Decolonising Excellence: The Decolonial Autoethnography of a Disabled Person from Réunion Island
Keywords:
Autoethnography ; disability ; coloniality ; La Réunion ; excellence ; universityAbstract
This article examines the effects of French elitist culture in the context of Réunion, drawing on my personal experiences as a person with a disability from La Réunion. Through the account of my academic and school journey, I analyze the colonial legacies that continue to shape the subjectivities of subaltern populations in Réunion. Adopting a socio-historical perspective, the article highlights how the French meritocratic model, perceived as a universal and republican ideal, forces individuals from Réunion's working-class communities to internalize ableist and racist norms to prove their worth, often at the expense of their health.
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