Transmodern Geographies and Coloniality: On Enrique Dussel's Pluriversal Modernity

This essay offers a critical reading of the work of Enrique Dussel on the colonial history of modernity and the possibility of a plural trans-modern future. Dussel’s transmodernity points to a plural vision of global modernity, opening multiple possible modes of being and thinking. I critically analyze Dussel’s concept of the periphery and the “other” of colonial history, arguing for the importance of a materialist and non-absolute vision of the other. I consider the possibilities of dialogue in a transmodern framework in the wake of the battlefield of colonization. Emphasizing South-South and North-South dialogues, I argue for a plural vision that engages both rational-epistemic practices and creative passions that are not strictly epistemic.