Decolonizing Caribbean History; UWI Press welcomes Caribbean authors

BY JOSEPH CUNNINGHAM

For those liberated souls who are on a mission to shake free from every remnant of Caribbean colonization, and in the process communicate to your fellow Caribbean compatriots how to do so, the University of the West Indies (UWI) Press avails itself to Caribbean sons and daughters. For authors located in the region and all other parts of the world, there is a medium through which this can be achieved.

Dr. Joseph Powell, Director of the UWI Press was not shy when in an interview with the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper he stated:

“The UWI Press is open to diaspora writers, and we are open to taking on high quality writing on Caribbean issues, especially from places such as Canada where the diaspora is significant

 We are in the business of preserving Caribbean culture through the publication of books. Not just any books, but books that promote the Caribbean’s perspective on Caribbean history. We are based in the Caribbean and are committed to the project of decolonizing the history of the Caribbean through decolonized publications. 

We operationalize this commitment through three means. First, work from the perspective of the Caribbean and diaspora experience. The Press seeks to promote a Caribbean perspective on: history, politics, culture, music, food, family, and so on. For too long the Caribbean has been positioned as a place within the broader Euro-centric history of natural resource extraction and enslavement. I see this as us contributing to knowledge for future generations.”

 Recent publications by the UWI Press are ‘My Political Journey’ by Jamaica’s sixth and longest serving Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson and CATALOGUE 2019/2020 which includes the book, ‘The Blackest Thing in Slavery Was Not the Black Man’ by Brinsley Samaroo.

When asked to elaborate on cases in history which fuels his fire to lead the UWI Press in this way, Dr. Powell shared this view:

“In the narrative of colonization, emancipation is granted and not hard won by self-emancipators, our heroes, or our leaders. Culture is viewed through the lens of dominant Western ideologies and perspectives that are largely external to the Caribbean region.

 For example, in the United States, the Jamaican National Hero Marcus Garvey is considered in U.S. legal history to be a criminal. Our regional leaders such as Fidel Castro are painted as cruel irresponsible dictators, and our islands are seen as the passive playground for European colonial expansion and tourism. There is also the subject of reparations that The UWI Press fully supports and views as an essential area of publication and scholarly communication. To decolonize publishing is to promote regionally inspired research from a Caribbean-based and Caribbean diaspora-based viewpoint.

The UWI Press is under an obligation to counter the dominant Eurocentric paradigm, and to tell our stories about our regional heroes, histories, cultures, politics and environment. The UWI Press aims to preserve, publish, and promote a Caribbean-centric history, and to celebrate Caribbean struggles and the stories of women and men who shape the region.

The   second means of decolonizing publishing is to encourage scholars who live, work, teach, or write about the Caribbean to publish in the Caribbean. Publishing with The UWI Press (or other regional press) means that you share the vision. By publishing with The UWI Press, authors get the same if not superior service, peer-review, and marketing as any scholarly press.

 Authoring or purchasing UWI Press products contributes to the financial stability and future of the Press, and helps to acquire new work and train staff for the next generation of regional publishers. When an author chooses an outside press, they are effectively exporting resources and expertise that in reality is a form of neo-intellectual colonialism.”

Donna Muirhead, Marketing Manager at the Press, revealed that The UWI Press has become involved in offering training for students in publishing to increase the pool of local talent and expertise. She believes that there is much room for expanding regional publishing through careers in: book design, copyediting, marketing, finance, and law. “The UWI Press is committed to the training of the next generation of Caribbean publishing professionals,” Donna expresses energetically.

The UWI Press is the largest and oldest scholarly press in the region, boasting more than 25 years in operation.  It is a not-for-profit scholarly publisher of books of fourteen academic disciplines. It is particularly well known for its work in: Caribbean history, Caribbean studies, Caribbean literature, gender studies, education and political science. Founded in 1992, the press has over 350 books in print. Its books are peer-reviewed and approved by an editorial committee composed of local and international scholars.