Thread by @ksvarnon

This isn’t solely a Russian culture issue. The British, the French, the German Reich, and the American imperial projects have all done the same, and still do. There is a wealth of literature written by people from the Global South who have been colonized and victimized 1/

https://twitter.com/rshereme/status/1679743898439000064

by the same European powers that Ukraine sees as anchors of “European civilization” and “freedom” against Russia. De-colonization is a process of introspection as well as excision. These issues run deep, and engagement with and learning from those countries and peoples who have

been colonized and have or are in the process of de-colonizing are crucial. And these voices are often lost in the discussions of de-colonization that I have seen regarding Ukraine. I’m sure I’ll be accused of being a Westsplainer, but I am taking Ukrainians at their word.

Ukraine is in a unique position regarding Europe and de-colonization. It can push Germany, France, Britain to grapple with the legacies and continued consequences of their imperialism. But that requires working with and listening to those people who are in the same position

A dear colleague and I are writing a piece on this together to try to weave in these threads. There is a tension b/t seeking to de-colonize Ukraine and turning to Europe and European civilizational discourse to do so (while being in a position of need like Ukraine is in)

A final thought re: NATO summit and the “be grateful” comment. A study of European colonial treatment of soldiers of color who fought for them in WWI and WWII is a prime example of this. Ukraine must fight for itself, for its survival, not in hopes of achieving a European dream..

Thousands of POC lost their lives fighting for European colonial powers who promised equality and political rights, only to be told it was not their turn or they weren’t European or civilized enough, to be grateful for what they had.

The African troops of France, the Black British from across the empire troops, the African American, Mexican American, and Japanese American troops.