- "The critical academic study of the cultural, political and economic legacy of colonialism and imperialism."
Refers to the ability to control or influence others. Post-colonial studies often explore power relations between colonized and colonizer, and how power is exercised and resisted.
Colonialism: A historical phenomenon where powerful, Western European countries colonized and exploited large parts of the world for resources and labor, often leading to the erasure or marginalization of local cultures and identities.
Postcolonialism: A critical theory that emerged as a response to the ongoing legacies of colonialism, arguing that power dynamics created during colonialism continue to impact politics, culture, and economics in formerly colonized areas.
Eurocentrism: An ideological system that regards European culture as superior to all others, leading to the promotion of Western ideologies and values as universal and the exclusion of non-Western cultures from the global conversation.
Orientalism: The way in which European colonial powers framed and constructed the East as exotic, backwards, and irrational, thereby justifying their imperialistic control over those regions.
Decolonization: The process by which colonies or overseas territories gained independence from their colonizers.
Neocolonialism: The use of economic, political, and cultural power to exert control over formerly colonized territories by their former colonizers or other global powers.
Subaltern: A term used to describe marginalized and oppressed groups that are excluded from power and agency in society.
Hybridity: A concept that describes cultural mixing and intermingling between colonizers and colonized people, resulting in new forms of cultural expression and identity.
Postcolonial nationalism: A political movement in formerly colonized areas that advocates for national independence and sovereignty, while also seeking to address issues of inequality created by colonialism.
Globalization: The process by which economic, political, and cultural activities increasingly become interconnected and global in nature, creating both new opportunities and challenges for formerly colonized regions.
Economic power: This refers to the control of resources and wealth, including control over markets, labor, and capital.
Political power: This refers to the ability to make decisions and enforce policies that affect a country or region, including control over institutions such as government, military, and law enforcement.
Military power: This refers to the ability to use force and the threat of force to defend or advance a country's interests, including control over weapons and the ability to wage war.
Cultural power: This refers to the influence of a dominant culture on the values, beliefs, and practices of other cultures, including control over language, media, and education.
Ideological power: This refers to the ability to shape ideas and beliefs, including control over religion, philosophy, and political ideology.
Psychological power: This refers to the ability to shape perceptions and attitudes, including control over media and advertising.
Technological power: This refers to the ability to control and access advanced technologies, including control over information technology, transportation, and telecommunications.
Environmental power: This refers to the ability to control natural resources and ecosystems, including control over land, water, and energy resources.
Social power: This refers to the ability to control social structures, including control over class structures, gender roles, and ethnic groups.
Moral power: This refers to the ability to shape ethical and moral values, including control over religious institutions and social norms.
- "The impact of human control and exploitation of colonized people and their lands."
- "The 1960s."
- "Scholars from previously colonized countries."
- "The lingering effects of colonialism."
- "Critical theory analysis."
- "The history, culture, literature, and discourse of (usually European) imperial power." Quotes from the paragraph: