decolonise
decolonise — verb
- decolonisepresent simple I / you / we / they
- decolonises3rd person singular
- decolonising-ing form
- decolonisedpast simple
1. to give a colony, or a people living under colonial rule, the freedom to govern
to give a colony, or a people living under colonial rule, the freedom to govern themselves, or to end the practice of controlling overseas colonies altogether
Britain began to decolonise many of its African territories in the 1950s and 1960s.
decolonise + territories / colonies
United Nations resolutions urged all member states to decolonise their remaining overseas possessions.
Portugal was one of the last European nations to decolonise its African colonies.
After decades of international pressure, the empire finally agreed to decolonise the island territory.
The process of decolonising a country often involves difficult negotiations over borders and natural resources.
- emancipate
more general; can refer to freeing any group from any form of control, not only colonial rule
- liberate
strong emotional tone; often used for military or revolutionary freedom rather than a negotiated political process
文法句型
decolonise + noun phrase (a country / a territory)
用法筆記
Frequently appears in historical-political writing about the mid-to-late 20th century, when European empires dismantled their colonial holdings. The subject of the verb is typically the colonising power (a country or government).
常見錯誤
2. of a colony or colonised people, to gain political freedom and the right to gove
of a colony or colonised people, to gain political freedom and the right to govern yourself, usually after a period of struggle or negotiation
Algeria decolonised after a long and bitterly fought war with France.
intransitive: a country decolonises (no object)
Many Caribbean islands decolonised peacefully during the 1960s under new constitutional arrangements.
India decolonised in 1947, marking the beginning of the end for the British Empire.
The island territory decolonised gradually, first gaining self-rule and then full independence five years later.
When a colony decolonises, it must build new institutions to replace the old colonial administration.
- gain independence
a phrasal alternative; more explicit about the outcome
- become sovereign
more formal and legalistic
- throw off colonial rule
more dramatic; suggests a forceful or revolutionary break
- remain colonised
to stay under colonial control without gaining freedom
文法句型
decolonise (no object)
用法筆記
The subject of this intransitive use is the colony or colonised people, not the colonising power. This distinguishes it from sense 1, where the colonising power is the subject.
常見錯誤
3. to change a school, academic field, or cultural institution by rejecting the ide
to change a school, academic field, or cultural institution by rejecting the idea that European viewpoints are naturally central or superior, and instead giving equal weight to non-European histories, ideas, and voices
The university formed a committee to decolonise its history curriculum, adding African and Asian perspectives.
decolonise + curriculum / syllabus
Activists are asking museums to decolonise their collections by returning artefacts taken during colonial times.
The literature department started to decolonise its reading list by including authors from former colonies.
Teachers in the programme learn to decolonise their classrooms and challenge Eurocentric assumptions about knowledge.
The conference brought together scholars to discuss decolonising research methods in the social sciences.
- canonise
to treat a set of works as the authoritative standard, often the opposite of opening up a curriculum
文法句型
decolonise + noun phrase (a curriculum / a field / a discipline)
用法筆記
This sense is relatively recent and most common in academic and activist discourse. The object is typically an abstract noun such as curriculum, syllabus, discipline, museum, canon, or knowledge system.