Apartness of Ideal and Reality

Abstract

This article contributes to scholarly debate concerning universalist discourse, as either advantageous or detrimental to addressing inequalities between the West and the Global South. First, I explore the theoretical backdrop of the dispute, positing that differing notions of how multiple modernities interrelate informs divergent conceptualizations of universalist discourse, as either rigidly Eurocentric or contextually adaptable. Secondly, I analyze the South African Freedom Charter from both perspectives, arguing that we should recognize universalist discourse as a powerful tool in formulating political visions of decolonization; and conversely, that we should be cautious when utilizing such discourse due to its inherent Eurocentric capabilities.