What is “Decoloniality?” 
Decolonization, in its deepest sense, is not merely a political or historical process of ending formal colonial rule; it is a profound ethical, cultural, and epistemological undertaking that seeks to dismantle the enduring structures of domination, erasure, and control that colonialism left behind. In the context of academic disciplines like Jain studies, decolonization involves recognizing how Western systems of knowledge—shaped by centuries of economic exploitation, military conquest, political subjugation, and cultural imperialism—have positioned themselves as normative and universal, marginalizing or invalidating other ways of knowing and being. The colonial project was not just about land and resources; it was about reshaping the very imagination of the colonized. Western colonial powers imposed their languages, religions, systems of education, aesthetic values, and philosophical categories upon the societies they dominated, often under the paternalistic guise of “civilizing” the other. These patterns continue today in subtler but no less insidious forms—through global capitalism, military intervention, cultural exports like media and fashion, and the prestige and authority of Western academic institutions.
 

In this context, scholars have a moral and intellectual responsibility to interrogate the frameworks they inherit and reproduce. Academic knowledge does not exist in a vacuum; it is shaped by histories of power and continues to participate in those dynamics. In fields like Jain studies, the voices that are amplified, the methods that are valorized, and the questions that are deemed important are often determined by Western-trained scholars, many of whom are culturally or geographically removed from the communities they study. Without a commitment to decolonization, this dynamic can reproduce a subtle form of epistemic violence—wherein living traditions are interpreted, represented, and judged according to foreign standards that may not serve, or may actively harm, the tradition’s own integrity and survival. In the face of accelerating cultural homogenization, where indigenous lifeways are being eclipsed by globalized Western norms, the role of the scholar cannot remain one of detached neutrality. Especially when engaged with traditions that are marginalized or endangered, scholars must approach their work with humility, solidarity, and a commitment to cultural preservation. This requires not only intellectual rigor, but also ethical reflexivity and the courage to confront the privileges and assumptions embedded in the academy itself. “Decolonizing Jain studies” means cultivating practices that support the self-representation, flourishing, and sovereignty of Jain communities on their own terms.

 

In the following three-part blog post, I want to expand directly on that theme: the decolonization of academic Jain studies. Specifically, I will argue that scholars in this field bear a responsibility not only to produce accurate or sophisticated interpretations of Jain texts and practices but also to help ensure the survival of marginalized Jain traditions. This is no small task in a time when traditional South Asian cultures, practices, and even languages are disappearing at a shocking rate—often replaced by dominant Western modes of thought, lifestyle, and expression. That replacement is not incidental; it is the result of a global cultural hegemony rooted in centuries of Western imperialism and colonization. In such a context, Jain studies cannot remain a neutral or purely scholarly pursuit. It must also become a critical site for advocacy, solidarity, and cultural preservation. This blog series will outline concrete strategies for scholars to engage in such work and reflect on what it means to take seriously the ethical and epistemological implications of decolonization within the study of Jainism.