Date of Award

Spring 5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Political Science & Geography

Program/Concentration

Graduate Program in International Studies

Committee Director

Angelica Huizar

Committee Member

Peter Schulman

Committee Member

Elizabeth Black

Abstract

Colonialism is a scheme of standpoint; colonizer versus colonized, West versus East, good versus bad. When put in the foreground, the value of what we see heavily relies on our perspective and knowledge. When learning to dissect, deconstruct, and decolonize spaces, we need to start utilizing decolonial thought as an historical tool rather than a true depiction of reality. Decolonizing spaces and recognizing Western colonization practices means challenging the normative structures in colonial history, thus breaking the cycle of oppression through building community and fostering solidarity. Drawing on theories exploring access to public spheres, representation, protection, permanence, cultural displacement and the creation of crosscultural ecosystems, this study gives special highlight to the (dis)connection between global policy processes and local initiatives through a decolonial feminist lens. Prescribing the need for decolonial discourses in helping bridge the gap between the literary and physical spaces that inform decision-making bodies today, this thesis places emphasis on Françoise Vergès’ A Decolonial Feminism and A Feminist Theory of Violence: A Decolonial Perspective to inform solidarity-centered approaches to future change in policy making. Through a decolonial case study analysis of the Italian occupation of Libya, the exclusive power of language, and observations of NGO work at the United Nations, and by proposing the Solidarity Model based on accountability and representation, the aim of this study is to deconstruct current systems and their discourses to explore future international networks based on human solidarity

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In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/7nvg-yv32

ISBN

9798379738983

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