International Political Theory: Legacies of Colonialism

International political theory has paid ample attention to questions of international justice and injustice, from global inequality to just war theory, global democratic theory, borders and immigration, obligations that relate to climate change, and more. But while the key role that colonial and racist legacies play in shaping the realities of domestic politics and international relations have long been noticed by scholars from the so-called “global south”, such insights have only recently begun to take a prominent place in more mainstream international political theory produced in Europe and North America and Europe. This year’s General Conference section by the Standing Group on International Political Theory will be dedicated to the examination of the legacies of colonialism, with the goal of bringing them to the forefront of current debates. Our seven panels will reflect on colonial legacies from various perspectives. First, they will explore the ways in which colonial oppressions and racial dominations of the past and present interplay and intersect with other global injustices, from the environment to immigration policies, to global inequalities and ethics of just war. Second, the panels will examine the ways in which international political theory scholarship itself has been and continues to be marred by implicit biases and blind spots, given its own historical, intellectual and ideological roots. Finally, our panels will seek to identify possible ways of addressing such shortcomings and look for methodological inspiration. We seek to have a fruitful discussion between scholars from the “global south” and “global north”, drawing in a variety of intellectual traditions and bringing them in conversation with each other. While three of the seven panels applied for will be open to submissions, four others will be curated by scholars in the field. Panels envisaged: 1. Legacies of Colonialism in Theorizing about Justice (Humeira Iqtidar/King‘s College) 2. Legacies of Colonialism: Political Thought from the Global South (Ying Chan, Oxford/UCL) 3. Legacies of Colonialism: Politics of Memory (Catherine Lu, McGill) 4. Legacies of Colonialism: Ecological Destruction and (post-)colonial politics. (Sinja Graf, LSE) 5. Legacies of Colonialism in Just War Theory (Open Panel) (Avia Pasternak, UCL) 6. Legacies of Colonialism: A European Union Perspective? (Open Panel) (Peter Niesen, Hamburg) 7. Legacies of Colonialism (General Open Panel) Note: Given that scholars from the global south will be encouraged to apply, we will be applying for technical support to hold some panels in hybrid form.