DECOLONIAL GLOSSARY 

This glossary is based on a critical reading of the concepts, categories, and narratives historically used to describe Africa and its diasporas. Inspired by the intellectual legacy of the General History of Africa project, it examines how language shapes perceptions, knowledge production, and collective imaginaries.

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Rather than simply replacing words, the glossary seeks to contextualize terms, identify historical and cognitive biases, and encourage more accurate, nuanced, and culturally grounded understandings of African realities. It pays particular attention to the ways in which colonial vocabularies, academic classifications, media representations, and inherited paradigms have influenced the interpretation of African societies, cultures, spiritual traditions, and political systems.

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Each entry therefore combines historical context, conceptual clarification, and critical reflection. The objective is not to impose a single interpretation, but to provide readers with tools to better understand how language participates in the construction of narratives, identities, and systems of knowledge concerning Africa and its diasporas.