New Books in Critical Theory Joshua Castellino, "Calibrating Colonial Crime: Reparations and The Crime of Unjust Enrichment" (Policy Press, 2025)
Nov 4, 2025
Joshua Castellino, a Professor of international law at Brunel University, discusses his book on reparations and the legacy of colonial crimes. He explores the legal hurdles in addressing historical injustices and proposes a new concept of 'unjust enrichment' for reclaiming wealth. Castellino links colonial extraction to the climate crisis and emphasizes indigenous custodianship in conservation efforts. He suggests systemic alternatives to sovereign states for tackling these issues and critiques the incomplete nature of UN decolonization.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
International Law As The Correct Lens
- International law frames how colonial legacies persist and should be the primary lens for redress.
- Joshua Castellino argues legal structures hardwire injustices that continue to block equitable futures.
Three Hardwired Colonial Structures
- Colonial systems normalized sovereign states, fixed territoriality, and extractive economies worldwide.
- Those three hardwired elements still shape political and economic failures in post-colonial societies.
Nama and Herero Conversations Spark Typology
- Discussions with Nama and Herero communities in Namibia revealed recurring patterns of colonial violence and systemic theft.
- Castellino used those local encounters to build a global typography of colonial crimes called the seven deadly sins.
