Reimagining Social Sciences In Turbulent Times: Colonial Legacies, Linguistic Displacement, and Indigenous Knowledge In Postcolonial Societies

Although formal colonial rule has ended in many parts of the world, its intellectual and linguistic legacies continue to shape contemporary knowledge production. Across numerous postcolonial societies, social sciences remain deeply influenced by epistemological frameworks inherited from colonial administrations. This enduring dominance often privileges Western theories, concepts, and languages while marginalizing indigenous knowledge traditions, local histories, and culturally rooted ways of understanding social reality.

Language occupies a central position within this process. The growing prominence of global languages particularly English in education, research, and public discourse has generated new forms of linguistic hierarchy. While such languages facilitate international communication and academic mobility, their increasing dominance frequently comes at the expense of native languages that carry locally embedded knowledge, cultural memory, and alternative intellectual traditions. As younger generations increasingly adopt global and hybrid linguistic practices, concerns have emerged regarding the erosion of linguistic diversity and the gradual disconnection between social scientific inquiry and the lived experiences of local communities.

This session invites scholars to critically examine how colonial epistemologies continue to influence contemporary social sciences and how language mediates the production, circulation, and legitimacy of knowledge. Particular attention will be given to the relationship between linguistic displacement and the preservation of indigenous knowledge systems in postcolonial contexts. The session seeks to explore pathways for decolonizing knowledge production, revitalizing native languages within academic spaces, and fostering more inclusive and context-sensitive approaches to social research.

Keywords:
Coloniality; Linguistic Displacement; Indigenous Knowledge; Decolonization; Native Languages; Epistemic Justice.