A European Crisis of Education in a Multipolar World:Indian, Chinese and Africana postcolonial responses to Eurocentric traditions

This article explores reasons for pushing for more constructively activist engagement with the Other in a fragile world as a way of revitalizing European education. The article argues that this is a precondition, sine qua non, to avoid provincializing a Europe that is rapidly shrinking in geopolitical influence (Chakrabarty, 2000). This requires serious and more systematic engagement with strong traditions (cosmologies, ontologies and epistemologies) in other parts of the world that have often been neglected (e.g. Dragos, 2024; Vinjamuri, 2025). This includes e.g. India, China and the rich emerging tradition of Africana philosophy and thinking and well as a host of other traditions (e.g. Bilimoria, 2018; Mou, 2009; Adamson & Jeffers, 2018-2024). The article argues that this could potentially revitalize rich traditions in European education/Bildung and philosophy, thus contributing to make them more fit for a world that is rapidly becoming multi-polar.