Brazil

Reflections on the Future and Past of Decolonisation: Africa and Latin America

There is no Afro-Brazilian art student I have met who is not enthusiastic about Mbembe’s thoughts. This is definitely a good sign; an expression of the growing debate about racism, hidden for too long in Brazil. The current political situation does not leave space anymore for denial. It is also a reflection of two factors: firstly, the complexity of the relation between decoloniality and globalisation in the South; and secondly, the relation between publishing policies and the circulation of critical thought.

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07.09.2021 | by Laura Burocco

Confront your colonial past, Council of Europe tells Portugal

The memorial - rows of palm trees painted in black - was designed by Angolan artist Kiluanji Kia Henda and funded by Lisbon council. It will stand in the centre of the city. From the 15th to the 19th century, Portuguese vessels carried close to 6 million enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, more than any other nation, but up to now Portugal has rarely commented on its past actions and little is taught about its role in slavery in schools. Rather, Portugal’s colonial era, which saw countries including Angola, Mozambique, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor as well as parts of India subjected to Portuguese rule, is often perceived as a source of pride.