Colonialism and Post-Colonial Literary Criticism

Summary

The lecture by Professor Arthur Hawkins covers the distinctions between colonialism and imperialism, highlighting their differences in origin and application. Colonialism involves settlers transferring to new territories, while imperialism refers to commanding control over another nation. The lecture also delves into post-colonial theory, influenced by Edward Said's 'Orientalism,' which critiques how Western perspectives shaped knowledge about non-European peoples. Post-colonial critics explore the lingering effects of colonialism, examining identity, resistance, and the interplay of power in literature. The lecture concludes with questions encouraging further exploration of post-colonial themes in literature and culture.

Takeaways

• 📜 Colonialism is defined as a practice of domination involving the subjugation of one group by another, often through settlement.
• 🌍 The difference between colonialism and imperialism lies in their etymology and methods; colonialism typically involves settlement, while imperialism involves exerting power over another region without settlement.
• 🏛️ In the 19th century, there was a tension between liberalism and colonialism, where some philosophers defended colonialism under the guise of a 'civilizing mission.'
• 📚 Edward Said's work, particularly his book 'Orientalism,' played a significant role in post-colonial studies, analyzing how the West created distorted knowledge about the East.
• 💡 Orientalism refers to a set of concepts, assumptions, and practices used to interpret and evaluate non-European cultures, which reinforced imperialism.
• 📖 Post-colonial critics deconstruct texts to understand how they reflect and reinforce colonial and imperial projects.
• 🔍 Post-colonial criticism interrogates universal categories like capitalism and democracy, questioning their roles in perpetuating colonial oppression.
• 🌱 Post-colonial critics explore how colonization impacted both colonized peoples and colonizers, including issues of identity, education, and resistance.
• 🧠 Post-colonial criticism also investigates how cultural differences, such as race, religion, and gender, shape perceptions of identity and societal structures.
• 📝 Contemporary post-colonial critics apply their analysis to various literary works, such as 'Dracula,' examining how they support or challenge imperialist narratives.

Q & A

What is colonialism, according to the professor's definition?

Colonialism is defined as a practice of domination that involves the subjugation of one people by another. It typically involves the transfer of a population to a new territory where they live as permanent settlers while maintaining political allegiance to their country of origin.

How does colonialism differ from imperialism?

While both colonialism and imperialism involve political and economic control over dependent territories, colonialism specifically involves the settlement of people in the new territory, whereas imperialism refers to a broader exercise of power over another country, which may not involve settlement.

What is the etymological difference between the terms 'colonialism' and 'imperialism'?

The term 'colonialism' comes from the Latin word 'colonia,' meaning farmer, emphasizing settlement, while 'imperialism' comes from the Latin term 'imperium,' meaning to command, indicating broader forms of control or dominance.

What argument did 19th-century Western philosophers use to justify colonialism?

They used the 'civilizing mission' argument, which suggested that colonial rule was necessary to help 'uncivilized' societies develop and reach a point where they could sustain liberal institutions and self-government.

Who is Edward Said, and what was his contribution to post-colonial theory?

Edward Said was a leading figure in post-colonial studies. His book 'Orientalism' applied Michel Foucault's discourse analysis to the production of knowledge about the Middle East. Said's work examined how Western knowledge and representations of the 'Orient' reinforced imperialist power structures.

What is 'Orientalism,' according to Edward Said?

Orientalism refers to a structured set of concepts, assumptions, and practices used to produce and interpret knowledge about non-European peoples. It also describes how the West defines itself by creating a stable depiction of its 'other,' the East, often through binary oppositions like rational vs. irrational or order vs. chaos.

What is the role of a post-colonial critic?

A post-colonial critic examines literary and historical texts to uncover how they reproduce logics of subordination and reflect imperialist ideologies. They also question universal categories like capitalism, democracy, and liberalism, especially in the context of colonized societies.

What are some key questions post-colonial critics ask when analyzing literary texts?

Post-colonial critics ask questions like: How does the text represent colonial oppression? What does it reveal about post-colonial identity, including issues like double consciousness and hybridity? How are the 'other' or 'stranger' described and treated in the text?

How does post-colonial criticism engage with concepts of race, gender, and class?

Post-colonial critics examine how race, gender, class, and other cultural differences shape individual identity and perceptions. They analyze how these factors operate within colonial and post-colonial contexts to either perpetuate or challenge systems of power.

What is the significance of post-colonial identity after decolonization?

Post-colonial identity refers to the lasting impact of colonialism on a society's culture, education, and self-perception, even after formal decolonization. Critics examine how colonial legacies continue to influence post-colonial societies and explore the extent to which true decolonization has been possible.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Colonialism and Imperialism

In this paragraph, Professor Arthur Hawkins introduces the concept of post-colonial theory, beginning with a foundational explanation of colonialism. Colonialism is defined as the practice of domination, where one group subjugates another. He distinguishes between colonialism and imperialism, highlighting that while both involve political and economic control, they have different historical roots. Colonialism often includes the physical relocation of people to new territories, while imperialism emphasizes command or control over distant lands without necessarily settling them. The historical tension between liberalism and colonialism in the 19th century is introduced, focusing on how even proponents of universal values justified colonialism through ideas like the ‘civilizing mission’.

05:01

🌍 Edward Said and Orientalism

This section delves into post-colonial studies, particularly through the work of Edward Said and his influential book *Orientalism*. Said’s work is recognized for applying Michel Foucault’s discourse analysis to the production of knowledge about the Middle East. *Orientalism* is identified as a set of concepts and practices that produce and evaluate knowledge about non-European peoples, emphasizing how these representations reinforced imperialist agendas. Said shows how knowledge was used to justify European domination by presenting the East as the ‘other.’ Orientalism became a way for the West to define itself by contrasting its characteristics with those it projected onto Eastern societies.

10:04

🔎 Analyzing Post-Colonial Criticism

The paragraph explores the questions and methods used by post-colonial critics to deconstruct literature. It discusses how critics investigate colonial oppression, post-colonial identity, and cultural differences. Key topics include how texts reflect or reinforce imperialist ideologies and how personal and cultural identities evolve in post-colonial contexts. Critics pay attention to representations of race, gender, and class, as well as how Western texts may silence or distort the experiences of colonized peoples. Questions related to the relationship between colonial powers and their former colonies are central to understanding these texts from a post-colonial lens.

15:05

🏛️ Post-Colonial Legacies and Resistance

This section focuses on the aftermath of colonialism and the ongoing impact of colonial education, science, and technology on post-colonial societies. It raises critical questions about the extent of decolonization and whether societies can truly escape colonial influence. Topics include the persistence of colonial legacies, resistance movements, and how colonization affected both the colonized and the colonizers. It also questions whether modern imperialism continues to replace older forms of colonialism and explores the role of translation in post-colonial theory.

20:08

🧛 Post-Colonial Criticism of Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Professor Hawkins concludes the lecture by applying post-colonial criticism to Bram Stoker’s *Dracula*, a novel set in the Victorian era. He explains how Victorian readers could relate to the historical themes of the novel, even as it features fantastical elements. Post-colonial critics argue that the novel's historical meaning is both temporal and spatial, reflecting imperialist narratives. The text serves to reinforce colonial power structures by casting events and history in a progressive, pro-colonial light. The paragraph also lists key texts in post-colonial criticism, encouraging students to apply these ideas to other literary works.

Keywords

💡Colonialism

Colonialism refers to the practice of domination and control of one group of people by another, typically through the establishment of colonies. In the video, colonialism is described as involving the transfer of population to new territories, where settlers dominate the native inhabitants while maintaining political allegiance to their country of origin. It is central to post-colonial theory as it forms the foundation of the societal structures and relationships critiqued by the theory.

💡Imperialism

Imperialism, while similar to colonialism, focuses more broadly on the exercise of power by one nation over another, through settlement, sovereignty, or indirect control. The term comes from the Latin word 'Imperium,' meaning 'to command.' The script highlights the slight distinction between colonialism and imperialism, where the former often involves direct settlement, and the latter might involve control without significant settlement.

💡Civilizing Mission

The 'civilizing mission' is a concept used to justify colonialism and imperialism by claiming that colonizers were bringing civilization, democracy, and progress to 'uncivilized' societies. The script points out that 19th-century philosophers argued that the colonized needed temporary political dependence to advance to the point of self-government, despite the ethical contradictions with liberal values. This concept is key in understanding the ideological justification for colonial practices.

💡Post-colonial Theory

Post-colonial theory is a critical framework that examines the effects of colonialism on cultures and societies. It explores how colonial power dynamics continue to shape relationships and identities even after the formal end of colonization. The script delves into how post-colonial critics deconstruct literary and historical texts to uncover how they reinforce imperialist ideologies, often by challenging universal concepts such as democracy, capitalism, and liberalism.

💡Orientalism

Orientalism, a term popularized by Edward Said, refers to the Western portrayal and interpretation of Eastern societies, often in ways that reflect and reinforce imperialist attitudes. In the script, Orientalism is explained as a structured set of ideas that Western scholars use to depict the 'Orient' as irrational, chaotic, and fundamentally different from the West. Said's work in post-colonial theory deconstructs these representations to reveal the power dynamics embedded within them.

💡Double Consciousness

Double consciousness refers to the internal conflict experienced by colonized people as they attempt to reconcile their identity in relation to both their native culture and the imposed culture of the colonizers. The script touches on this concept in discussing post-colonial identity, where colonized individuals may experience a split between personal and cultural identities. This is a key concept in understanding the psychological impact of colonization on identity formation.

💡Hybridity

Hybridity in post-colonial theory describes the blending of colonized and colonizer cultures, resulting in new, mixed identities. The script alludes to this when discussing the impact of colonialism on personal and cultural identity, where individuals and societies must navigate the complexities of having multiple cultural influences. Hybridity challenges the idea of a pure or singular identity and highlights the fluidity of post-colonial identities.

💡Knowledge and Power

The relationship between knowledge and power is a key theme in post-colonial theory, especially in the work of Edward Said. The script discusses how Western knowledge production, particularly about the 'Orient,' was often intertwined with the exercise of imperial power. Post-colonial critics examine how the creation of knowledge about colonized peoples served to legitimize and maintain colonial domination.

💡Resistance

Resistance refers to the various ways in which colonized peoples opposed colonial control, both during and after colonization. The script mentions how post-colonial critics study forms of anti-colonial resistance and the lasting impact of colonial practices on the colonized. Resistance can take many forms, from armed rebellion to cultural and intellectual defiance, and is a central focus of post-colonial analysis.

💡Decolonization

Decolonization refers to the process of undoing colonial influences and gaining independence from colonial rule. However, as the script points out, even after formal independence, the legacies of colonialism continue to shape post-colonial societies. Post-colonial theory questions the extent to which true decolonization has been achieved, considering the ongoing influence of colonial education, science, and culture on formerly colonized nations.

Highlights

Definition of colonialism as a practice of domination involving subjugation of one people to another.

Difficulty in distinguishing colonialism from imperialism.

Etymology of 'colony' and 'imperium' to differentiate colonialism and imperialism.

Colonialism involves the transfer of population to a new territory with political allegiance to the origin country.

Imperialism focuses on one country exercising power over another through various control mechanisms.

Western domination of eastern, southern, and northern lands through colonial practices.

19th-century tension between liberal thought and colonial practice.

Philosophers defending universalism while also supporting colonialism and imperialism.

The civilizing mission of the West as a justification for colonialism.

Challenges to colonial and imperial practices by philosophers, thinkers, writers, and academics.

Edward Said's influence on post-colonial studies through his book 'Orientalism'.

Orientalism as a set of concepts, assumptions, and practices used to produce knowledge about non-European peoples.

Post-colonial critics deconstructing texts to understand imperialist projects.

Post-colonial critics interrogating universal categories like capitalism, class, rationality, and democracy.

Questions post-colonial critics ask while reading literary texts.

Impact of colonization on both the colonized and the colonizers.

Legacy of colonial education, science, and technology in post-colonial societies.

Forms of resistance against colonial control and the refusal of colonial authority.

Influence of Western science, technology, and medicine on existing knowledge systems.

Emergent forms of post-colonial identity after the departure of colonizers.

Role of translation in post-colonial theory.

Post-colonial reading of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' as an example.

Recommended readings for understanding post-colonial criticism.

Study questions for further exploration of post-colonial theory.

Transcripts

hello everyone this is your professor

Arthur Hawkins speaking so far we have

talked about and read about various

schools of criticism and today we will

be talking about post-colonial theory in

order to understand post-colonial theory

first we have to have a sound

understanding of colonialism

now colonialism by definition is a

practice of domination which involves

the subjugation of one people to another

one of the difficulties in defining

colonialism is that it is hard to

distinguish it from imperialism

now colonialism and imperialism may

sound like they are very similar and

oftentimes these two concepts are

treated as though they are synonyms

however there is a slight difference

that makes colonialism and imperialism

separate entities yes like colonialism

imperialism also involves political and

economic control over a dependent

territory the etymology of the two terms

however provides some clues about how

they different

the term colony comes from the latin

word cologne meaning farmer this route

reminds us that the practice of

colonialism usually involved the

transfer of population to a new

territory where the arrivals lived as

permanent settlers while maintaining

political allegiance to their country of

origin that is to say when we talk about

colonialism we talk about a group of

people being moved to another territory

who in return dominated that particular

territory for their country of origin

now imperialism on the other hand comes

from the Latin term Imperium meaning to

command thus the term imperialism draws

attention to the way that one country

exercises power over another whether

through settlement sovereignty or

indirect mechanisms of control

now how did the Western people dominate

the eastern southern northern far

eastern lands now you all know the story

of of the the British or Portuguese or

Spaniards moving into the far corners of

the Americas similar to that in the 19th

century the tension between liberal

thought and colonial practice became

particularly acute as the women of

Europe over the rest of the world reach

its zenith ironically

in the same period when most political

philosophers began to defend the

principles of universalism and echo

volte the same individual still defended

the legitimacy of colonialism and

imperialism that is to say many

philosophers who lived in the 19th

century although they appeared to be

defenders of universalism equal T and so

on they still defended the values and

practices operated through colonialism

and imperialism

well how did they do that well one way

of reconciling those apparently opposed

principles was the argument known as the

civilizing mission of the West which

suggested that a temporary period of

political dependence or tutelage was

necessary in order for in order for the

uncivilized societies to advance to the

point where they were capable of

sustaining liberal institutions and

self-government that is to say in order

to justify their colonial and imperial

hopes and willingness these philosophers

and politicians of the West suggested

that they were colonizing and Imperial

izing let's say African countries in

order to bring them happiness democracy

self-government and so forth well such

evil and practice was challenged by

numerous philosophers thinkers writers

researchers and academics among whom and

word Saheed is the leading one now the

field of post-colonial studies was

influenced mainly by Edward cites tough

breaking book titled Orientalism in

Orientalism cite applied Misha fucose

technique of discourse analysis to the

production of knowledge about the Middle

East the term Orientalism described as

structured set of concepts assumptions

and discursive practices that were used

to produce interpret and evaluate

knowledge about non-european peoples

science analysis made it possible for

scholars to deconstruct literary and

historical texts

in order to understand how they

reflected and reinforced the imperialist

project by a lark

although my previous studies that focus

on the economic or political logics of

colonialism

Syed's work drew attention to the

relationship between knowledge and power

Orientalism hence can be seen as an

attempt to extend the geographical and

historical terrain of the

post-structuralist critique of Western

epistemology so what is Orientalism and

its functions

Sayid uses the term Orientalism in

several different ways

first Orientalism is a specific field of

academic study about the Middle East and

Africa albeit one that Syed conceives

quite extensively to income-tax history

sociology literature of the apology and

especially philology he also identifies

it as a practice that helps define

Europe by creating a stable depiction of

its other its constitutive outside that

is to say people from the West has a

certain way of looking at those people

from the east and this is this view is

transferred onto the eastern people who

start to see themselves from the lenses

of the West

Orientalism is a way of characterizing

Europe by drawing a contrasting image or

idea based on a series of binary

opposition's for instance the West being

rational

focusing on the mind demanding order

whereas the east being irrational

focusing on the body and living in chaos

now finally Sayid emphasizes that it is

also a mode of exercising authority by

organizing and classifying knowledge

about the Orient what does a

post-colonial critic do contemporary

literary theorists who identified

themselves as post-colonial critics have

drawn attention to practices of

representation that reproduce a logic of

subordination that endures even after

former colonies gained independence

furthermore they deconstructed literary

and historical texts in order to

understand how those texts reflected and

reinforced imperialist projects

well in addition to these post-colonial

critics started to interrogate universal

categories such as capitalism class

rationality objectivity democracy and

liberalism

they question these categories by paying

special attention to how each changes

the content and form of the colonised

finally a post-colonial critic would

look at how notions such as democracy

and liberalism perpetuates the

conditions of colonialism and

imperialism while during these

post-colonial critics ask certain

questions while reading literary texts

according to Tyson such questions

include how does the literary text

explicit newer allegorically represent

various aspects of colonial oppression

furthermore what does the text reveal

about the problematics of post-colonial

identity including the relationship

between personal and cultural identity

and such issues as double consciousness

and hybridity

what persons or groups does the work

identify as other or stranger or at

times weird awkward how are such persons

groups described and treated in those

texts furthermore how does the text

reveal about the politics and or

psychology of anti-colonialist

resistance

what about the cultural difference

post-colonial critics asked for instance

what are the texts reveal about the

operations of cultural difference the

ways in which race religion class gender

sexual orientation cultural beliefs and

customs combine to form individual

identity in shaping our perceptions of

ourselves others and the world in which

we live how does the text respond to our

comment upon the characters feelings or

assumptions of a canonized colonized

colonialist work are there meaningful

similarities among the literature's of

different post-colonial populations

how does a literally checks in the

Western Canada

reinforce or undermine colonialist

ideology through its representation of

colonization and/or it's inappropriate

silence about colonized peoples now

these were and have been important

questions that have been asked by

post-colonial critics there are many

other questions to be asked as well

among which the following was were the

most important how did the experience of

colonization affect those who were

colonized while also influencing the

colonizers or how where colonial powers

able to gain control over so large a

portion of the non-western world

including such countries like India

China Thailand and many African

countries by and large what traces have

been left by colonial education science

and technology in post-colonial

societies and what were the forms of

resistance against colonial control how

did in other terms

the colonize refused that colonial

control

how did colonial education and language

influence the culture and identity of

the colonized how did Western science

technology and medicine change existing

knowledge systems and what are the

emergent forms of post-colonial identity

after the departure of the colonizers

that is to say yes we're certain extent

officially at least the United Kingdom

start colonizing India but for many

years of their insistence on their land

and they still left legacies behind

which affected and still affect Indians

living in that region to what extent has

decolonization that is to say a

reconstruction free from colonial

influence being possible that is to say

after being so many years of

colonization chain at the colonize

feel free and go back to basics again

how do gender race and class function in

colonial and postcolonial discourse are

new forms of imperialism are replacing

colonization and huh and finally what is

the role of translation in post-colonial

theory now to set an example I will

provide a post-colonial reading of Bram

Stoker's Dracula now smart and

Hutchinson's funnier Bram Stoker's

Dracula shows that the novel's

historical meaning is familiar to most

Victorians that is to say because the

text was written during Victorian age

many Victorians could understand the

text and relate to it because of its

historical reality although it is

considered to be a gothic piece of work

in which various fantastic or awkward

unreal elements exist now in their

critical

application smart and Hutchison have

found that all of the characters

attempts to tell the story failed to

bring order and sense to a world which

is turned upside down

second the rereading of the novel shows

that these various ways of telling

history fail because the real story in

drapala is leader historical door

temporal it is spatial logged and

preserved in cultural memory which the

principles of Stoker story are

continuously enjoined ignore or forget

thus Imperial narratives they argue

whether historical or fictional are

arrangements of detail and events to

serve a purpose

testing events and their causes into a

progressive chronology which argues for

the greater good of the colonial

enterprise there are other books or

works that should be read in order to

understand post-colonial criticism any

word sides

Orientalism Kamau broth White's hid the

history of the voice there at least

p-box

in other worlds essays in cultural

politics Dominique like operas the

bounds of race perspectives on hegemony

and resistance and homey Baba's the

location of culture

well we can also suggest an application

you can read the poem titled the African

burial ground study it from a

post-colonial perspective by using 1/2

or some of the questions proposed by

post-colonial critics the poet's name is

Yusef Komunyakaa and he is from M

country which was colonized that is to

say by reading the content of this poem

and asking finally questions set by

post-colonial critics we can apply

post-colonial criticism into our reading

of a poem

there are also some study questions

while answering these questions you may

have a look at this following link

provided by Stanford University now

these study questions are what is the

difference between colonialism and

imperialism find out write an example

for colonialism and one for imperialism

how does imperialism work what do power

holders do to control relatively weaker

ones what sorts of arguments were

proposed by some 19th century thinkers

who justify and legitimize their

colonial and imperial intentions what

was it with science major contribution

to post-colonial studies summarize his

ideas on Orientalism as briefly as

possible and explain in your own words

what a post-colonial critic actually

does and here are the references I used

while preparing this lecture and

PowerPoint slides for you

thank you