Walter Mignolo Argues Decoloniality Must Continue Beyond Coloniality

In an essay for Afterall Journal 43, Walter D. Mignolo argues that coloniality persists and decoloniality remains necessary. He defines coloniality as the Colonial Matrix of Power (CMP), a structure controlling all aspects of life since the 16th century. Mignolo distinguishes decoloniality from decolonization, emphasizing delinking from Western modernity and relinking with local legacies. He critiques the nation-state for favoring nationals over humans, linking this to racism and the refugee crisis. Mignolo discusses indigeneity, noting that indigenous peoples prefer it over decoloniality as a political project. He cites Frantz Fanon and Gloria Anzaldúa as examples of decolonial disobedient conservatism. The essay was published on March 7, 2017.