The decolonial historiographical traditions of the Antillean Caribbean in the second half of the 20th century and their contribution to the study of colonialism

Abstract

The manuscript explores the problematics of colonialism and neocolonialism in the West Indian Caribbean after the second half of the twentieth century, proposing the term "decolonial historiographical traditions". This term refers to historical reconstructions that normalize decolonial positions, a concept little explored so far. Using Victor Hugo Acuña Ortega's hypothesis on Central American participation in globalization, the text argues that the Antillean Caribbean, due to its strategic location, has been a key region in the different phases of globalization. The decolonial turn, defined by authors such as Maldonado-Torres, is characterized by its critique of Western modernity and its focus on the problems created by coloniality. This turn has had three stages in the Caribbean: the first with the Haitian Revolution and the independence movements, the second with the decolonizing processes of the second half of the 20th century and the impact of the Cuban Revolution, and the third, since the end of the 20th century, centered on the debates on the global capitalist system and the critique of Eurocentrism. The decolonial historiographical traditions of the Antillean Caribbean are distinguished by their critical and multidisciplinary approach, breaking with nationalist and positivist historiographical traditions. These traditions address issues such as regional integration, identity, and colonization, using innovative methods and concepts that include oral history and the analysis of colonial memory and trauma. The manuscript also discusses the distinctions between colonialism and neocolonialism, highlighting internal and cultural colonialism, and the impact of U.S. imperialism in the region. The work underscores the importance of decolonial methodologies for a more critical understanding of the past and their relevance to contemporary debates on social justice and emancipation.