Philosophy of
Social
Science

Anti-racist &
Postcolonial
critiques
         Week 10
Questions




What is meant by the decolonial epistemic shift?
Questions
What scientific practices are challenged
by anti-racist / anti-colonialist
epistemology?




What is meant by the decolonial epistemic shift?
Questions
What scientific practices are challenged
by anti-racist / anti-colonialist
epistemology?
How is language used to construct scientific
categories?




What is meant by the decolonial epistemic shift?
Questions
What scientific practices are challenged
by anti-racist / anti-colonialist
epistemology?
How is language used to construct scientific
categories?
What problems are raised by doing
specifically anti-racist research?




What is meant by the decolonial epistemic shift?
Questions
What scientific practices are challenged
by anti-racist / anti-colonialist
epistemology?
How is language used to construct scientific
categories?
What problems are raised by doing
specifically anti-racist research?

What is an anti-racist / anti-colonialist
standpoint for research or theory?

What is meant by the decolonial epistemic shift?
Anthropology
Frantz Boas, 1895
Benjamin Disraeli
UNESCO
“Current biological knowledge does
not permit us to impute cultural
achievements to differences in
genetic potential. Differences in
the achievements of different
peoples should be attributed
solely to their cultural history.
The peoples of the world today
appear to possess equal biological
potentialities for attaining any
level of civilization.”!
UNESCO Statement on Race & Racial
Prejudice 1950
Satpal Ram
victim of prison harassment
Subject of physical anthropology
                       (1840-55)
“groups of mankind possessing well-
developed and primarily heritable
physical differences from other
groups… national, religious,
geographical, linguistic and
cultural groups do not necessarily
coincide with racial groups.”

Juan Comas, 1961: 304.
Claude L evi-Strauss
Lisu ethnic group, China
Frantz Fanon
Hurricane Katrina aftermath
Civilizing mission
Black Skin, White Masks
Can the subaltern speak?
Orientalist art
Indian nationalism
Gayatri Spivak
39
Zapatista Woman
          40
41
Ar and poco critiques

Ar and poco critiques