Against Standardization: Reflections on Decolonization, Logic and Economics

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Venkatachalam, Ragupathy; Diviya and Kumar, Sunil Mitra. 2025. Against Standardization: Reflections on Decolonization, Logic and Economics. New Mathematics and Natural Computation, ISSN 1793-0057 [Article] (In Press)

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1142/S1793005726500626

Abstract or Description

This paper considers the notion of decolonisation through the concerns of epistemic domination and standardisation in the context of economics. Exploring the connections between colonisation and the drive to standardise across different spheres, it briefly outlines how standardisation has occurred in economic theorising, especially in the mathematical mode. The excessive, unchallenged reliance of economic theory on classical mathematics and logic to formulate economic problems is highlighted. Building on this, it draws from alternative approaches to logic and makes a case for adopting pluralism of logics -- and not just of theories and methods -- in economics. Overall, we argue for conceiving decolonisation as a process not simply of undoing existing colonial influences, but also, by adopting a pluralist approach, of resisting future attempts at epistemic colonisation.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1142/S1793005726500626

Additional Information:

Electronic version of an article published in New Mathematics and Natural Computation, 2025 [https://doi.org/10.1142/S1793005726500626] © [copyright World Scientific Publishing Company] https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/epdf/10.1142/S1793005726500626

Keywords:

Logical pluralism, Decolonization, Mathematical economics, Non-classical logics

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Institute of Management Studies
Institute of Management Studies > Structural Economic Analysis

Dates: