Séminaire Approches critiques de la race / Critical Approaches to Race Seminar: Belgium colonial past : intergenerational analysis of the perspective of people of congolese roots on decolonisation and the emancipatory role of social work

Séminaire Approches critiques de la race / Critical Approaches to Race Seminar

Belgium colonial past : intergenerational analysis of the perspective of people of congolese roots on decolonisation and the emancipatory role of social work by Ruwayda Said Salem (UGent)

Abstract:

In recent years, Belgium's colonial past and its legacy have increasingly become the subject of polarised public debate. The legacy of colonialism is part of a contested past. The tensions in that postcolonial debate arise not only from disagreements about the colonial past itself but also from conflicting relationships with that past and the ways in which that past continues to resonate today. From the observation that many forms of discrimination, racism and social inequality still exist in society, more and more questions are being raised about colonial structures and how that colonial past continues to affect society today. The critical voices, such as academics, activists, younger generation from the diaspora also plead for a decolonisation of "the mind" in order to dispel old racist prejudices that, sometimes unconsciously, guide the thinking and actions of many people. There is little knowledge and research on the experiences of people with Congolese roots of the first, second and third generations. Since the (critical) view of that past is very different within those generations. The first study of this project offers a perspective on the polarisation within Belgian society about the colonial past from the point of view of participants with Congolese roots. Within the first phase of the research project, the research question: "How do participants with Congolese roots, first/second/third generation, perceive and experience the process of decolonisation through the years?" will be answered through in-depth interviews with different participants from the different generations. Literature review on decolonisation in Belgium and preliminary results of this first study will be presented at the seminar.

Bio:
Ruwayda is a PhD student at Ghent University. Her research revolves around Belgium's colonial past with a focus on how that past is still present today. The first study of her research aims to map the experiences and perspectives of people with Congolese roots regarding (de)colonization.


Responsables scientifiques : Leila Mouhib – Alana Osbourne – Lena Terrando Kenza Talmat – Jean Illi – Marti Luntumbue

Infos et Inscriptions : jean.illi@ulb.be / marti.luntumbue@ulb.be