In this epilogue to the special issue Decolonising Legal Pluralism, Decentring Epistemological Paradigms, the author interrogates what kind of methodological strategies the contributors have used to adopt a ‘decolonial’ form of critique. Six approaches are identified as particularly relevant to this kind of perspective: an awareness of historicity, the deconstruction of binaries, the critique of asymmetrical power relations, a sensitivity to social ontologies informing law, a plea for epistemic diversity, and finally a decentration of the modern state system. Subsequently, the article reflects on the ethical basis of these critical perspectives and suggests a ‘transcultural universalism’ from below as normative horizon(s). By way of conclusion, it considers whether and how law could contribute to achieving more ‘justice’ in a postcolonial, pluriversal world.
Franziska Dübgen (Wed,) studied this question.