, COM2614 Assignment 1 (COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2025 – DUE 15 September 2025; 100% correct
solutions and explanations.
3 Different Essays Provided
Whose Story? A Decolonial Analysis of Power, Knowledge, and
Voice in Dahomey (2024)
Introduction
Dahomey (2024) is a documentary that investigates the return of looted
cultural artefacts to Benin and the broader quest for epistemic justice in
postcolonial Africa. The film foregrounds the voices of Beninese
historians, museum curators, and community leaders, presenting a
narrative that challenges the Eurocentric frameworks through which
African heritage has historically been interpreted and displayed. It
explores the intertwined histories of colonial looting, the politics of
restitution, and the enduring struggle to reclaim cultural identity. By
examining both the narrative and aesthetic choices of the documentary,
one can see how Dahomey actively resists the silencing of African
knowledge systems while also reflecting on the power dynamics that
continue to shape global cultural institutions.
This documentary is highly relevant for a decolonial analysis because it
engages directly with historical power imbalances, the erasure of
African voices, and the privileging of Western epistemologies in the
production and curation of cultural knowledge. Decolonial approaches
provide a critical lens through which to interrogate how knowledge,
voice, and authority operate in the documentary and its reception. By
situating the documentary within a decolonial framework, this essay
argues that Dahomey exposes the enduring legacies of colonialism in
knowledge production and representation, while also revealing the
limitations and tensions of decolonial methodologies when engaging
global audiences and institutionalized cultural frameworks.
Semester 2 2025 – DUE 15 September 2025; 100% correct
solutions and explanations.
3 Different Essays Provided
Whose Story? A Decolonial Analysis of Power, Knowledge, and
Voice in Dahomey (2024)
Introduction
Dahomey (2024) is a documentary that investigates the return of looted
cultural artefacts to Benin and the broader quest for epistemic justice in
postcolonial Africa. The film foregrounds the voices of Beninese
historians, museum curators, and community leaders, presenting a
narrative that challenges the Eurocentric frameworks through which
African heritage has historically been interpreted and displayed. It
explores the intertwined histories of colonial looting, the politics of
restitution, and the enduring struggle to reclaim cultural identity. By
examining both the narrative and aesthetic choices of the documentary,
one can see how Dahomey actively resists the silencing of African
knowledge systems while also reflecting on the power dynamics that
continue to shape global cultural institutions.
This documentary is highly relevant for a decolonial analysis because it
engages directly with historical power imbalances, the erasure of
African voices, and the privileging of Western epistemologies in the
production and curation of cultural knowledge. Decolonial approaches
provide a critical lens through which to interrogate how knowledge,
voice, and authority operate in the documentary and its reception. By
situating the documentary within a decolonial framework, this essay
argues that Dahomey exposes the enduring legacies of colonialism in
knowledge production and representation, while also revealing the
limitations and tensions of decolonial methodologies when engaging
global audiences and institutionalized cultural frameworks.
