Colonial Discourse Flashcards
Q: What is Post-colonialism as a political stance and critical practice?
A: Postcolonialism seeks to transform both the world and text, bringing new perspectives and voices from previously colonized countries while questioning identity and cultural hegemony.
Q: What are the two meanings of “Post” in Post-colonialism?
Temporal – it comes after the colonizers have left the colonized territory.
Cultural – it is a response to colonization in its aftermath, reflecting compliance, negotiation, or resistance.
Q: What role does literature play in postcolonial discourse?
A: Literature focuses on displacement, hybridity of identity, and the deliberate impurity of language, genre, and style.
Q: Why should Classics interact with Postcolonialism?
Interacts with broader humanities discourse (e.g., feminism).
Evolves with new audiences.
Has a stake in postcolonial analysis due to its involvement in both imperialist movements and resistance movements.
Q: What is the significance of the Elgin Marbles in the context of colonialism?
A: The Elgin Marbles represent Britain’s competition for classical heritage during imperialism, helping to establish cultural identity and British patriotism while defending the empire’s right to possess classical objects. Became a metonym for other kinds of possesion.
Q: What was the role of Classics in colonial and postcolonial African education?
A: Western education, including Greek and Latin, was imposed during colonization, promoting “Western Civilization” while downgrading African traditions. However, some postcolonial institutions, like Malawi’s Kamuzu Academy, used Classics to assert control and reject colonial educational impositions.
Q: How does Classics serve as a tool for maintaining or questioning Empire?
A: Classics, with its weight of tradition and authority, can be used to reinforce imperial power or, alternatively, to question it, particularly in the postcolonial context.
Q: What is the classical tradition’s movement through time?
A: The classical tradition is often seen as either naturally pushing forward through time or being pulled by external forces that use it to serve their own purposes.
