Decolonizing Bioethics: A Normative Proposal for Contextual Universality

Today, the call to decolonize bioethics is prominent, yet its meaning and practical implications remain contested. In this article, I distinguish between two models of decolonization-strong and soft-and offer a constructive path forward. Strong decolonization seeks to reject Western-rooted bioethical principles in favor of entirely local paradigms. Soft decolonization embraces a dialogical stance, critically engaging with universal principles rather than disregarding them. While this bridges universalism and relativism, it lacks a concrete normative framework, often resulting in paralysis. I fill this gap by proposing contextual universality as a necessary framework for soft decolonization. Contextual universality is ethical reasoning that sustains universality by grounding it in lived experiences and ethical traditions. By advancing this, this article articulates a principled ethical pluralism that avoids relativism and imperialism, reconstructing decolonization not as a rejection of universality but as a shared dialogical process of remaking it.