Decentring the Canon: Knowledge, Pluriversality, and Narrative Reclamation

Abstract

This paper investigates the theoretical foundations and practical ramifications of decolonial philosophy, focussing specifically on the dynamic sociopolitical and cultural terrain of Morocco. The paper presents the Decolonial Alternative as a significant response to the persistent influence of colonialism inside global knowledge frameworks, institutions, and social hierarchies, employing key concepts such as "coloniality of power" and "coloniality reimagined." This viewpoint examines the ways in which epistemic resistance and the creation of alternative knowledge challenge Eurocentric frameworks of modernity, rationality, and progress. Morocco is analysed as a dynamic case study where decolonial aspirations manifest through historical revisionism, cultural resurgence, environmental justice movements, and progressive educational reforms. The primary focus is on the revalorization of indigenous languages, specifically Tamazight and Darija, within the framework of a thorough linguistic decolonisation, in the face of the ongoing marginalisation of Amazigh populations. The paper also looks at how Moroccan literature, from writers who fought against colonialism to modern voices, can be used as a way to fight back and rebuild identity. The study situates Morocco's decolonial endeavours within the larger movement to decolonise Arab academia, contest Western epistemic dominance, and promote the recognition and integration of indigenous knowledge systems. The study posits that decolonisation is a continuous, complex process focused on dismantling colonial structures, broadening epistemological perspectives, and cultivating more inclusive and equitable futures through an intersectional decolonial framework