Decolonization or Erasure? Radical Academics Drop 'Dead White Men' from Philosophy

In recent academic shifts, traditional philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates are being reconsidered in favor of a more diverse range of thinkers. This movement, championed by academics at SOAS University of London (formerly the School of Oriental and African Studies), aims to "decolonize" the curriculum by reducing reliance on historically dominant "dead white men" and incorporating perspectives from marginalized regions and communities.

SOAS has introduced a new toolkit designed to guide schools and universities in this decolonization effort. This toolkit suggests integrating thinkers such as Uma Narayan, an Indian-American feminist; Nkiru Nzegwu, a Nigerian gender theorist; and Nishida Kitaro, a Japanese Zen expert, alongside classical Greek philosophers. The toolkit critiques the conventional study of Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates as "armchair theorizing," emphasizing a need for broader philosophical perspectives from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.

One of the toolkit's co-creators, Dr. Paul Giladi, reflects on his university experience, noting the philosophical training's blindness to non-Western wisdom. He explains that the traditional learning environment was not designed to promote critical thinking but to perpetuate an established philosophical tradition.

The new recommendations include voices like Nishida Kitaro, whose multicultural approach challenges Eurocentrism, and Uma Narayan, who critiques culture-reductionist postcolonial feminism. Additionally, African philosophers Kwasi Wiredu, known for "conceptual decolonization," and Nkiru Nzegwu are highlighted.

The toolkit, available on the SOAS website, is intended as a resource for educators. It advocates for a curriculum that, while including figures like Plato, also incorporates works such as "Knowledges Born in the Struggle," "Conceptualizing Epistemic Oppression," "On Being White: Thinking Towards a Feminist Understanding of Race," and "Race Supremacy and Knowledge Sovereignty among African Cattle Herders."

The guidance emphasizes the need for educators to recognize their role in perpetuating racist systems and to adopt a learning stance that values students' diverse perspectives. It advises teachers to "unlearn" colonially mediated assumptions and to facilitate rather than dominate classroom discussions.

SOAS’s mission reflects its diverse student body, with more than half of its students coming from ethnic minority backgrounds. Notable alumni include Jemima Khan, David Lammy, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Paul Robeson.

The university also proposes alternative assessment methods, suggesting blogs, podcasts, exhibitions, case studies, and infographics instead of traditional exams and essays. This approach aims to accommodate students who are neurodiverse or come from varied cultural backgrounds, fostering a more inclusive educational environment.