The current global health decolonization discourse is overwhelmingly shaped by scholars and institutions from the Global North. Daniel W. Krugman argues that elite Northern academics and organizations have increasingly framed and defined what “decolonization” means, often reducing it to reformist tweaks within existing power structures. This elite capture risks diluting the radical, liberatory roots of decolonization — roots deeply embedded in anti-colonial struggles led by the Global South.
While many initiatives parade under the banner of decolonization, their designs and decisions are predominantly driven by Northern actors, sidelining the voices and leadership of those most impacted by colonial legacies. Without the active, central involvement of Global South scholars, practitioners, and communities, the decolonization movement risks becoming just another elite project — one that maintains the very inequities it claims to dismantle.
True decolonization requires moving beyond symbolic reforms toward meaningful power redistribution, epistemic justice, and Southern leadership in reshaping global health’s future.
Let’s boldly reject elite capture. It’s time for Global South scholars to lead decolonization, reclaiming agency, reshaping narratives, and driving structural transformation. Only through authentic Southern leadership can global health achieve the justice and equity it urgently promises.
