Deneocoloniality vs. Decoloniality: A Conceptual Comparison

As the first of the two introductory chapters of the book, it constitutes the preliminary discussion of the two major socio-philosophical concepts that undergird all of the chapters: i.e. (1) decoloniality and (2) deneocoloniality. Being offshoots of colonialism and neocolonialism, respectively, while decoloniality deals with the power dynamic whereby the colonizer holds all the power and the colonized are reduced to objects of exploitation, deneocoloniality tackles the same oppressive system but shows how it operates under the guise of economic and cultural dominance with the enthusiastic assistance of the former colonized. Thus, this chapter serves as the explanatory section at the beginning of the book. Correspondingly, the chapter seeks to make clear to the reader the book’s purpose by considering the aforementioned socio-philosophical concepts. A concept-oriented comparative approach is employed in the discussion of this chapter. The approach usually starts with a concept to be investigated. Here, it specifically focuses on a set of related concepts and discovers how they are conveyed by writers. Several sections of the chapter are therefore devoted to systematic thematic comparisons of the major tenets of the two socio-philosophical concepts. Thereafter, the essentiality of deneocoloniality is delineated.