Reclaiming ontology for decoloniality: a critical realist critique of Mignolo’s meta-theoretical priority of epistemology

Abstract

In this article, I develop a critical engagement between decolonial thought and critical realism to propose a realist foundation for decoloniality. Through an internal critique of Walter Mignolo's work, I challenge the meta-theoretical prioritization of epistemology over ontology that underpins his critique of Western modernity. I argue that this position ultimately undermines the very possibility of meaningful decolonial critique, which requires a realist understanding of social structures such as the colonial matrix of power (CMP). By retrieving ontology as a legitimate category for decolonial analysis, I show that critical realism provides the necessary philosophical resources to account for the reality of coloniality beyond epistemic frameworks. This realist orientation allows decolonial critique to transcend cultural relativism, affirming its universal critical claims against Eurocentrism and its commitment to unveiling enduring structures of domination.

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