Postcolonialism Flashcards
What is postcolonial theory?
Range of ides which criticise the legacy/impact of Western colonialism on non-Western cultures.
What is the relevance of postcolonial theory to Media?
It can be used to examine how Western cultures represent non-Western cultures in media text.
Define colonialism
Where one country (usually European) conquers another country (usually non-European) for the purpose of siphoning their resources for their own benefit.
What happened during colonialism?
Indigenous people were often forced to abandon their own cultural practices such as languages, and economics in favour of the coloniser’s own.
At its height in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, how powerful was the British Empire?
- Comprised 1/4 of world’s population and land
- Territories on every continent (except Antarctica): British Isles, British N. America, British W. Indies, British Guiana, British W. Africa, British E. Africa, India, N. Zealand, and Australia.
Define ‘homogenisation’
The process of making things uniform and similar.
What is the ‘homogenisation of ‘other’’?
West oft accused of perceiving non Western cultures as 1 single homogenized group, reinforced by terms like ‘the third world’.
Example of ‘homogenisation of other’
Africa is home to 1B ppl + 57 nations, all of which contain numerous social groups and cultures yet ‘Africa’ is oft used to cover all of them.
What is the ‘inherent ‘correctness’ of Western values’?
Assumption that our values are absolutely correct rather than the result of our political and economic position. Non-West have v. diff living environment to ours which is perceived as wrong, uncivilised, and invariably ‘other’.
What is the ‘exoticisation of non-Western cultures’/Orientalism?
How non-West cultures are represented oft reinforce difference + do one of 2 things: demonise; romanticise difference- exotic nature of otherness is focus eg sexually or visually exotic, or exotic found in foods + ‘strange and unusual’ sights/sounds of other cultures.
What is the ‘Myth of the White Man’s Burden’?
Idea that West intervention needed to solve non-West issues, similar to child&parent. West’s burden is to solve other culture’s issues, based on belief W. is ideologically, socioeconomically, politically ‘more advanced’.
How has the ‘Myth of the White Man’s Burden’ changed from colonial to post-colonial times?
Colonial: common belief West were obligated to rule over non-West as the West was ‘superior’. Term now applies to belief West ‘owe it’ to non-West to ensure West values/ideas can be accessed/applied.
Who is Edward Said?
Author of post-colonial criticism book ‘Orientalism’
What was Frantz Fanon’s postcolonial theory?
‘The ideological essence of colonialism is the systematic denial of all attributes of humanity of the colonised people.’
According to Frantz Fanon’s postcolonial theory, how were natives dehumanised?
Such dehumanisation was achieved by physical and mental violence by which the colonist means to impose a servile mentality upon them.
How can Frantz Fanon’s postcolonial theory of dehumanisation be applied to modern media texts?
Use of deliberate underrepresentation and/or the constant use of stereotypes to portray non-Western cultures and minorities.
What are Paul Gilroy’s postcolonial theories?
- Colonial discourses continue to inform contemporary attitudes to race and ethnicity in the postcolonial era.
- Civilizationism constructs racial hierarchies and sets up binary oppositions based on notions of otherness.
Define ‘Double Consciousness’ (Paul Gilroy)
Internal conflict felt by subordinated groups in oppressive society. Big strain on black Americans- always feel they’re looking at selves thru eyes of others; unreconciled ‘two-ness’ in black American identity.
Define ‘Diaspora’ (From Greek word for ‘Dispersion’) (Paul Gilroy)
Diaspora refers to community of ppl that migrated from their homeland. Comprises members of ethnic, cultural, linguistic, religious groups live in countries where their ancestors migrated.
Define ‘Liquidity of Identity’
Means black identity is formed by journeys across seas, not the solid ground of a home country or culture which makes identities less definitive- a culmination of ethnicities that creates something new.
Define ‘trope’
Something like an idea, phrase, or image that is often used in a particular genre -eg The “Exotic” Asian Woman.
How is a ‘trope’ different to a ‘stereotype’?
Stereotype is conventional, formulaic, oversimplified conception, opinion, or image while trope is something recurring across a genre or type of literature.
What does Paul Gilroy argue has formed racial identities?
Argued racial identities are historically constructed formed by colonisation, slavery, nationalist philosophies and consumer capitalism.
Paul Gilroy’s main ideas
- Racism created race
- Slave trade had huge cultural influence on modern US
- Diasporas not limited to national contexts; this creates “liquidity of culture”
What are the main ideas expressed in Paul Gilroy’s black Atlantic?
Delineates distinctively modern, cultural-political space- not specifically African, American, Caribbean, or British, but a hybrid mix of all of these at once.
Does Gilroy believe that black identity, being a cultural-political space rather than a specific culture, is reversible?
Sees this identity as irreversible- can be no return to place of origin; experience of slavery and displacement can never be “rewound”.
How is Paul Gilroy interested in the idea of disapora?
Particularly interested in idea of black diasporic identity - feeling of never quite belonging or being accepted in West societies even now. He focuses on African diaspora
What does Paul Gilroy mean when he says ‘Racism Created Race’?
Racism isn’t a natural phenomenon. Instead, he states racial difference/identities are the product of racial oppression, and caused by historical conflicts that have brought different groups into opposition.
How does Paul Gilroy view ‘race’ as a concept?
Makes identity of oppressors/oppressed seem fixed and uniform; racial categories are caused by human interactions so those categories are subject to change. Worldwide structures of sociopolitical life constructed under race thinking.
Define ‘Ethnic Absolutism’
Line of thinking which sees humans as part of different ethnic compartments, w/race as basis of human differentiation. Gilroy is opposed to this idea.
How does Paul Gilroy view the ‘Black Transatlantic Diaspora/Diasporic Identity’?
Groups across Atlantic share cultural practices-“single, complex unit” of black cultural practitioners due to shared history of oppression + slavery. Irreversible: slavery irrevocably changed the diasporic identity.
Why is Paul Gilroy’s work on the Transatlantic diaspora relevant?
Attempt to challenge those that see black culture as property of 1 nation eg African-Americans oft cite jazz spirituals(like gospel music) + hip-hop as first truly US culture. Both assumptions diminish complex historical and cultural origins of music.
What does Paul Gilroy argue about hip-hop as a musical genre?
Others acclaimed it as purely US form evolving out of earlier US genre. He argues it originated from Jamaican sound system culture moving to Bronx, part of bringing a new genre that developed from cultures outside US.
What does Paul Gilroy argue has been the effect of slavery on modernity and capitalism?
Modern world built on a normalised view of slavery, esp plantation slavery. Slavery only rejected when it was revealed as incompatible w/enlightened rationality + capitalist production.
In terms of British postcolonialism, what does Paul Gilrpy consider?
We need to consider Brit slavery & consider influence on history, culture and identity. But in acknowledging British slave trade as essential component to British culture caused political issues in 80s.
In the 1980s, what was the dominant representation of black Britons and why was this significant?
Dominant representation was as “external and estranged from imagined community that is nation.” Accepting role of slavery into Brit cultural identities would challenge negative stereotypes of black Brits at time + reverse “external and estranged” relationship w/nation.
Paul Gilroy and the Media
- Media’ll offer range of representations for various groups, but these are oft limited from some groups more than others.
- Dominant representations of black males, esp in US, is either a rapper, criminal or gang member, or an athlete, which serves to reinforce double consciousness of black male, that he’s nothing more than what’s in the media.
What does Paul Gilroy suggest diaspora does?
Opposes national ideologies + creates “cultural tension” which helps to create the diasporic identity but oft comes/negative experiences such as exclusion + marginalisation eg “Why don’t you just go home?”
Black immigrants who came to Britain after WW2 faced significant amounts of racism. What is the impact of this according to Historian Winston James?
Experience of racism in Britain was major factor in development of shared Caribbean identity amongst black immigrants from range of different island, class backgrounds.
State Vs. Individual: Double consciosuness
- Seeing one’s identity from a black person’s perspective (as a thinking human being).
- Seeing one’s identity from perspective of US state (as 2nd-class citizen, not entitled to same rights as others).
