Postcolonial Political Thought in the 21st Century: Decentering Eurocentrism and Envisioning Inclusive Paradigms

Abstract

This study examines how postcolonial political theory can be used to 
reconstruct key political concepts that have been shaped by Eurocentric 
assumptions, with particular attention to sovereignty, legitimacy, epistemic 
authority, and political inclusion. It addresses the limited theoretical 
synthesis connecting critiques of Eurocentrism with constructive 
alternatives for understanding political authority and governance in diverse 
postcolonial contexts. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative 
conceptual and theoretical analysis based on a critical review of 
foundational and contemporary literature in postcolonial studies, political 
theory, and international relations. Through thematic analysis and 
conceptual synthesis, the study identifies four interconnected analytical 
findings: first, sovereignty, democracy, and legitimacy are historically 
situated concepts whose meanings vary across political and cultural 
contexts; second, colonial patterns persist in contemporary structures of 
knowledge production and global political authority; third, intersectional 
perspectives demonstrate that political agency and exclusion are shaped by 
the interaction of gender, race, class, and other social positions; and fourth, 
these insights can be synthesized into a constructive postcolonial 
framework centered on epistemic pluralism, relationality, plural forms of 
authority, and participatory governance. The analysis therefore indicates 
that a postcolonial approach is not limited to criticizing Eurocentric political 
theory but can also provide conceptual resources for developing more 
context-sensitive understandings of legitimacy, authority, and political 
participation. By connecting epistemic justice with plural political authority 
and inclusive participation, the study contributes to ongoing efforts to 
broaden political theory beyond universalizing Western frameworks and to 
account mo