Come to Africa: A Hermeneutics of Race in International Theory

International relations theory has been racialized to the point where "West" means "white" & "Africa" means "black." The West claims superior moral authority & legitimacy resulting in an unbalanced relationship of power. International relations theoris...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Alternatives: global, local, political local, political, 2001-10, Vol.26 (4), p.425-448
Main Author: Grovogui, Siba N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
Balance of Power
Colonialism
Cultural studies
Decolonization
Ethnography
History
History of ideas
Humans
International politics
International Relations
International relations theory
Modernity
Morality
Ontology
Political revolutions
Political science
Political theory
Portrayals
Race
Racism
Slavery
Social aspects
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Summary:International relations theory has been racialized to the point where "West" means "white" & "Africa" means "black." The West claims superior moral authority & legitimacy resulting in an unbalanced relationship of power. International relations theorists themselves link political failure & poverty in Africa with race & culture. Further, scholars continue to be influenced by conventional ideas embedded in international law & diplomatic history -- what Arnold J. Toynbee has referred to as "egocentric illusions." These "egocentric illusions" allow Western elites to justify foreign policies that support hegemony. It is time that the "West" demonstrate the respect for human rights that is demanded by a postcolonial global environment. International relations scholars must follow suit. K. Larsen
ISSN:0304-3754
2163-3150
DOI:10.1177/030437540102600404