Postcolonialism and Imperialism

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Questions and Answers

What kind of processes were triggered by the struggles of previously subjugated individuals?

Only social

Only economic

Only political

Political, economic, and cultural (correct)

What did previously subjugated individuals seek to assert control over?

Only territorial boundaries

Only their language and history

Territorial boundaries, language, and history (correct)

None of the above

What is the term postcolonialism sometimes used to refer to?

The struggles of indigenous peoples in the early 21st century (correct)

The struggles of decolonized territories in the 1970s

The history of imperialism in the 19th and 20th centuries

The legacy of the Enlightenment

What was denied to indigenous peoples at the time?

The modest gains extended by the United Nations Signup and view all the answers

How would you describe the history of imperialism?

Complex and varied Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the central themes of postcolonial scholarship?

The persistence of empire and resistance to it Signup and view all the answers

What has been used to criticize the injustices of societies and imperialism itself?

Theoretical tools provided by the Enlightenment Signup and view all the answers

What informed the political and economic practices of imperialism throughout the 19th and 20th centuries?

Both A and B Signup and view all the answers

What is postcolonialism often used to describe?

The historical period or state of affairs representing the aftermath of Western colonialism Signup and view all the answers

What is a possible outcome of postcolonialism?

The emergence of new forms of domination Signup and view all the answers

What is postcolonialism not equivalent to?

A world devoid of colonialism Signup and view all the answers

What have postcolonial theorists and historians been concerned with?

Investigating the various trajectories of modernity Signup and view all the answers

What is the legacy of the Enlightenment according to postcolonial theorists?

Ambiguous Signup and view all the answers

What were two significant periods for the study of postcolonialism?

The British disengagement from its second empire and the decolonization movements of the 1960s and ’70s Signup and view all the answers

What was formally declared during the decolonization movements of the 1960s and ’70s?

The international principles and instruments of decolonization Signup and view all the answers

What was applied to liberationist movements within former colonial territories?

The principles of national self-determination Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Postcolonialism

Postcolonialism refers to the historical period or state of affairs following Western colonialism, as well as the project to reclaim and rethink the history and agency of people subordinated under various forms of imperialism.
It signals a possible future of overcoming colonialism, but new forms of domination or subordination can emerge in the wake of such changes.

Enlightenment and Empire

The Enlightenment era was also an age of empire, and the connection between the two is more than incidental.
Postcolonial theorists view the legacy of the Enlightenment as ambiguous due to its association with empire.

Decolonization and Postcolonialism

Two significant periods for postcolonialism include the British disengagement from its second empire (19th and 20th centuries) and the decolonization movements of the 1960s and '70s in Africa and elsewhere.
The decolonization movements of the 1960s and '70s led to the formal declaration of international principles and instruments of decolonization, and the application of the language of national self-determination to liberationist movements.

Cultural and Linguistic Assertion

Previously subjugated individuals sought to assert control over not only territorial boundaries but also their language and history.
This process was triggered by struggles for political and economic independence, as well as cultural liberation.

Indigenous Peoples and Postcolonialism

The term postcolonialism is sometimes used to refer to the struggles of indigenous peoples in the 21st century.
However, the term may be less apt due to the minority status and vulnerability of indigenous peoples, even within decolonized states.
The history of imperialism is complex, and the interpretation of self-determination and self-government within the international system is nuanced.

Persistence of Empire and Resistance

One of the central themes of postcolonial scholarship is the persistence of empire—and resistance to it—in human history.
The legacy of the Enlightenment forms an indispensable feature of the present, and universal categories and concepts have been used to criticize imperialism and social injustices.