Living well and quilombo teachings

The concepts of living well, of the indigenous peoples, and of quilombo teachings, born out of the resistance of the black peoples, afford lived experiences and organizations that are distinct from the colonial and capitalist modernity. Both challenge the logic underlying modern exploitation by proposing new forms of coexistence that are based on ecological harmony and collectiveness. This article explores how these two traditions, originating in different contexts, converge by ‘re-signifying’ the relation between human beings and nature and by promoting more just, sustainable, and inclusive societies, all the while keeping alive teachings and practices that transcend the colonial logic.

Epistemic Violence

Coined by Gayatri Spivak at the end of the so-called Cold War, the concept of epistemic violence is today a powerful tool of analysis and critique. It draws our attention to the cognitive and epistemic infrastructure of what we believe to know about the world, including about (non-)violence, conflict, war – and peace. Taking epistemic violence into account has the potential of changing the entire research agenda of Peace and Conflict Studies, because it invites us to re- and unthink violence from a groundbreaking perspective: the Euro- and androcentrist nature of our knowledge (and our ignorance) that is grounded in the sustaining colonial condition of the world – and vice versa.

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