Imag(in)ing Decolonial Ecology: Exploring Tropical Eco-Graphic Narratives

Abstract

Decoloniality is a critical approach that seeks to dismantle the hegemonic and oppressive structures of Eurocentric epistemologies. It promotes reflection on how texts and knowledge production perpetuate othering and oppression. Imag(in)ing decoloniality along with ecocritical thinking, this paper envisions tropical ecology as transcending the constraints of dominant discourses and explores how graphic narrative aids in reconfiguring the boundaries between human subjectivity and decolonial-ecocritical aesthetics. The article emphasises the potential of multimodality to proffer novel approaches for considering the connections between human/non-human, nature/culture and the tropical/temperate, and advocates a decanonisation of literary genres to decentralise the power of logocentric discourse. More specifically, the paper examines three eco-graphic narratives—Martina and the Bridge of Time (2020), Dengue (2015), and Bhimayana (2011)—to demonstrate their capacity in articulating coloniality in the tropical environment to highlight the importance of addressing historical and cultural wounds. This intersection of decoloniality, ecocriticism, and graphic narrative, along with the notion of tropicality, allows us to witness the evolution of the fields in an exciting and complex way. In sum, we examine how graphic narrative can act as a decolonial option for the tropics.