Philosophy Bites · Edmonds and Warburton

Tarun Khaitan on Decolonising Institutions

February 26, 2026·22 min·2 clips

Hindu nationalists claim Islamic colonisation lasted a millennium before the British, and decolonisation requires removing both influences.

Tarun Khaitan discusses the movement to decolonise constitutions in India and South Africa, critiquing arguments that framers had a 'colonised imagination'. He explains how the Indian constitution was a pragmatic compromise amid partition violence, and warns against decoloniality being used by Hindu nationalists to target Islamic influences. Khaitan advocates for a nuanced view of power and agency, rejecting false consciousness claims.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Philosophy Bites