What is it about?
The article explores the intersections between decolonial theory in Latin America and the concepts of identity politics and “wokeism” as understood in Anglo-European contexts. The author, Manuel Rivera Espinoza, examines whether decolonial theories, particularly those advanced by Walter Mignolo and critiqued by Santiago Castro-Gómez, align with the essentialist tendencies often attributed to identity politics. Rivera Espinoza begins by situating Mignolo and Castro-Gómez within the intellectual movement of decoloniality, highlighting their contributions to discussions of coloniality, identity, and emancipation in the Latin American context. Castro-Gómez critiques what he terms abyayalismo—a trend within decolonial thought that seeks to retreat from modernity into the epistemologies of Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. He argues that this retreat is a form of cultural essentialism that hinders emancipatory politics by romanticizing pre-colonial identities and failing to address structural power dynamics. In contrast, Mignolo emphasizes the need to affirm Indigenous and Afro-descendant identities as part of a decolonial strategy, though he explicitly rejects essentialist notions of identity. The article critically evaluates the divergence between these two thinkers, revealing the tension between affirming marginalized identities and engaging with modern institutional structures. Rivera Espinoza suggests that while Castro-Gómez warns against identity-based political withdrawal, Mignolo sees identity as a necessary site of resistance within colonial power structures. The piece ultimately frames this debate as an unresolved tension, raising the question of whether decoloniality inherently reproduces the pitfalls of identity politics or offers a transformative political alternative.
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Why is it important?
This article is significant because it interrogates a central challenge in decolonial thought: how to conceptualize identity in the struggle for emancipation without falling into cultural essentialism or political ineffectiveness. By juxtaposing Mignolo’s and Castro-Gómez’s positions, Rivera Espinoza illuminates a critical fault line in contemporary Latin American theory—one with implications for broader global conversations on coloniality, race, and power. The analysis engages not only Latin American intellectual traditions but also connects them to ongoing debates in Anglo-European scholarship about “wokeism” and identity politics. In doing so, it critiques simplistic readings of decolonial theory as either liberatory or regressive, instead offering a nuanced perspective on its potentials and limitations. Moreover, the article’s exploration of abyayalismo and the question of whether marginalized communities should reclaim ancestral identities or seek universalist political strategies provides valuable insights for scholars, activists, and policymakers navigating postcolonial realities. It challenges readers to reconsider the role of identity in achieving social justice and to confront the complexities of decolonial projects in the context of modernity.
Perspectives
In this article, I explore how Latin American decolonial thinkers like Walter Mignolo and Santiago Castro-Gómez approach identity and politics, focusing on the tensions that emerge between affirming marginalized identities and avoiding cultural essentialism. I contrast Mignolo’s defense of Indigenous and Afro-descendant identities as crucial sites of resistance with Castro-Gómez’s critique of what he calls abyayalismo—a tendency to romanticize pre-colonial identities and withdraw from modern institutional engagement. For me, this tension is key to understanding the challenges and possibilities of decolonial thought. I argue that while identity politics can empower marginalized groups, it also risks producing static categories that replicate the exclusions it seeks to overcome. This debate, I suggest, has implications not only for Latin America but also for global conversations about “wokeism” and the role of identity in emancipation. My aim is to rethink decoloniality as both critique and praxis, attentive to its ethical and political stakes.
Manuel Salvador Rivera Espinoza
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This page is a summary of: Is Decoloniality Latin American Wokeism? Examining Identity and Politics in the Works of Santiago Castro-Gómez and Walter Mignolo, May 2025, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004703445_015.
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