Definition

1. Verb:
   • To grant political independence to a former colony; to free a territory from colonial status and control.
   • To reverse or undo the political, cultural, and economic structures of colonialism within a society.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The nation worked to decolonize its education system by incorporating indigenous knowledge.
  • After a long struggle, the region was finally decolonized.
  • Scholars debate the best methods to decolonize museum collections.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Process-Oriented: Often describes an ongoing, complex process rather than a single event. It extends beyond political independence to include cultural, intellectual, and psychological dimensions.
  • True liberation requires more than a flag change; it requires a sustained effort to decolonize the mind.
• Reflexive Use: Can be used reflexively to describe a society or institution reforming itself.
  • The university is attempting to decolonize itself by revising its core curriculum.

Variants and Related Words

• Decolonization (n): The action or process of decolonizing.
  • The mid-20th century was a major period of decolonization.
• Decolonial (adj): Relating to or advocating decolonization.
  • She studies decolonial theories and practices.

Synonyms

• Liberate: To set free, especially from oppressive political control.
• Emancipate: To free from restraint, control, or the power of another.

Antonyms

• Colonize: To establish control over a people or area, especially by settling.
• Subjugate: To bring under domination or control, especially by conquest.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Post-colonial: Referring to the period after decolonization or the study of its effects.
  • The post-colonial era brought new challenges for the independent state.
• Independence movement: A campaign by a group to achieve political independence, often leading to decolonization.
  • The independence movement successfully pressured the empire to decolonize.

Verb

1. grant independence to (a former colony)
   • West Africa was decolonized in the early 1960's