Decolonization of mycology and relational epistemology

The text analyzes the process of decolonizing mycology, moving beyond symbolic changes in vocabulary toward a critique of power and knowledge structures. The author distinguishes taxonomy from nomenclature, pointing out that scientific names serve as permanent identifiers, meaning their change carries a specific informational cost. The article references the 2024 International Botanical Congress decisions regarding the removal of racist terms, illustrating the conflict between the need for data stability and the necessity of eliminating symbolic violence. A key theme is also the marginalization of indigenous knowledge systems in favor of Western publication standards, which leads to the loss of valuable ecological and cultural information embedded in local names of organisms.