Transcription
So, what is post-colonialism, and why is postcolonial theory important to understand today?
Well, to begin with, the term "post-colonial" is used in two distinct ways. On the one hand, it can be used in a specific sense to refer to the period of time after a country or population group is no longer governed by a colonial power. Modern-day India, for example, gained its political independence from the colonial government of the British Raj in 1947 and thus is a historically post-colonial state.
On the other hand, the term is also used in a broader sense to refer to a huge and heterogeneous body of art, literature, and political and academic theory that addresses the long-lasting consequences of colonization, as viewed by authors and artists living in post-colonial cultures themselves. In this second sense, postcolonialism offers a critical approach to studying the socioeconomic and cultural relationship between former colonial powers and current post-colonial states, as well as reflections on how the history of colonization has transformed our identities and conditions, the ways in which we see the world around us.
A great deal of postcolonial theory is rooted in one simple observation: that despite the achievement of indigenous sovereignty in post-colonial states, the major world powers did not significantly change over the course of the 20th century, and in many cases, ex-colonial powers continue to dominate their former colonies. This is done, very generally speaking, in two ways: directly, through the control of natural resources, as well as agricultural and industrial production, and or indirectly, by influencing post-colonial education systems and controlling the culture industry, controlling the ways in which the postcolonial world is represented in media, which can have a pervasive influence not only on Western perceptions of the so-called Global South but also on how post-colonial cultures view and represent themselves.
This is an argument that you'll find, for example, in the Martiniquean political philosopher Frantz Fanon's work, particularly in *Black Skin, White Masks* and *The Wretched of the Earth*, as well as in the Palestinian-American author Edward Said's magnum opus, *Orientalism*, which was published in 1978, along with the works of Gayatri Spivak and Homi K. Bhabha. Edward Said's and Frantz Fanon's writings form what many consider to be the core of post-colonial theory, and taken together, this huge body of writing, which includes contributions from political philosophy, linguistics, sociology, feminism, critical theory, and cultural studies, works to promote new forms of inquiry into the colonial past, as well as advocating anti-colonial resistance today through cultural criticism, the promotion of post-colonial voices, and direct political action. In that sense, postcolonialism doesn't have a single founding figure but rather grew out of anti-colonial resistance in the 20th century and coalesced into an eclectic and heterogeneous body of art and literature that's essential to understand if you're interested in non-Western perspectives on issues like the history and legacy of colonialism.
So, what are some common criticisms of post-colonial theory? Well, one of the major ones, and this may sound strange, is that it's very difficult to read. A number of post-colonial thinkers, like Gayatri Spivak, were heavily influenced by postmodern literary criticism, particularly by deconstructionism and the works of Jacques Derrida. This made their writing extremely dense and full of technical jargon that's impossible to understand without also reading postmodern literary theory. That's something that a lot of people complain about, and it really does make some of the field's contexts difficult for students. That's a definite downside.
Postcolonial academics have also been criticized from the left and by non-Western scholars, like the Indian author Aijaz Ahmad, for publishing extensively, sometimes entirely, in English and neglecting to translate their work into the indigenous languages that are often spoken in post-colonial states, for example, into Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, and Yoruba. And that has sometimes called into question the political commitment of some post-colonial authors.
But the most straightened, the most pronounced criticism of postcolonialism has definitely come from the European and North American conservative movement, not just the right wing, but also traditional conservatives on the center-right. And their criticism is much the same as it is with critical theory: that post-colonial scholarship introduces a radical and anti-Western agenda into universities that aims to undermine the political and economic hegemony of the West. Now, that criticism ranges from the ridiculous, that's simply being exposed to non-Western ideas will inevitably corrupt students and destroy Western civilization, that particular argument also often comes with revisionist history and a whitewashing of the legacy of colonialism, to the somewhat more grounded observation that post-colonial literature does contain texts by anti-colonial partisans and revolutionaries who were in fact dedicated to fighting colonial ideologies and, in some cases, Western militaries. It's not as though that voice is completely absent from the literature.
Now, as an anthropologist, that doesn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, it excites me, and I hope that it does the same for you. I would encourage you to read partisan writing, look at dissident art, and listen to some alternate voices that you would never otherwise hear. Seeing yourself and your cultural history through another person's eyes can be a transformative experience, and that allows you to appreciate other cultures more deeply and, and this is critical, more holistically understand the history of your own.
So, there's much more to say about the subject, obviously, but we'll provide a few links and a short list of recommended readings in the video description below. As always, if you want a full reading list, though, you could come on over and visit us on Patreon, where we publish scripts, comprehensive reading lists, study guides, and additional written content. And, you know, if you like what we're doing here on the channel and want to become a patron of independent social science pedagogy, consider becoming one of our backers, like these very wonderful people right here. Thank you all very much. Making these videos is often difficult, and knowing that there are people out there willing to support me in doing this means the world to me. But whatever you do, don't forget: never stop learning.