The Decolonization Equation: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract: Decolonization is a complex, much-contested, multifaceted, ongoing change process and area of scholarship. This article proposes a quantitative model and heuristic device for scholars, students, policymakers, and Indigenous communities engaged in decolonization in various ways. The Decolonization Equation model offers a way to analyze and understand decolonization through six key factors that feature prominently in the decolonization literature; namely, sovereignty, cultural revitalization, economic well-being, political independence, and legal and social justice. We have added technological and digital fluency to the model and progress indicators. The factors are derived from the decolonization literature that we discuss in the Defining Decolonization section of this article.