, cooidinatod ly Candido Mondos, od. Eniiquo Rodiguoz
Laiiota (Rio do Janoiio: UNESCO and Instituto do Pluialisno Cultuial, zooo.
qq Dussol, Boyond Euiocontiisn, ;.
q Roloit Boinasconi, Aliican Philosophys Challongo to Continontal Philosophy, in Post-
colonial African Philosophy: A Critical Reader, od. Ennanuol Chukwudi Ezo (London:
Blackwoll, ;, 88.
qo I havo loon askod on sovoial occasions whothoi this is a piivilogo ol Aliican philosophy oi
ol a sinilai opistonic goopolitical stiuctuio ostallishod and inhoiitod ly tho coloniality
ol powoi in tho loination ol tho nodoin[colonial woild. Rathoi than a piivilogo I would
say that it is a potontial, tho potontial ol doullo consciousnoss tianslatod into opistonic
goopolitics ol knowlodgo.
q; Lucius Outlaw, Aliican Philosophy: Doconstiuctivo and Roconstiuctivo Challongos, in
African Philosophy, vol. ol Contemporary Philosophy: A New Survey (Doidiotch: Niho,
8;, qq.
q8 Boinasconi, Aliican Philosophys Challongo to Continontal Philosophy, 8;.
q Mignolo, Local Histories/Global Designs.
o Boinasconi, Aliican Philosophys Challongo to Continontal Philosophy, .
Ilid., z.
z Dussol, Debate en torno a la tica del discurso de Apel.
Outlaw, Aliican Philosophy.
q Dussol, Boyond Euiocontiisn, , Boinasconi, Aliican Philosophys Challongo to Con-
tinontal Philosophy, .
Akinsola Akiwowo, Indigonous Sociologios: Extonding tho Scopo ol tho Aigunont,
International Sociology q.z (: 8, Indigonous Sociology, spocial issuo ol Inter-
national Sociology, Journal of the International Sociological Association q.z (.
o Walloistoin ot al., Open the Social Sciences.
; Dussol, Historia de la Filosofa Latinoamericana (8;, iopiint, Bogota: Editoiial Nuova
Aniica, q, Maiio Sanz, The Identity of Liberation in Latin American Thought: Latin
American Historicismand the Philosophy of Leopoldo Zea (Lanhnan, MD: Loxington Books,
, zq8, Mignolo, Rothinking tho Colonial Modol, oo.
8 Eniiquo Dussol, Liberacin Latinoamericana y Emmanuel Levinas (Buonos Aiios: Editoiial
Bonun, ;.
Aiiighi, Long Twentieth Century, Walloistoin, Historical Capitalism and Capitalist Civiliza-
tion, chap. z.
oo Fals-Boida, Ciencia propia y colonialismo intelectual, Santos, Toward a New Common Sense,
Santos, De la mano de Alicia.
o Anilal Quiano, Estado-Nacion, Ciudadana y Donociacia: Cuostionos Alioitas, in De-
mocracia: Un modelo para armar (Caiacas: Nuova Sociodad, 8.
oz Walloistoin, Historical Capitalism and Capitalist Civilization, Aiiighi, Long Twentieth Cen-
tury.
o Walloistoin, Historical Capitalism and Capitalist Civilization, 8o, 8.
oq Ilid., ;8, onphasis nino.
o Ilid., 8z.
oo Coinol Wost, The American Evasion of Philosophy: A Genealogy of Pragmatism (Madison:
Univoisity ol Wisconsin Pioss, 8.
o; Coinol Wost, Race Matters (Boston: Boacon, .
o8 Dussol, Posmodernidad y transmodernidad.
o Janot L. Alu-Lughod, Before European Hegemony: The World System, A.D. (Now
Yoik: Oxloid Univoisity Pioss, 8, Eiic R. Woll, Europe and the People without History
(Boikoloy: Univoisity ol Caliloinia Pioss, 8z, Mignolo, Local Histories/Global Designs.
;o Walloistoin, Historical Capitalism and Capitalist Civilization, Aiiighi, Long Twentieth Cen-
tury.
; Dussol, Euiocontiisnand Modoinity, Dussol, Boyond Euiocontiisn, Anilal Quiano,
Colonialidad y nodoinidad-Racionalidad, in Los Conquistados: y la Poblacin Ind-
gena de las Amricas, conp. Hoiaclio Bonilla (Bogota: Toicoi Mundo Editoios, z, q;
q;, Quiano, Colonialidad dol podoi.
;z Quiano, Colonialidad dol podoi,
; Innanual Kant, Dotoinining tho Concopt ol Hunan Raco (;z in Fiitz Schultzo,
Kant und Darwin: Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Entwicklungslehre (Jona: Voilag von
Hoinann Dut, 8;.
;q Quiano, Colonialidad dol podoi, ;.
; Quiano, Coloniality ol Powoi.
;o Slavo iok, A Loltist Ploa loi Euiocontiisn, Critical Inquiry zq (8: 88oo;.
;; Walloistoin, Euiocontiisn and Its Avatais, Dussol, Euiocontiisn and Modoinity,
Dussol, Boyond Euiocontiisn, Quiano, Colonialidad y nodoinidad-Racionalidad,
Quiano, Colonialidad dol podoi.
;8 Walloistoin, Euiocontiisn and Its Avatais, .
; iok, ALoltist Ploa, 88, Slavo iok, The Ticklish Subject: The Absent Center of Political
Ontology (London: Voiso, , ;zqq.
8o iok, Ticklish Subject, ;.
8 Etionno Balilai, La crainte des masses: Politique et philosophie avant et aprs Marx (Paiis:
Galilo, ;.
8z Fiantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks, tians. Chailos LanMaiknann(z, iopiint, Now
Yoik: Giovo Pioss, o;, zzq.
8 iok, Ticklish Subject, ;.
8q Ilid., oo;.
8 Ilid., oo.
8o Mignolo, Local Histories, chap. .
8; Waltoi D. Mignolo, On tho Colonization ol Anoiindian Languagos and Monoiios: Ro-
naissanco Thooiios ol Wiitings and tho Discontinuity ol tho Classical Tiadition, Com-
parative Studies in Society and History q.z (z: oo.
88 Diposh Chakialaity, Piovincializing Euiopo: Postcoloniality and tho Ciitiquo ol His-
toiy, Cultural Studies o. (z: ;;.
8 Chukwudi Ennanuol Ezo, Tho Coloi ol Roason: Tho Idoa ol Raco in Kants Anthio-
pology, inPostcolonial African Philosophy, od. Chukwudi Ezo (NowYoik: Blackwoll, ;,
oqo, Boinasconi, Aliican Philosophys Challongo to Continontal Philosophy.
o Mignolo, Local Histories/Global Designs.
Duiing tho nal iovision ol this aiticlo I had tho oppoitunity to ioad Slavo ioks The
Fragile Absolute; or, Why Is the Christian Legacy Worth Fighting For? (London: Voiso, zooo,
which cannot lo discussod hoio. Howovoi, it is woith nontioning in iolation to ny aigu-
nont tho lact that iok opons tho look with an intoiosting and intiiguing noditation
on tho Balkan Ghost and dovotos tho last loity oi so pagos ol tho aigunont to ustily-
ing tho sultitlo, Why Is the Christian Legacy Worth Fighting For? Indiioctly, tho Chiistian
logacy ioinloicos his piovious aigunont alout tho Giook logacy. Botwoon loth, ono has
tho inago that a voil is oating ovoi tho Balkans. Tho voil is xod to a polo that is gioundod
in Slovonia and has two satollito dishos on top, ono pointing towaid Giooco and Rono
and tho othoi towaid Paiis.

The Geopolitics of Knowledge and The Colonial Difference WALTER D MIGNOLO

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