Progress as neocolonialism : Why decoloniality must imply a farewell to development
(2024) p.235-249- Abstract
- This chapter challenges the view that rising living standards and other indexes of progress in Sweden merely are rewards of technological development, successful industries, and a hard-working population, disconnected from the facts of European colonial history and the severely unequal conditions of contemporary world society. The European context of Swedish industrialisation and the large ecological footprints of its citizens raise questions about global justice. The fact that Swedish living standards would be physically impossible to universalise jars with the narrative of just rewards. Such cognitive dissonance is magnified by the empirical evidence of a systematic net transfer of embodied labour and other resources to the Global North... (More)
- This chapter challenges the view that rising living standards and other indexes of progress in Sweden merely are rewards of technological development, successful industries, and a hard-working population, disconnected from the facts of European colonial history and the severely unequal conditions of contemporary world society. The European context of Swedish industrialisation and the large ecological footprints of its citizens raise questions about global justice. The fact that Swedish living standards would be physically impossible to universalise jars with the narrative of just rewards. Such cognitive dissonance is magnified by the empirical evidence of a systematic net transfer of embodied labour and other resources to the Global North from low-wage countries in the Global South. In this sense, modern world trade incontrovertibly represents a continuation of colonialism beyond its official termination. The evolutionist narrative of technological progress is in itself a colonial ideology that a decolonial view must reject. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4d48e9a9-4bc3-4339-a41e-fd862aa55c57
- author
- Hornborg, Alf LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-12-16
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- host publication
- Decolonial Sweden
- editor
- McEachrane, Michael and Faye, Louis
- pages
- 235 - 249
- publisher
- Routledge
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85209000756
- ISBN
- 9781003396611
- DOI
- 10.4324/9781003396611-15
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 4d48e9a9-4bc3-4339-a41e-fd862aa55c57
- date added to LUP
- 2023-01-21 23:04:57
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 14:03:04
@inbook{4d48e9a9-4bc3-4339-a41e-fd862aa55c57,
abstract = {{This chapter challenges the view that rising living standards and other indexes of progress in Sweden merely are rewards of technological development, successful industries, and a hard-working population, disconnected from the facts of European colonial history and the severely unequal conditions of contemporary world society. The European context of Swedish industrialisation and the large ecological footprints of its citizens raise questions about global justice. The fact that Swedish living standards would be physically impossible to universalise jars with the narrative of just rewards. Such cognitive dissonance is magnified by the empirical evidence of a systematic net transfer of embodied labour and other resources to the Global North from low-wage countries in the Global South. In this sense, modern world trade incontrovertibly represents a continuation of colonialism beyond its official termination. The evolutionist narrative of technological progress is in itself a colonial ideology that a decolonial view must reject.}},
author = {{Hornborg, Alf}},
booktitle = {{Decolonial Sweden}},
editor = {{McEachrane, Michael and Faye, Louis}},
isbn = {{9781003396611}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{12}},
pages = {{235--249}},
publisher = {{Routledge}},
title = {{Progress as neocolonialism : Why decoloniality must imply a farewell to development}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003396611-15}},
doi = {{10.4324/9781003396611-15}},
year = {{2024}},
}