A theory of policy coloniality: the role of race and colonial knowledge in policy formulation

Abstract

Rooted in Western theories of bureaucracy and policy studies, most scholars attribute ‘unintended negative consequences’ of policy formulation to information incompleteness or local bias. However, we argue that this prevailing perspective overlooks the systemic entanglement between policy formulation and racialized/colonial knowledge of target populations. Our paper addresses this gap by proposing a theory of policy coloniality. We define policy coloniality as a political rationality that (re)produces racialized realities, dualizing populations into those deserving of policy attention and those perceived as dangerous and in need of control. We test our theory by employing a maximum-difference comparative analysis spanning knowledge-intensive policy sectors such as health policy and sustainability policy in both the Global North (the Netherlands) and Global South (Peru). Through in-depth interviews and fieldwork, we show that policy coloniality perpetuates racialized power structures, marginalizes Indigenous communities, and reinforces Global North dominance. Our paper advances policy studies by identifying the operating mechanism of policy coloniality in ‘modern’ policy formulation. We further advocate for a critical and decolonial approach to public administration and policy studies research that addresses historical and contemporary dimensions of policymaking, bureaucracies, and their treatment of minorities.