From linguistic epistemicide to pluriversal security: re-theorizing community and well-being through chichewa proverbs
International Relations (IR) theory, mostly expressed in English, acts as a ‘colonial dictionary’ that enforces Western ontological and epistemological frameworks, leading to epistemicide and limiting global thought. This paper argues that a genuine Pluriversal IR must actively incorporate non-English linguistic systems to access alternative worldviews. Through a decolonial analysis of key Chichewa concepts—mtendere (holistic peace), umunthu (relational humanity), and mphamvu (life-force)—we uncover a Malawian philosophical foundation for rethinking core IR principles.