THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WESTERN-CENTRIC NOTION OF MODERNITY AND THE INCLUSIVE RECONSTRUCTION THEREOF ACCORDING TO THE TWAIL PRINCIPLES

Abstract

Modernity significantly influences global action regarding social,
political, and economic justice and liberation. Because of this, its
flawed origins cannot simply be ignored. This article explains the
development and current conception of economic, social and political
modernity and shows how non-Western thought is excluded from these
spheres. The article focuses on problematising he recent construction of
modernity by showing how modernity is founded on Western ideals.
Additionally, this article tracks the spread and universalisation of
modernity by cruel and illegitimate means like colonialism and the
othering of indigenous peoples. All these form the basis for an
arguments that there must be a substantial reconstruction of the
concept of modernity, and TWAIL’s relationship with international law is
offered as inspiration for such a reconstruction.