Against Decolonisation
Campus Culture Wars and the Decline of the West
Published on 15. September 2023
Book
Hardback
191 pages
978-1-5095-5422-5 (ISBN)
Description
Following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, a moral panic gripped the US and UK. To atone for an alleged history of racism, statues were torn down and symbols of national identity attacked. Across Universities, fringe theories became the new orthodoxy with a cadre of activists, backed by university technocrats, adopting a binary worldview of moral certainty, sin, and deconstructive redemption through Western self-erasure.
This hard-hitting book surveys these developments for the first time. It unpacks and challenges the theories and arguments deployed by 'decolonisers' in a university system now characterised by garbled leadership and illiberal groupthink. The desire to question the West's sense of itself, deconstruct its narratives, and overthrow its institutional order is an impulse that, ironically, was underpinned by a more confident and assured Western hegemony that is now waning and under great strain. If its light continues to dim, who or what will carry the torch for human freedom and progress?
Following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, a moral panic gripped the US and UK. To atone for an alleged history of racism, statues were torn down and symbols of national identity attacked. Across Universities, fringe theories became the new orthodoxy with a cadre of activists, backed by university technocrats, adopting a binary worldview of moral certainty, sin, and deconstructive redemption through Western self-erasure.
This hard-hitting book surveys these developments for the first time. It unpacks and challenges the theories and arguments deployed by 'decolonisers' in a university system now characterised by garbled leadership and illiberal groupthink. The desire to question the West's sense of itself, deconstruct its narratives, and overthrow its institutional order is an impulse that, ironically, was underpinned by a more confident and assured Western hegemony that is now waning and under great strain. If its light continues to dim, who or what will carry the torch for human freedom and progress?
This hard-hitting book surveys these developments for the first time. It unpacks and challenges the theories and arguments deployed by 'decolonisers' in a university system now characterised by garbled leadership and illiberal groupthink. The desire to question the West's sense of itself, deconstruct its narratives, and overthrow its institutional order is an impulse that, ironically, was underpinned by a more confident and assured Western hegemony that is now waning and under great strain. If its light continues to dim, who or what will carry the torch for human freedom and progress?
Following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, a moral panic gripped the US and UK. To atone for an alleged history of racism, statues were torn down and symbols of national identity attacked. Across Universities, fringe theories became the new orthodoxy with a cadre of activists, backed by university technocrats, adopting a binary worldview of moral certainty, sin, and deconstructive redemption through Western self-erasure.
This hard-hitting book surveys these developments for the first time. It unpacks and challenges the theories and arguments deployed by 'decolonisers' in a university system now characterised by garbled leadership and illiberal groupthink. The desire to question the West's sense of itself, deconstruct its narratives, and overthrow its institutional order is an impulse that, ironically, was underpinned by a more confident and assured Western hegemony that is now waning and under great strain. If its light continues to dim, who or what will carry the torch for human freedom and progress?
Reviews / Votes
"Doug Stokes's book forensically dissects the ideas and practices concerning race, equality, identity and grievance that are having such an explosive impact on our intellectual and cultural life. Whatever one's sentiments and sympathies, this is a concise and lucid guide to what lies behind the 'culture wars'."Robert Tombs, University of Cambridge
"Doug Stokes' incisive analysis of the threat posed by Critical Theory to wider society, particularly the universities, should stand at the top of every reading list about racism, gender and attempts to 'decolonise' the curriculum. His book brilliantly exposes the fallacies of loud and persistent activists who not only undermine free speech - they don't even believe there is such a thing."
David Abulafia, University of Cambridge
"A highly insightful and persuasive contribution to the ongoing global debate about race, equality and decolonisation, going far beyond the walls of academia into wider institutions and the international world order."
Munira Mirza, former head of the No 10 Policy Unit and CEO of Civic Future
"Doug Stokes's book forensically dissects the ideas and practices concerning race, equality, identity and grievance that are having such an explosive impact on our intellectual and cultural life. Whatever one's sentiments and sympathies, this is a concise and lucid guide to what lies behind the 'culture wars'."
<b>Robert Tombs, University of Cambridge</b>
"Doug Stokes' incisive analysis of the threat posed by Critical Theory to wider society, particularly the universities, should stand at the top of every reading list about racism, gender and attempts to 'decolonise' the curriculum. His book brilliantly exposes the fallacies of loud and persistent activists who not only undermine free speech - they don't even believe there is such a thing."
<b>David Abulafia, University of Cambridge</b>
"A highly insightful and persuasive contribution to the ongoing global debate about race, equality and decolonisation, going far beyond the walls of academia into wider institutions and the international world order."
<b>Munira Mirza, former head of the <i>No 10 Policy Unit</i> and <i>CEO of Civic Future</i></b>
More details
Edition
1
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 145 mm
Width: 224 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
360 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5095-5422-5 (9781509554225)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
09/2023
Polity Press
€19.00
Article not available at the moment
E-Book
08/2023
1st Edition
Wiley
€16.99
Available for download
Person
Doug Stokes is Professor of International Relations, Director of the Centre for Advanced International Studies at the University of Exeter, a Fellow at the Legatum Institute, and an Advisory Council member for the Free Speech Union. A key focus of his work has been the durability of the US led liberal international order and the ways in which great powers can use military power to shape international relations in ways they deem desirable. More recently, his writings on academic freedom and culture wars have appeared in the Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Critic, The Spectator and other international outlets. His new book, Against Decolonisation, will be published by Polity in 2023. You can follow him online @profdws or at www.dougstokes.net
Doug Stokes is Professor of International Relations, Director of the Centre for Advanced International Studies at the University of Exeter, a Fellow at the Legatum Institute, and an Advisory Council member for the Free Speech Union. A key focus of his work has been the durability of the US led liberal international order and the ways in which great powers can use military power to shape international relations in ways they deem desirable. More recently, his writings on academic freedom and culture wars have appeared in the <i>Daily Telegraph</i>, <i>The Times</i>, <i>The Critic</i>, <i>The Spectator</i> and other international outlets. His new book, <i>Against Decolonisation</i>, will be published by Polity in 2023. You can follow him online @profdws or at www.dougstokes.net
Doug Stokes is Professor of International Relations, Director of the Centre for Advanced International Studies at the University of Exeter, a Fellow at the Legatum Institute, and an Advisory Council member for the Free Speech Union. A key focus of his work has been the durability of the US led liberal international order and the ways in which great powers can use military power to shape international relations in ways they deem desirable. More recently, his writings on academic freedom and culture wars have appeared in the <i>Daily Telegraph</i>, <i>The Times</i>, <i>The Critic</i>, <i>The Spectator</i> and other international outlets. His new book, <i>Against Decolonisation</i>, will be published by Polity in 2023. You can follow him online @profdws or at www.dougstokes.net
Content
Introduction
1. Identity politics, decolonisation and social theory
2. Racism on campus
3. Moral panic and illiberalism in Universities
4. History reclaimed
5. Accounting for Wokery
Conclusion: the future of the West?
1. Identity politics, decolonisation and social theory
2. Racism on campus
3. Moral panic and illiberalism in Universities
4. History reclaimed
5. Accounting for Wokery
Conclusion: the future of the West?