Post-Colonialism

From political to cultural independence

What is it?

First of all a post-ism: a response to what had happened before (European domination around the world)

A global trend that affects the whole culture starting from the compelled countries that reached their independence

Nowadays it influences also the thought of Western society because of globalization

Two different reflections of Colonialism

Since 1947 (India) colonies gain their political independence, thus an anti-imperialistic process starts

The process doesn’t find a solution but it gradually transforms into globalization

During the 80’s it developped a new consciousness all around the world: the bonds of colonization had still persisted

The part who rejected imperialism creates a global awareness of the cultural colonization still going on

Post-colonialism has gone beyond his juxtaposition to colonialism and opens new perspectives to present problems

Cultural colonization

Globalization seems to be the problem nowadays, so everybody is interested in that process

“Orientalism” by E. Said (1978) has been the seminal book for post-colonialism

It rejected the differences between the East and the West

The East was called to be irrational part

The West was rational because it produced the dominant knowledge

The search for identity

Since the cultural domination of the West, colonies look to their identity as a possible independent way out from globalization

In a globalized system the dominant forces keep the power

During colonization European culture repressed other cultures

Identity is a longed need for people who were subjected to European domination

Racial relationship

Important matter in global relationship

Race was committed to a lot of crimes

When every ethnicity wins back his identity everybody is finally considered at the same level

It is very important to maintain peaceful relationshipsproblem of anger for the past

Also Western culture has understood the problem and tries to find a shared solution

Post-Colonialism and resistance

It develops as a resistance literature: against colonization

Nowadays Post-Colonialism is gone beyond those paradigms

It provides people with the opportunity to spread their voice

It elaborates new themes starting from the local conditions and giving local meanings

Thanks to globalization meanings can be understood all over the world

Post-Colonialism and Post-Modernism

Post-colonialism represents a consequence of the attitudes of post-modernism

Post-colonialism gives voice to marginalized people and countries

Post-colonialism is not fixed in its positions, but follows a developing process

It is spread all over society

It relies as other movements, like Feminism, on the need for everyone to express

It is innovative because it continually puts into question the assumptions of dominant culture