Lecture on Post-Colonial Theory

Introduction

• Focus on Western relationships with the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
• Shaped by unequal imperial conquests.
• Novels studied this semester involve themes of colonialism and aftermath:
  • Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness": Dutch Empire in the Congo.
  • Jean Rees's "Wide Sargasso Sea": British imperialism in the Caribbean.
  • Roddy Doyle's "The Commitments": Post-European empires in Ireland.
  • Hanif Qureshi's "The Boot of Suburbia": Characters from pre-partition India in London.

Post-Colonial Theory

• Focus: Impact on people during and after colonialism.
• Relevant to European colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, Ireland, and India.

Key Theorists

Edward Said

• Considered the founder of post-colonial theory.
• Key Work: "Orientalism" (1978)
  • Western powers created a version of the Orient for consumption.
  • The Orient as Europe’s "other," a deep image of difference.
  • Orientalism as a mode of discourse influencing Western literature and thought.
  • Core Argument: Knowledge and representation lead to Western power over the East.

Gayatri Spivak

• Key Work: "Can the Subaltern Speak?" (1988)
  • Subaltern: Least powerful in society, existing outside power structures.
  • Focus on subaltern women and representation.
  • Key Argument: Subaltern cannot speak due to societal structure; intellectuals must represent them, though it's an imperfect solution.

Homi Bhabha

• Central Concept: Mimicry and Hybridity
  • Mimicry: Dominated people imitate the dominant culture.
  • Hybridity: Creates people who are neither their own culture nor the colonizers.
  • Impact: Challenges dominant cultures by showing cultural traits as performative rather than inherent.

Conclusion

• Takeaways:
  • Said: Western representation of the East as a tool of dominance.
  • Spivak: Challenges of subaltern representation and who speaks for them.
  • Bhabha: Mimicry and hybridity as cultural phenomena from post-colonial encounters.
• Next Steps: Review the video content, prepare questions for class discussion.

Study Recommendations

• Review core ideas of each theorist.
• Prepare for upcoming quiz based on this lecture.