Conversation on sociolinguistics, decolonisation, news selection and the question of whether conflict is inevitable.
University lecturer Sibo Kanobana (Open University, Cultural Studies) lives in Ghent, grew up in Brussels, and approaches language as a sociolinguist: he studies how language functions within society. His work focuses on multilingualism, the status of languages, systemic and structural racism, and decolonisation. In this conversation, he explains how “whiteness” functions as an order, why silenced histories matter, and how imagination can help us move beyond a deterministic view of humanity.
Who is Sibo Kanobana?
“I’m Sibo Kanobana. I’m a university lecturer in Cultural Studies at the Open University. My background is in sociolinguistics: I don’t primarily study grammar or spelling, but the social functioning of language. Which languages are given prestige? Which languages are seen as a ‘problem’ — for example, in education? Those dynamics interest me, especially in relation to racism and the colonial past and present.”
Cultural Studies, he explains, is concerned with the symbols through which we give meaning to the world: language, art, religion and traditions. “I want to understand how those symbols play a role in inequality.”
“Language and culture are symbols we use to give meaning to the world.”
What Drives Him?
“Injustice. We see inequalities with deep historical roots. Even though laws exist, these inequalities persist. Take racism: it is prohibited, but try proving that you have been a victim of it. The explanations and justifications for inequality change over time, yet the effects remain remarkably stable. That is the mechanism I want to understand.”
‘White Order’: A Working Definition
Kanobana introduces the concept of the white order, which is also the title of his book. He deliberately uses the words white and order.
- Whiteness is not simply about skin colour. His point is not about policing terminology, but about distinguishing physical characteristics from ideology: the values and assumptions we attach to those characteristics — intelligent/stupid, clean/dirty, rational/irrational, and so on — including accent, clothing and language use.
- Order refers to structure and systems, not individual guilt. “We all participate in that order — including people who are not white. You learn to meet certain expectations in order to gain trust; you hide certain parts of yourself so that you do not provoke fear. This is not about counting which individuals have privilege. It is about rights that everyone should have — such as being given the benefit of the doubt.”
Personal Experience
Kanobana grew up in an environment where politics and racism were discussed openly. “We were taught: you have to be twice as good as average.” That pressure shapes you.
“I don’t want to have to justify my presence here. I want to be recognised for who I am — and for people to acknowledge that my story is connected to the history of this country and this continent: ‘I am here because you were there.’”
The genocide in Rwanda also affected him personally and became part of his search for understanding.
Silenced Histories
De bastaards van onze kolonie (The Bastards of Our Colony, 2010, with Kathleen Gekiere) focuses on the silenced stories of children born from relationships between white Belgian men and African women in Congo, Rwanda and Burundi.
“After independence, many of those children were placed in boarding schools or adopted in Belgium — in silence. Their stories only came to light much more recently, partly through archival research.”
In Zwarte bladzijde (Black Page), he rereads colonial literature — including texts that were popular at the time but later became uncomfortable or unacceptable — together with readers of African origin. The aim is to make visible a shared history of which large parts have been hidden away.
Access, Credibility and Being Overburdened
Kanobana completed his doctorate at the age of forty.
“After that, my credibility within the ‘white’ mainstream changed. Being affiliated with a university opened doors that had previously remained closed.”
Since Black Lives Matter in 2020, demand for voices such as his has increased considerably — creating opportunities, but also the risk of being overburdened. Publicly engaging with the backlash against “woke” ideas takes considerable energy.
War, Imagination and Bias in Knowledge
“There is war in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Congo… At the same time, you hear people saying that historically, things have never been better. I reject the deterministic story that says ‘human beings are simply violent by nature’.”
He points to bias in both news coverage and historiography. We tend to preserve and recount “major” events — wars, monuments and kings. Peaceful periods leave fewer visible traces and therefore receive less attention.
“Look at regions without mass graves or monumental buildings — why do we tell so few stories about those places? That kind of data stimulates the imagination: long periods of harmony and care do not fit easily into our news logic, but they did exist.”
His argument is that we need imagination to escape fatalism and to envision other possibilities.
Stories, Voices and Media
Racism is also about which stories we select and which voices we silence. Social media brings many problems, but at the same time it creates space for new perspectives through podcasts, YouTube and other platforms.
“Don’t call it ‘polarisation’; call it friction. We learn at that edge. It is difficult, but it can lead to more nuanced and pluriversal knowledge — as long as we continue to recognise each other’s humanity.”
Message to Students, Policymakers and the Public
“Enter into conversation — including with people you think you have ‘nothing’ in common with. Be honest about what you don’t know. People recognise that vulnerability and are more likely to forgive your misunderstandings.”
A Practical Attitude: Give People the Benefit of the Doubt
“Give everyone the benefit of the doubt. There are difficult days and toxic moments, but people are more than a single behaviour or a single bad day. The impact of actions matters, but if you begin from the assumption that someone did not act with malicious intent, it becomes easier to remain in dialogue.”
This does not mean that victims should carry all the responsibility. Those who fit comfortably within dominant social norms also have work to do — and can see this as an opportunity to learn.
“That also applies to professionals who hold power, such as police officers. Their behaviour is partly shaped by the same media and narratives that influence all of us. By creating awareness and allowing room for doubt, we can prevent self-fulfilling prophecies.”
Conclusion
More stories. More perspectives. Less determinism. And above all, more imagination to think beyond familiar paths.
That, according to Sibo Kanobana, is the route towards better knowledge and a more inclusive society.
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