Decolonising Awards Speech by Linda Harms-Smith: Work on decoloniality means disrupting dynamics of ongoing coloniality
Thank you so much for this honour. By affirming decolonial scholarship, and here, the small part that my work contributes,…
Category: Decolonise
Togo challenges the world map: why this is practical decolonisation
In April 2026, Robert Dussey, speaking on behalf of the African Union, announced that Togo is preparing a United Nations…
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Decolonising higher education: theories and the Mtandao framework
Key theories of decolonising higher education The theories guiding decolonising higher education focus on dismantling coloniality, understood as the persistence…
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External event: Global to Grounded: Local Wisdom and the Future of International Social Work
Are you curious about international social work practice? Are you an educator or practitioner for whom it is already an…
Decolonising the digital environment: what you can do with Wikipedia
In universities, government departments and non-governmental organizations across Africa, students, lecturers and practitioners are increasingly turning to the internet for…
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Questioning Faith and Power in the Struggle Song ‘Nkosi Sikelelโ iAfrika’
A brief history of the song Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika Lord, bless Africa is an English adaptation of Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika,…
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Ubuntu Digital Platform now live!
Now live, the Ubuntu Digital Platform was developed on the Ushahidi platform, a knowledge crowd sourcing application developed in Kenya….
The USA, Trump and Musk are wrong about land and ‘genocide’ in South Africa
Following the meeting at the White House where Africa was humiliated by the Americans led by President Trump on 21…
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Until land colonisation is resolved in South Africa (SA), the country will remain the most unequal society on earth and the struggle will continue
The land question resulting from colonisation is at the heart of current disputes between the United States of America (USA)…
Aluta continua by Samora Machel
The slogan – Aluta continua The slogan aluta continua which is Portuguese for the struggle continues, was created by the…
Restorative learning for fostering a decolonised curriculum
The restorative learning model supported by these researchers from South Africa originates from Ndlovu-Gatsheni who said “You need to unlearn…
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Julius Sello Malema on land return and decolonisation
In our profession of social work and development, justice is revered as a key value. Is justice the same for…
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A scale to measure the decolonisation of artificial intelligence (AI) governance and other uses
The scale below appears in a research article by, and can be cited as: Ayana, G., Dese, K., Daba Nemomssa,…
The dangers of foreign religions in Africa: 3 Christian case studies
Case study 2 – mass murder in Uganda In Uganda, in the year 2000, a Movement for the Restoration of…
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Two publications about Olympics and Africa
The Olympics games held in Paris, France have come and gone. Two articles provide more light about the Olympics. The…
Ghana family values and human sexual rights bill: Lessons for social work and development
The Ghana Parliament passed a bill early this year to promote sexual activities that align with African culture and values….
A westernised discourse of sexuality in Africa โ an analysis of the biased authorship in The Conversation Africa
To understand who contributes to the topic of sexuality in Africa, authorship in The Conversation Africa, an Australian online media…
Launch video โ Ubuntu Digital Platform project
The Ubuntu Digital Platform project was launched by Professor Antoinette Lombard (IASSW incoming President)) during the Day of the African…
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Decolonization and Decoloniality โ phases, ways and impediments: excerpts from Omanga’s interview with Professor Gatsheni-Ndlovu, 2020
Phases of decolonisation “Decolonization needs to be understood in its phases. What became known as “primary resistance” movements—such as the…
Emancipatory social work by Professor O. N. Moyo
Ten Key Elements of Africa’s Decolonisation
- Ubuntu: A whole of Africa philosophy emphasizing the interconnectedness of humanity and the importance of community. The concept of Ubuntu highlights the communal values that were often disrupted by colonialism.
- Harambee: A Swahili word meaning all pull together. It represents the spirit of collective effort and collaboration, which colonial powers often exploited or disrupted in African societies.
- Mau Mau: Refers to a militant anti-colonial movement in Kenya during the 1950s. The Mau Mau rebellion symbolizes the resistance of African peoples against colonial oppression and exploitation.
- Sankofa: A word from the Akan people of Ghana, symbolized by a bird looking backward while moving forward. Sankofa represents the idea of learning from the past in order to build a better future, which is particularly relevant in addressing the legacies of colonisation in Africa.
- Maat: A concept from ancient Egyptian philosophy and spirituality, Maat represents truth, justice, and harmony. The pursuit of Maat was central to ancient African societies and serves as a guiding principle for addressing injustices perpetuated by colonisation.
- Indaba: A Nguni term for a gathering or conference to discuss important matters. Indigenous governance systems often relied on the indaba as a form of consensus-building, which was disrupted by colonial authorities.
- Jua kali: Swahili for ‘hot sun’, it refers to the informal sector of the economy in East Africa, characterized by small-scale entrepreneurship and craftsmanship. The jua kali sector has historically been a source of resilience and economic independence in the face of colonial economic exploitation.
- Imihigo: In Rwanda, imihigo are performance contracts between the government and citizens, outlining development goals and responsibilities. Indigenous governance practices such as imihigo were often suppressed or replaced by colonial administrative structures.
- Mugabeism: Named after Zimbabwe’s former leader Robert Mugabe, Mugabeism refers to the policy of land redistribution and indigenization of the economy pursued after independence. It reflects the legacy of colonial land dispossession and the struggle for economic justice in post-colonial Africa.
- Igbo kwenu: A call and response phrase used by the Igbo people of Nigeria to acknowledge the presence and solidarity of a group. Igbo kwenu is met with the response Igbo kwezuenu, signifying unity and collective identity, values that were often disrupted by colonialism but remain important in African societies.
Kumi (10) Key Lessons from Africa Day Day 2024
Cite as: Africa Social Work and development network and Association of Schools of Social work (2024). 10 points from Africa…
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Tips for turning your thesis or dissertation into a book
Are you interested in turning your thesis or dissertation into a book and pitching it to a publisher but do…
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Africa Day
Africa Day offers a platform to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural diversity, honor its history of resistance and liberation, and reaffirm…
Chagua vs. AGOA: Rwandaโs Second Hand Clothes and Shoes Trade Standoff with the US and the Battle for Economic Sovereignty
Rwanda ended up being banned from a trade deal with the US called AGOA – for raising tariffs to discourage…
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo speech about UN’s structural flaws, slave trade and illicit flow of funds out of Africa
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in 2023, His Excellency President Nana Akufo-Addo made these important points: https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxrZ9J5AYZly5nNNIuc2djaJqD0gscmfi2?si=SHDbSW7Md-z2wfb- Implications for…
Chinualumogu Achebe (1930-2013)’s contribution to social development
Albert Chinualumogu Achebe was born in Ogidi, Nigeria, in 1930. He was a poet, novelist and political critic. He also…
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What does it mean to decolonise publishing?
This video and transcribed text below came from Walter Bgoya’s 2021 keynote speech at University of Cape Town, South Africa….
Poverty is being eradicated in knowledge-economies, yet Africa is creating economies centred on borrowed religion and corruption
The video and text below came from a television editorial by Anthony Afolo of New Africa Broadcasting Notwork (NABNTV) ….
Sankofa Theory
The Adinkra people are an Akan tribe of Ghana, West of Africa. Their symbol is a bird called Sankofa. Like…