Decolonial and African Feminist Epistemologies: Rethinking Hybrid Approaches to Conflict Resolution and Governance in Africa

Abstract

Africa, faced with persistent challenges in governance and conflict resolution, stands at an epistemological crossroads where traditional knowledge systems and modern legal norms often coexist in tension. The current governance and justice systems, largely inherited from colonial structures, continue to marginalize indigenous knowledge and African feminist perspectives. This analysis proposes an exploration of decolonial and African feminist epistemologies as theoretical frameworks for reimagining hybrid approaches to governance and conflict resolution on the continent. It draws on decolonial theory to question power and knowledge structures inherited from colonization, highlighting the urgency of rehabilitating endogenous practices that have often been marginalized or rendered invisible by imposed Western legal frameworks. In answering its central question, it emphasizes that recognizing these epistemologies is not merely an act of epistemic justice, but also a sine qua non condition for designing governance models that are truly inclusive and equitable.

Keywords

• African Epistemologies
• Feminisms
• Governance
• Conflict Resolution
• De-colonization

Supporting Institution

University of Yaounde II

Thanks

thanks to Omer Bey/YTB, To Professor Can Umut/Ankara University

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