Introduction to Decolonial Thinking and Research Practices in Political Science
Course content
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the core principles and debates of decolonial approaches to the social sciences. It begins by engaging with the foundational thinkers and voices who have shaped decolonial theory, tracing the emergence of key concepts underlying it. Rather than treating decolonial thought as a complementary or “alternative” perspective within the social sciences, the course emphasizes how it instead challenges and reconfigures the very foundations of mainstream theoretical and methodological traditions.
Building on theoretical discussions, the course will also
question how decolonial approaches require - and are required for -
rethinking common ways to formulate research design, methodology,
and empirical analysis.
In addition to theoretical and methodological discussions, we will
explore how such approaches are practically applied in
International Relations, European studies, and in work on the
Middle East/North Africa (MENA) or Southwest Asia/North Africa
(SWANA) region.
While the approaches covered in this course are applicable across the social sciences, particular attention will be given to examples and applications in international relations and political science.
Full-degree students enrolled at the Department of Political Science, UCPH
- MSc in Political Science
- MSc in Social Science
- MSc in Security Risk Management
- Bachelor in Political Science
The course is open to:
- Exchange and Guest students from abroad
- Credit students from Danish Universities
- Open University students
Knowledge:
By the end of the course, students will have acquired a basic knowledge of the main concepts and theories underlying decolonial approaches. They will have a deeper understanding of the impact of these approaches to the social sciences and will be able to recognize their epistemological and empirical contribution.
Skills:
Throughout the course, students will develop critical skills to be able to rethink mainstream social science concepts, theories and methods through a decolonial lens and to reflect on multiple ways of producing knowledge.
Competences:
By the end of the course, students will be able to critically
reflect on their own positionality as researchers. During the
course they will have worked individually and collaboratively in
discussions and workshops and thus made a concrete effort to
pluralize their understanding of knowledge production.
Furthermore, students will be able to integrate decolonial
approaches in their own research.
The course combines lectures, discussions, and interactive
workshops to create an engaged learning environment. Each session
will typically be divided into two parts: in the first part, I will
provide a presentation of the key concepts, theoretical debates, or
methodological issues; in the second part, we will actively engage
in critical discussion based on the assigned readings.
After core theoretical and methodological foundations have been
introduced, depending on the classroom size, students will
participate in a workshop module. This component is designed to
encourage applied reflection: students will critically assess their
own research projects through a decolonial lens. The workshop will
include feedback and collective discussion, and it will be based on
a written assignment that will contribute to the final
grade.
The course literature will include, but not be limited to:
Bhambra, G. K. (2007). Rethinking modernity: Postcolonialism
and the sociological imagination. Palgrave Macmillan.
Bhambra, G. K. (2014). Postcolonial and decolonial dialogues. Postcolonial Studies, 17(2), 115–121.
Bhambra, G. K., Gebrial, D., & Nişancıoğlu, K. (eds.). (2018). Decolonising the university. Pluto Press.
Cesaire, A. (2000). Discourse on colonialism. Monthly Review Press.
Fanon, F. (1963). The wretched of the earth. Grove Press.
Fanon, F. (1967). Black skin, white masks. Grove Press.
Hobson, J. M. (2012). The Eurocentric conception of world politics: Western international theory, 1760–2010. Cambridge University Press.
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. Routledge.
Mignolo, W. D. (1999). I am where I think: Epistemology and the colonial difference. Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies, 8(2), 235–245.
Mignolo, W. D. (2007). Introduction: Coloniality of power and de-colonial thinking. Cultural Studies, 21(2–3), 155–167.
Mignolo, W. D. (2011). The darker side of Western modernity: Global futures, decolonial options. Duke University Press.
Mignolo, W. D., & Walsh, C. E. (2018). On decoloniality: Concepts, analytics, praxis. Duke University Press.
Mills, C. W. (1997). The racial contract. Cornell University Press.
Quijano, A. (2000). Coloniality of power, Eurocentrism, and Latin America. Nepantla: Views from South, 1(3), 533–580.
Rodney, W. (1972). How Europe underdeveloped Africa. Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications.
Sabaratnam, M. (2013). Avatars of Eurocentrism in the critique of the liberal peace. Security Dialogue, 44(3), 259–278.
Said, E. W. (1978). Orientalism. Pantheon Books.
Sen, S. (2022). Race, racism and the teaching of international relations. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies.
Sen, S. (2023). The politics of science: A postscript. Review of International Studies, 49(3), 404–408.
Seth, S. (2011). Postcolonial theory and the critique of international relations. Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 40(1), 167–183.
Seth, S. (2013). “Once was blind but now can see”: Modernity and the social sciences. International Political Sociology, 7(2), 136–151.
Shilliam, R. (Ed.). (2011). International relations and non-Western thought: Imperialism, colonialism and investigations of global modernity. Routledge.
Singh, J. (2017). Unthinking mastery: Dehumanism and decolonial entanglements. Duke University Press.
Steinmetz, G. (Ed.). (2013). Sociology and empire: The imperial entanglements of a discipline. Duke University Press.
Tuck, E., & Yang, K. W. (2012). Decolonization is not a metaphor. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education & Society, 1(1), 1–40.
Vitalis, R. (2015). White world order, Black power politics: The birth of American international relations. Cornell University Press.
Zuberi, T., & Bonilla-Silva, E. (2018). White logic, white methods: Racism and methodology. Rowman & Littlefield.
When registered you will be signed up for exam.
- Full-degree students – sign up at Selfservice on KUnet
- Exchange and guest students from abroad – sign up through Mobility Online and Selfservice- read more through this website.
- Credit students from Danish universities - sign up through this website.
- Open University students - sign up through this website.
The dates for the exams are found here Exams – Faculty of Social Sciences - University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)
Please note that it is your own responsibility to check for overlapping exam dates.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Home assignment
- Type of assessment details
- Ongoing tests.
See the section regarding exam forms in the program curriculum for more information on guidelines and scope. - Aid
- All aids allowed except Generative AI
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Exam period
-
In the semester where the course takes place: Free written assignment
In subsequent semesters: Free written assignment
- Re-exam
-
In the semester where the course takes place: Free written assignment
In subsequent semesters: Free written assignment
Criteria for exam assessment
Meet the subject's knowledge, skill and competence criteria, as described in the goal description, which demonstrates the minimally acceptable degree of fulfillment of the subject's learning outcome.
Grade 12 is given for an outstanding performance: the student lives up to the course's goal description in an independent and convincing manner with no or few and minor shortcomings
Grade 7 is given for a good performance: the student is confidently able to live up to the goal description, albeit with several shortcomings
Grade 02 is given for an adequate performance: the minimum acceptable performance in which the student is only able to live up to the goal description in an insecure and incomplete manner
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 28
- Preparation
- 80
- Exercises
- 48
- Exam Preparation
- 50
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- ASTK18484U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
Bachelor
- Duration
-
1 semester
- Placement
- Spring
- Studyboard
- Department of Political Science, Study Council
Contracting department
- Department of Political Science
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Debora Del Piano (3-73737f4f7875823d7a843d737a)
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