Decolonizing International Relations: The Intellectual Contribution and Challenge of the Global South

The prevalent liberal realist and constructivist viewpoints in international relations theories are all derived from Western customs and experiences. As reflections of a world shaped and ruled by the Western colonial powers, the Treaty of Westphalia, the Congress of Vienna, the two World Wars, and the Cold War are all starting points for discussions in the field of international relations. As a reaction to the predominance of Western viewpoints in international relations non-Western theory of international relations has become more prominent in recent years. This is because it challenges the marginalization of non-Western knowledge and promotes decolonization. This paper highlights Asian and African contributions to IR theory, critiques colonialism's lasting impact on the Global South, and explores strategies to challenge Eurocentrism. It promotes inclusive, decolonized knowledge production by emphasizing non-Western perspectives and alternative epistemologies in a field traditionally dominated by Western thought.