Dare to Rethink, Theorize, and Re-imagine!
Decolonising knowledge, being, and doing in Africa by Africans is as critical to the survival of the Africa we want as oxygen is to the survival of the human being. One area that requires a good dose of decolonisation is how we “know” and “do" security.
Decolonizing security studies, particularly within the African continent, demands the boldness to tread a radical path that challenges the global hierarchies and destructive colonial legacy shaping the way security is perceived. This legacy, embedded deeply in the structures of knowledge production, continues to dictate a narrow and Eurocentric understanding of security. Despite the growing calls for the decolonization of security studies, the field remains heavily dominated by perspectives from the Global North, particularly the United States, which is often used as the primary reference point for security discourses. The voices of scholars from the Global South, and especially Africa, are either marginalized or rendered invisible, perpetuating epistemic imbalances that favor Western hegemonic frameworks.
The persistent dominance of these Western paradigms within security studies exemplifies the coloniality that lingers in the intellectual domain. The field's heavy reliance on Eurocentric theories and approaches not only reinforces Western superiority but also neglects the lived experiences and security challenges unique to the Global South. Africa's rich historical and contemporary security narratives remain overshadowed by the West's universalistic security models, which often fail to capture the complexities and nuances of African societies. This situation underscores the urgent need to de-link from the prevailing Western security paradigm, which prioritizes the maintenance of global hierarchies and sustains the dominance of its epistemic foundation.
Thus, this is a clarion call to African scholars to rise from the margins and claim their rightful place in shaping security discourse. It is an invitation to historicize African security experiences, grounded in the realities of the continent, rather than through the lens of Western exceptionalism. By daring to think critically, theorize from an Afrocentric standpoint, and re-imagine security beyond the constraints of Eurocentric frameworks, African scholars can contribute to a more diverse and inclusive understanding of global security. This re-imagining is not only about addressing the existing imbalances in knowledge production but also about carving out spaces for new, innovative, and contextually relevant security theories that resonate with African experiences and aspirations.
The decolonization of security studies is, therefore, not merely an intellectual exercise—it is a transformative project that seeks to empower African scholars, activists, and practitioners to reclaim their agency in defining and understanding security. It calls for a shift from the passive acceptance of foreign-imposed security models to the active construction of security theories rooted in African realities. This movement toward decolonization represents a broader struggle for epistemic justice, challenging the hegemony of Western thought and advocating for a more pluralistic and equitable global knowledge system. Ultimately, by daring to re-imagine security through a decolonial lens, African scholars can pave the way for more just and sustainable approaches to addressing the continent's security challenges.
