In academic and social justice discussions, "unsettling" refers to the active process of challenging colonial roots and the "settled" narratives of history:
: The discomfort that arises when a decision is pending or when familiar routines are disrupted.
(PDF) Unsettling subject English in the twenty‐first century
: A feeling that one's thoughts are racing or that they are unable to concentrate due to worry.
: For many, feeling unsettled is a catalyst for "unlearning" destructive behaviors or re-evaluating one's identity and sense of self. 2. Historical and Colonial Contexts
At an individual level, being unsettled is often described as a state of restlessness or anxiety . It is characterized by: