Decolonising geography

From Geography

Gregory describes the decolonising of geography as a multifaceted task of which the main aim is to clear the mind "from the ethnocentrism of the dominant western culture and society." The decolonising of geography is closely connected to postcolonialism.

According to Gregory the decolonising of geography has to occur in the following way: First the history of geography has to be revised. Secondly the ethnocentric tendencies of the current geography have to be challenged. It has to be acknowledged that colonial power and knowledge has geographical roots. Furthermore geography has to resist the geographies of colonialism. In stead of follow these geographies there is the need to write post colonial geographies. There is the need to focus on marginalized people and places in colonial and neo-colonial times (Gregory, 2000).

Gregory, D. (2000). Decolonising Geography: Postcolonial Perspectives. Chapter 5 in: Blunt, A. & Wills, J. (eds.) Dissident Geographies: an introduction to radical Ideas and Practice. Prentice Hall, London

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