Decolonizing anthropology

Abstract

Thirty-two years after the publication of Faye V. Harrison's edited volume, Decolonizing Anthropology: Moving Further toward an Anthropology of Liberation, I take stock of the book's origins and its impact on the discipline. Despite intellectual barriers and postmodernist critiques, Decolonizing Anthropology has influenced a generation of anthropologists who carry forward the book's original spirit. Focusing on the third edition, I show that Decolonizing has both reflected and incited changes in the discipline. Finally, I turn to some recent work in which scholars continue to push the boundaries of what decolonizing anthropology can mean. Throughout, I emphasize the importance of decolonization as a practice in anthropology and highlight the ongoing struggles and successes of scholars working in this tradition.