Introduction: Colonial Humanities and Criticality.

Starting from the premise that the humanities are still in urgent need of being decolonized and deprovincialized, this forum, titled "The Rise and Decline of 'Colonial Humanities,'" offers insights into the development of the humanities disciplines in what are often referred to as "area studies" (a field itself subject to criticism) since the beginning of the nineteenth century. The forum's perspective on "colonial humanities" acknowledges the violence perpetuated in the name of Euro-American humanities and calls for an in-depth and sustained investigation into the construction of racism and prejudice across our fields. Case studies focus on the "local" development of philology in Turkey (Leezenberg), on critical "coauthorship" with local scholars in literary and historical studies (Berber/Amazigh studies) in Algeria (Merolla), and on the need for increased criticality and self-awareness in the fast-changing field of lexicography (Sear and Turin). The forum is rounded out with a commentary and reflection by Shamil Jeppie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]