On the one hand, postcolonialism refers to the period of time since the end of colonial foreign rule as well as the resulting constellations on a cultural, social and political level (cf. Hegerfeldt 2007, 602). On the other hand, it is understood as an intellectual current of the postmodernists that deals with the history of (European) colonialism and makes use of diverse impulses from sociology, linguistics, as well as literary, cultural, historical, and political sciences (cf. ibid.). The study of culture and identity of nations or populations shaped by colonization contexts is intended to bring about a questioning of the permanence of imperialist structures in different spheres of life (cf. Young 2001, 57)
Accordingly, postcolonial discourse evokes a critical reflection on „colonial conditions of the past that have survived into the present“ (Pourmokhtari 2013, 1786) and deconstructs Western or Eurocentric assumptions about non-Western societies (Africa, India, the Near and Middle East). The overarching goal of postcolonialism is considered to be the exploration of colonial injustice, the dismantling of global hierarchies through the social emancipation of postcolonial groups, and the reconstruction of their cultural body of knowledge (cf. Hegerfeldt 2007, 602).
Pioneers of postcolonialism
In addition to F. Fanon’s anti-colonialist writings, the famous study Orientalism (1978) by the Palestinian literary scholar Edward Said, which is considered the founding text of postcolonialist approaches, proved to be groundbreaking for postcolonial theory formation (cf. ibid.). The core thesis assumes the existence of subtle, persistent Eurocentric prejudices against the Arab-Islamic world and its culture (cf. Boatcă 2015, 114).
Moreover, the poststructuralist writings of H. Bhabha and G. Spivak are of particular importance. The latter „develops as a central aspect of postcolonial identity the concept of hybridity, according to which the authority of the colonizers is undermined by the alienating appropriation of their culture by the colonized groups. In the clash of cultures, an interstice opens up that allows for resistance and intervention.“ (Hegerfeldt 2007, 602)
Controversies surrounding postcolonialism.
There is criticism of the approaches critical of colonialism that are grouped under the term postcolonialism. Criticisms include „the application of Western theoretical discourses to postcolonial problems and the use of Western forms and language by postcolonial authors.“ (ibid.)
Furthermore, postcolonialism is accused of perpetuating imperialism by focusing too much on the concept of colonialism and obscuring the differences between historical experienced colonialism as well as contemporary postcolonial conditions (cf. ibid.).
From the ‚postcolonial turn‘ to the ‚decolonial option‘.
The decoloniality approach, which emerged from the colonial experience of Latin America, differs from previous postcolonialist theorizing in that it increasingly focuses on thematic fields of political economy (cf. Boatcă 2015, 124). It can be understood as a counter-reaction to the homogenizing tendencies of postcolonial studies, while neglecting positions to the contrary (cf. ibid., 121).
The concept of coloniality is to be distinguished from colonialism and, in contrast to the latter, describes an enduring, continuously existing power structure, originated by the colonization of America by Europe, which represents both the shadow side and the necessary precondition of Western modernity (cf. ibid., 119).
In this context, Mignolo adds, „‚Decolonial‘ is increasingly used to indicate political and epistemic projects, rather than a disciplinary field of study. […] Decoloniality, therefore, means both the analytic task of unveiling the logic of coloniality and the prospective task of contributing to build a world in which many worlds will coexist.“ (Mignolo 2012, 54)
Literature
Boatcă, Manuela (2015): Postcolonialism and decoloniality. In: Fischer, Karin/ Hauck, Gerhard/ Boatcă, Manuela (eds.): Handbuch Entwicklungsforschung. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 113-123.
Hegerfeldt, Anne (2007): Postcolonialism. In: Burdorf, Dieter/ Fasbender, Christoph/ Moennighoff, Burkhard (eds.): Metzler Lexikon Literatur. Terms and Definitions. 3rd ed. Stuttgart/ Weimar: Metzler, 602.
Mignolo, Walter (2012): The darker side of western modernity. Durham: Duke University Press.
Pourmokhtari, Navid (2013): A Postcolonial Critique of State Sovereignty in ir: the contradictory legacy of a ‚West-centric‘ discipline. In: Third World Quarterly 34.
Young, Robert J. C. (2001): Postcolonialism. An Historical Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.