Against Decolonisation: Campus Culture Wars and the Decline of the West

by Doug Stokes

Following the killing of George Floyd in 2020, a moral panic gripped the US and UK. To atone for an alleged history of racism, statues were torn down and symbols of national identity attacked. Across universities, fringe theories became the new orthodoxy, with a cadre of activists backed by university technocrats adopting a binary worldview of moral certainty, sin and deconstructive redemption through Western self-erasure.  This hard-hitting book surveys these developments for the first time. It unpacks and challenges the theories and arguments deployed by ‘decolonisers’ in a university system now characterised by garbled leadership and illiberal groupthink.  The desire to question the West’s sense of itself, deconstruct its narratives and overthrow its institutional order is an impulse that, ironically, was underpinned by a more confident and assured Western hegemony, which is now waning and under great strain. If its light continues to dim, who or what will carry the torch for human freedom and progress?

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction, Sociology

208 pages, Paperback

Published October 2, 2023

Reviews

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sobering account of the extent to which the educational, cultural, business and other sectors in the anglosphere have been possessed by decolonial and 'social justice' theories. Stokes provides us with a short and sharp narrative plotting the historical development of decolonial ideas, their definition as we understand them today, the practical ramifications of their implementation in universities and the extremely weak empirical basis on which this radical agenda is being justified.

Stokes also discusses the issue of slavery as a key pillar of decolonial theory and the way in which historical facts are cherry picked and propagated to promote a particular anti-Western conception of history. In a small section that felt like somewhat of an afterthought, Stokes also ties the spread of self-negating, anti-western theories to geopolitical concerns, and in particular the efforts of 'civilisational states' like Russia and China to undermine our societies through the overt promotion of 'social justice' issues.

Overall this is a thoughtful and well researched book but for the few people already steeped in the subject there perhaps won't be any dramatic revelations. I suspect however that for most others it will prove an invaluable companion in not only organising and articulating their thoughts on the matter but providing compelling counter arguments against decolonial theory, intersectionality, and 'anti-racism'.

My one criticism is that Stokes has covered far too many subjects for a book that is only 150 pages long. Taking just one section, on the discussion of the economic impact of slavery on the industrial revolution, he could have added significantly more detail, and the same goes for many of the other topics that are covered.

Nonetheless this is worthwhile read and a grievous reminder of what is at stake should quack theories continue their unmitigated spread throughout our society.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great tale of the Regressive Left

and look up any magazine articles on Doug Stokes
he seems like the ultimate dolly downer
in matters of education, culture, crime, and multiculturalism

[LBA · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book alerting us to the dangers ok wokism.