From margins to bridges: Romanian perspectives in decolonizing China studies

The study of China has long been framed by Western-centric paradigms that exoticize non-Western cultures. This article adds a Romanian perspective to decolonial China studies. Building on Chakrabarty’s critique of European epistemic dominance and Mignolo’s call for “epistemic disobedience,” it argues for reclaiming localized knowledge and plural histories. Romania’s semi-peripheral position—shaped by Ottoman, Soviet, and Western entanglements—offers a distinctive vantage for mediating between Western and non-Western traditions. As a bridge, Romania can disrupt Eurocentrism while enabling grounded cultural exchange and translation. The article develops this claim through two lenses: Romanian philosophical thought and contemporary translation practices, showing how they reframe representations of China and validate alternative epistemologies. It also highlights resonances between Romania’s experience of marginalization and China’s negotiations with foreign influence, suggesting new comparative pathways. In the context of global efforts to decolonize knowledge, Eastern European viewpoints remain underused yet crucial. Romanian scholarship, informed by post-socialist critique, cultural sociology, and translation studies, provides tools to reimagine how China is studied and taught. By centering semi-peripheral insights, the article advances a more equitable, multipolar discourse in China studies and demonstrates how regional perspectives can broaden decolonial methodologies and practice.