Decolonizing Aid

Course objective:
How has the idea of Western Civilization, as purveyed by colonialism, affected development cooperation up to today? What can be done to challenge and adjust the resulting mindset and practices? This course raises awareness of how cultural perceptions and power structures have shaped society today, and how they bear on our understanding of aid and aid practices. It promotes searching and initiating alternatives to aid as a logical, linear and progressive Western narrative. The course draws on different theoretical perspectives from anthropology, philosophy, psychology, politics and history, and scrutinizes practical examples of aid interventions and similar initiatives. There is no finite end that the course is trying to reach: decolonialism is a process that should inspire us to change the way we think and act.

Key topics:

• Decoloniality key terms and concepts
• Historicizing decoloniality
• Decolonizing knowledge
• Decolonizing institutions
• Racism, white fragility, white savior complex
• Decolonizing images and language

ECTS points:
2