Al Jazeera Centre for Studies to Join Decolonization Forum in Istanbul, Challenging Global Knowledge Imbalances

Key facts

• The Decolonizing Knowledge Production and Circulation Forum will be held in Istanbul on 11-12 May 2026.
• Al Jazeera Centre for Studies is participating in the forum.
• The forum will feature over 70 academic papers and parallel cultural programs.
• The event will take place at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) in Istanbul.
• A Decolonization Film Festival will be held at Atlas Sineması during the same week.
• Key participants include Mireille Fanon Mendès-France, Walter Mignolo, Syed Farid Alatas, Salman Sayyid, Joseph Massad, Afua Hirsch, Hatem Bazian, and Lilian Thuram.
• Organizing partners include Institute Social, NÛN Foundation for Education and Culture, Boğaziçi University, ISAM, Fudan University, IIUM, and the Iqbal Centre at the University of Leeds.

Forum to Address Colonial Patterns in Knowledge and Media

The Al Jazeera Centre for Studies is set to participate in the Decolonizing Knowledge Production and Circulation Forum, scheduled for 11 and 12 May 2026 in Istanbul. The event is designed as an international intellectual platform focused on analyzing how colonial structures persist in shaping the contemporary global order. The forum’s programme includes plenary and parallel sessions covering methodologies of knowledge production, higher education, dominant media narratives, and development models. A dedicated analytical space will be given to Palestine within the context of the reproduction of colonial patterns of control. Organizers emphasize that the forum combines academic depth with a critical perspective on pressing global issues, reinforcing its role as a multidisciplinary dialogue platform.

Over 70 Academic Papers and Cultural Events Planned

The forum will feature more than 70 academic papers and a series of parallel cultural programs aimed at fostering cross-disciplinary dialogue. It will take place at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), with decolonial art exhibitions running alongside the sessions. During the same week, the Decolonization Film Festival will be held at the Atlas Sineması, offering film screenings intended to complement the forum’s discussions. Organizers said the combined events are designed to create a space where different disciplines can engage in what they described as a rare and candid dialogue on global knowledge systems, culture, and power.

Prominent Scholars and Activists to Participate

A number of prominent figures in postcolonial studies, critical epistemology, international politics, and media are expected to take part. These include Mireille Fanon Mendès-France, Walter Mignolo, Syed Farid Alatas, Salman Sayyid, Joseph Massad, Afua Hirsch, Hatem Bazian, and Lilian Thuram. The forum will be held with the participation of a broad network of partners, led by the Institute Social as the main organizing body. Other partners include NÛN Foundation for Education and Culture, Boğaziçi University, the Centre for Islamic Studies (İSAM), Fudan University, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), and the Iqbal Centre for the Study of Contemporary Islam at the University of Leeds, alongside several research institutions and networks across Asia, Europe, and the Muslim world.

Critique of Persistent Colonial Structures in Global Order

Esra Albayrak, chair of the NÛN Foundation for Education and Culture, said in a statement that anyone who believes human heritage cannot be reduced to a single narrative is invited to attend the forum. In a written analysis, she argued that colonialism did not end in the 1960s but continues in new forms, and that postcolonial studies have not yet fully explained how colonial structures are reproduced in today’s global order. Albayrak criticized the global human rights discourse that expanded after the mid-20th century, arguing that despite its stated aims, it has often failed to move beyond what she described as a “white man’s burden” framework and, at times, has become a tool of domination and social control. She also pointed to what she called “epistemic arrogance” in global knowledge production, saying the concentration of intellectual authority in a single center contributes to alienation and a broader crisis of meaning. She said leading universities and international legal institutions should be critically examined for their role in shaping current global crises and sustaining what she described as hegemonic systems of knowledge and power.

Al Jazeera’s Role in Strengthening Arab Presence in Global Debates

Al Jazeera Centre for Studies’ participation comes within the framework of its interest in strengthening Arab presence in international discussions on knowledge production and circulation. The centre aims to contribute to the development of critical approaches addressing imbalances in the global knowledge system. The forum is positioned as an international intellectual and academic platform focused on analysing the persistence of colonial structures in shaping the contemporary global order. It places particular emphasis on approaches aimed at dismantling epistemic and institutional dominance across the fields of knowledge, education, media, and development.

Open Questions on the Future of Decolonization Discourse

The forum’s organizers hope that the event will foster a candid dialogue on global knowledge systems, culture, and power. However, questions remain about how effectively such academic gatherings can translate into tangible changes in institutional practices and global power dynamics. The participation of a wide range of international academics and intellectuals suggests a growing interest in decolonization as a framework for understanding contemporary issues. Yet, as Albayrak noted, postcolonial studies have not fully explained how colonial structures are reproduced, indicating that much work remains to be done. The forum’s outcomes, including the papers presented and the discussions held, may provide insights into new approaches for addressing these challenges.

A Multidisciplinary Platform for Critical Engagement

The Decolonizing Knowledge Production and Circulation Forum represents a significant effort to bring together diverse voices from Africa, South Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Western critical traditions. By combining academic depth with cultural programs, the event seeks to create a space where different disciplines can engage in a rare and candid dialogue. The forum’s emphasis on Palestine as a case study of colonial patterns underscores its commitment to addressing specific geopolitical contexts. As the event approaches, it remains to be seen how its discussions will influence broader debates on knowledge production and decolonization. For now, the forum stands as a testament to the ongoing struggle to challenge epistemic dominance and build a more equitable global knowledge system.

The bottom line

• The Decolonizing Knowledge Production and Circulation Forum will take place in Istanbul on 11-12 May 2026, featuring over 70 academic papers and cultural events.
• Al Jazeera Centre for Studies is participating to strengthen Arab presence in global knowledge debates.
• Key speakers include Mireille Fanon Mendès-France, Walter Mignolo, and others from postcolonial studies and media.
• Esra Albayrak argued that colonialism persists in new forms and criticized epistemic arrogance in global knowledge production.
• The forum aims to dismantle epistemic and institutional dominance in knowledge, education, media, and development.
• The event includes a Decolonization Film Festival and art exhibitions alongside academic sessions.