South –South Knowledge Production and Hegemony: Searching for Africa in Chinese Theories of IR

The authors argue that while mainstream IR marginalizes the Global South through 'Othering' (exclusion based on difference), some Global South IR scholarship—specifically from China—employs 'Selving' (inclusion based on imagined sameness). By analyzing 234 articles from China-based journals between 2010 and 2020, the study finds that Chinese IR often represents Africa as a partner in a 'community with a shared future,' yet this narrative frequently positions China's own development experience as the leading model for African states. This process of 'Selving' creates a new hierarchy where African perspectives are silenced or subsumed under Chinese experiences, effectively replacing Western epistemic hegemony with a China-centric one rather than achieving true pluralization of the discipline.

• Mainstream IR scholarship typically marginalizes the Global South through 'Othering,' a process that defines the non-Western world as an excluded 'Other' to confirm Western superiority.
• The authors introduce 'Selving' as a mechanism of epistemic hegemony based on inclusion and perceived sameness rather than exclusion, often used in Global South solidarity rhetoric.
• In China-based IR, 'Selving' manifests as a narrative where China's postcolonial and developmental experiences are presented as applicable to other developing states, which can silence African voices.
• Analysis of China-based academic journals (2010-2020) reveals a significant underrepresentation of Africa in IR theorizing, particularly in English-language publications where Africa is often mentioned only as a background for Chinese interventions.
• Chinese IR concepts such as 'relationality,' 'moral realism,' and 'Tianxia' are presented as alternatives to Eurocentric IR, but may establish a 'new hegemony' by centering Chinese perspectives.
• The 'community with a shared future' discourse often frames China as the world's largest developing country whose developmental path serves as a model for Africa.
• Some scholars identify a 'harmonious racism' in China's African engagement, where a discourse of friendship masks a lack of respect for local customs and a posture of benevolence that exploits the other.

APA

Carrozza, I., & Benabdallah, L. (n.d.). South –South Knowledge Production and Hegemony: Searching for Africa in Chinese Theories of IR. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/6f5d5405-06da-4859-8cc0-cda4fa5ea072/Carrozza and Benabdallah_ISR_2022.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Carrozza, Ilaria, and Lina Benabdallah. South –South Knowledge Production and Hegemony: Searching for Africa in Chinese Theories of IR. Peace Research Institute Oslo, n.d. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/6f5d5405-06da-4859-8cc0-cda4fa5ea072/Carrozza and Benabdallah_ISR_2022.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Carrozza |first1=Ilaria |last2=Benabdallah |first2=Lina |title=South –South Knowledge Production and Hegemony: Searching for Africa in Chinese Theories of IR |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/6f5d5405-06da-4859-8cc0-cda4fa5ea072/Carrozza and Benabdallah_ISR_2022.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{carrozzandsouth, author = {Carrozza, Ilaria and Benabdallah, Lina}, title = {{South –South Knowledge Production and Hegemony: Searching for Africa in Chinese Theories of IR}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/6f5d5405-06da-4859-8cc0-cda4fa5ea072/Carrozza and Benabdallah_ISR_2022.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }