Postcolonial Studies Flashcards
Colonial desire
The Idea of colonialism is closely related to sexuality -> sexual language (penetrate)
sexualized exoticism -> the others sexuality is both threatening and alluring (sexual exoticism)
in the colonized country the colonizer may live out their sexuality without consequences
Colonial Discourse
System of statements that regulate knowledge and beliefs about colonialism -> shapes both knowledge and beliefs
Colonial Ideology
establishes hegemony
can be seen in representations
basis: europe as central modern, supiriour, culturally supreme -> Eurocentrism
violent hierarchy between colonizer and colonized Othering colonized as primitive, immature, underdeveloped
conceals the benefits of colonization & produces instead paternalist and moralist discourses of “civilizing mission” and “progress”
Hybridity (Bhabha)
new transcultural Identities produced by colonization -> fusion of two cultural Identities
identity as fluid and changing (not fixed)
Mimicry (Bhabha)
Colonized trying to imitate colonizers (language, behaviour)
almost the same but not quiet -> no perfect imitation otherwise there would be no need for othering
desire to be accepted by colonizer
reflects a distorted image of empire to colonizers
turns to mockery
Imperialism
ideology behind colonialism
Colonialism
practice of creating actual colonies (scramble for Africa)
consequence of imperialism
especially practiced my european powers
Discourse (Foucault)
system of statement within which the world can be known & by which dominant groups in society constitute the field of truthby imposing specific knowledges, disciplines and Values upon dominated groups
Discourse produces knowledge which is a tool of
Ideology
system of ideas and mechanisms that interpellates subjects & maintain social and economic hierarchy, relations of power and hegemony
Postcolonialism (temporality)
then: period after colonization, decolonization
now: anti- or postcolonialism
now yet present: persistence of colonialism
problems with the when of Postcolonilism
ongoing practices of colonialism (GB -> virgin islands)
neocolonialism (labour, capitalism)
Where is Colonialism
formerly colonized areas (by europeans)
Problems with the where of colonization
What about the USA/Ireland
migrationand international colonisation
countries that are affected but not colonized (China, middle east)
Orientalism
Discourse that produced a body of knowledge about the east, that was articulated in the interest of western power
discourse of domination
How is the orient (and other media) represented in the western world
Orientalism Stereotypes
based on binary oppositions
- timeless (nothing changes vs. modern europe
- strange bizarre (vs. rational europe)
- feminine (passive, submissive vs. masculine active europe
- degenerate ( lazy, lustful)
Problems with Said
homogenizes, ignores resistance and gender differences
neo-orientalism
refers to western representation of islamic world
The “Orient” according to said
a european invention/a western projection
object of colonial fantasies and desires
an ideological construct based on binary oppositions & stereotypes
a reflection of the west (produced the orient AND the west
Bhabha
colonial discourse is an apparatus of power. It creates and fixes difference to justify conquest
-> unstable because stereotypes need constant repetition
ambivalence of Colonial Discourse
ambivalent:
relationship between colonizer and colonized
colonial subject identities. Roles are never fixed, but nead to be repeated and reinforced
between mimicry & mockery
ambivalence unsettles/treatens colonial authority & power
Postcolonial critique
focuses on:
oppression that continues in the contemporary world
neocolonialism
decenters the intellectual sovereignty & dominance of the “west” and highlights different forms of histories
Neocolonialism
Continuing economic hegemony. The postcolonial state remains in a situation of dependence and the former colonizers continue to act in a colonist manner
