POSTCOLONIALISM TODAY : THEORETICAL CHALLENGES AND PRAGMATIC ISSUES

A Multidisciplinary Conference. Toronto, September 26-28, 2002 "Post-colonialism" loosely designates a set of theoretical approaches which focus on the direct effects and aftermaths of colonization. It also represents an attempt at transcending the historical definition of its primary object of study toward an extension of the historic and political notion of "colonizing" to other forms of human exploitation, normalization, repression and dependency. Post-colonialism forms a composite but powerful intellectual and critical movement which renews the perception and understanding of modern history, cultural studies, literary criticism, and political economy. The purpose of this conference is to address the theoretical challenge of its diverse meanings and uses, and to assess its epistemological significance in the context of the interdisciplinary construction of contemporary knowledge. The conference also will endeavour to examine and discuss the relevance of the critical methods and strategies of post-colonialism to the praxis of explanation, education and emancipation in the context of globalization and empowerment "Colonialism" is a term that critically refers to the political ideologies which legitimated the modern invasion, occupation and exploitation of inhabited lands by overwhelming outside military powers. For the local populations, it implied the forceful elimination of resistance, the imposition of alien rules, and the parasitic utilization of natural resources including manpower. This term appeared in the context of Marxism and became a cornerstone of the discourse of resistance during the 20th century. It was meant to counter the positive connotations attached to the use of "colonization" -- understood as a legitimate "civilizing process" often reinforced by a religious agenda -- by calling attention to its actual economic motivations and denouncing its ruthless oppression. "Post-colonialism" appeared in the context of decolonization that marked the second half of the 20th century and has been appropriated by contemporary critical discourse in a wide range of domains mapped by at least half a dozen disciplines. However, in spite of some two decades of definitional debates, this term remains a fuzzy concept

stretching from a strictly historical definition to the more encompassing and controversial sphere of its contemporary kin-terms similarly prefixed by a morpheme that indicates temporal succession while suggesting transcending perspectives (poststructuralist, post-modern and the like). Indeed, on the one hand, "post-colonial" may refer to the status of a land that is no longer colonized and has regained its political independence (e.g., post-colonial India). In this sense, "post-colonialism" will pertain to the set of features (economic, political, social, etc) which characterizes these countries and the way in which they negotiate their colonial heritage, being understood that long periods of forced dependency necessarily had a profound impact on the social and cultural fabric of these societies (the post-colonial condition). It may also apply to the former colonizers in as much that both extended contacts with the alien societies they conquered, and the eventual loss of these profitable possessions, deeply influenced the course of their economic and cultural evolution. On the other hand, "post-colonialism" may designate, and denounce, the new forms of economic and cultural oppression that have succeeded modern colonialism, sometimes called "neo-colonialism". The term tends to point out that cooperation, assistance, modernisation and the like are in fact new forms of political and cultural domination as pernicious as the former imperial colonialism or colonial imperialism were: the devaluation of autochthonous ways of life and their displacement by the ethos of dominant nations which are technologically more advanced. Obviously, these two senses are intimately linked but foreground different aspects of a single process: the cultural homogeneization of ever larger areas of the globe. This process raises several kinds of conceptual and pragmatic problems. One of the most challenging is to understand the historical conditions in which this new analytical tool emerged and how its epistemological impact transformed policies and practices not only in the academic agenda and beyond but also in the management of representation. Crucial questions in this respect bear upon the source of the authoritative voices, whether they originate among the former colonizers or the former colonized and using whose discourse, whether they use the rhetoric of atonement or the rhetoric of resentment, whether they promote strategies of true empowerment or opportunistic strategies of protracted control. Another important issue is the extent to which the contemporary notions of colonialism and post-colonialism can legitimately help conceptualize all past colonizations and their political, economical and cultural consequences. Are these notions valid epistemological tools to better understand the past? Do such conceptual extensions result in defusing the ethical questioning of modern European colonization. Does post-colonial discourse describe "normal" processes of cultural change through

conquest and domination or does it engage human responsibility in the novel context of global awareness? Can multi-voiced reassessments of history impact upon the present or is the critical discourse of post-colonialism a mere epiphenomenon that is a symptom of broader and deeper interacting forces? Questions relating to colonial medicine and science more generally will constitute another point of focus. Indeed, colonial medicine may be used as a prism through which to examine a host of postcolonial topics: from social control to ways in which colonial medical frameworks were subverted; from the place of the body in the colonial project to the construction of a colonial discourse on tropical diseases and their causes, to forms of colonial knowledge. In short, by dissecting colonial medical discourses and practices, one can shed light on the political and ideological agenda of colonialism and its postcolonial legacies. The formulation of this conference project was prepared by two symposia, held in Toronto in 1999 ("Global Justice and Cultural Diversity" and " Postcolonialism in Science, Medicine, Economics and Culture"). A first outcome of this symposium was to inspire the theme of a conference on global justice and postcolonialism at the National Museum of Mankind in Bhopal (India) in December 1999. The Toronto conference of October 2002 will be followed by an international seminar on postcolonialism at the Kottayam campus of the Mahatma Gandhi University (Kerala, India), organized by the School of Social Sciences (Director: Dr. Rajan Gurukkal gurukkal@md3.vsnl.net.in).

CONFERENCE INFORMATION:
1.2 Development The term decolonisation seems to be of particular importance while talking about post-colonialism. In this case it means an intellectual process that persistently transfers the independence of formercolonial countries into peoples minds. The basic idea of this process is the deconstruction of oldfashioned perceptions and attitudes of power and oppression that were adopted during the time of colonialism. First attempts to put this long-term policy of decolonising the minds into practice could be regarded in the Indian population after India became independent from the British Empire in 1947. However, post-colonialism has increasingly become an object of scientific examination since 1950 when Western intellectuals began to get interested in the Third World countries. In the seventies, this interest lead to an integration of discussions about post-colonialism in various study courses at American Universities. Nowadays it also plays a remarkable role at European Universities.

A major aspect of post-colonialism is the rather violent-like, unbuffered contact or clash of cultures as an inevitable result of former colonial times; the relationship of the colonial power to the (formerly) colonised country, its population and culture and vice versa seems extremely ambiguous and contradictory. This contradiction of two clashing cultures and the wide scale of problems resulting from it must be regarded as a major theme in post-colonialism: For centuries the colonial suppressor often had been forcing his civilised values on the natives. But when the native population finally gained independence, the colonial relicts were still omnipresent, deeply integrated in the natives minds and were supposed to be removed. So decolonisation is a process of change, destruction and, in the first place, an attempt to regain and lose power. While natives had to learn how to put independence into practice, colonial powers had to accept the loss of power over foreign countries. However, both sides have to deal with their past as suppressor and suppressed. This complicated relationship mainly developed from the Eurocentric perspective from which the former colonial powers saw themselves: Their colonial policy was often criticised as arrogant, ignorant, brutal and simply nave. Their final colonial failure and the total independence of the once suppressed made the process of decolonisation rather tense and emotional. Post-colonialism also deals with conflicts of identity and cultural belonging. Colonial powers came to foreign states and destroyed main parts of native tradition and culture; furthermore, they continuously replaced them with their own ones. This often lead to conflicts when countries became independent and suddenly faced the challenge of developing a new nationwide identity and selfconfidence. As generations had lived under the power of colonial rulers, they had more or less adopted their Western tradition and culture. The challenge for these countries was to find an individual way of proceeding to call their own. They could not get rid of the Western way of life from one day to the other; they could not manage to create a completely new one either. On the other hand, former colonial powers had to change their self-assessment. This paradox identification process seems to be what decolonisation is all about, while post-colonialism is the intellectual direction that deals with it and maintains a steady analysis from both points of view. So how is this difficult process of decolonisation being done? By the power of language, even more than by the use of military violence. Language is the intellectual means by which post-colonial communication and reflection takes place. This is particularly important as most colonial powers tried to integrate their language, the major aspect of their civilised culture, in foreign societies. A lot of Indian books that can be attached to the era of post-colonialism, for instance, are written in English. The cross-border exchange of thoughts from both parties of the post-colonial conflict is supported by the use of a shared language. To give a conclusion of it all, one might say that post-colonialism is a vivid discussion about what happened with the colonial thinking at the end of the colonial era. What legacy arouse from this era? What social, cultural and economical consequences could be seen and are still visible today? In these contexts, one examines alternating experiences of suppression, resistance, gender, migration and so forth. While doing so, both the colonising and colonised side are taken into consideration and

related to each other. The main target of post-colonialism remains the same: To review and to deconstruct one-sided, worn-out attitudes in a lively discussion of colonisation.

Goals
In terms of postcolonial theorpooy, the ultimate goal is accounting for and combating the residual effects [8] of colonialism on cultures. It is not simply concerned with salvaging past worlds, but learning how the world can move beyond this period together, towards a place of mutual respect. A key goal of post-colonial theorists is clearing space for multiple voices. This is especially true of those voices that have been previously silenced by dominant ideologies subalterns. It is widely recognized within the discourse that this space must first be cleared within academia. Edward Said, in his book Orientalism, provides a clear picture of how the scholars who studied what used to be called the Orient (mostly Asia) disregarded the views of those they actually studied preferring instead to rely on the intellectual superiority of themselves and their peers. This attitude was forged by European imperialism. Postcolonial theory provides a framework that destabilizes dominant discourses in the West, challenges [3] inherent assumptions, and critiques the material and discursive legacies of colonialism. In order to challenge these assumptions and legacies of colonialism, postcolonial studies needs to be grounded, which entails working with tangible identities, connections, and processes. Furthermore, Postcolonialism deals with cultural identity in colonized societies: the dilemmas of developing a national identity after colonial rule; the ways in which writers articulate and celebrate that identity (often reclaiming it from and maintaining strong connections with the colonizer); the ways in which the knowledge of the colonized (subordinated) people has been generated and used to serve the colonizer's interests; and the ways in which the colonizer's literature has justified colonialism via images of the colonized as a perpetually inferior people, society and culture. These inward struggles of identity, history, and future possibilities often occur in the metropolis and, ironically, with the aid of postcolonial structures of power, such as universities. Colonized peoples reply to the colonial legacy by writing back to the center, when the indigenous peoples write their own histories and legacies using the colonizer's language (e.g. English, French, [9] Dutch) for their own purposes. "Indigenous decolonization" is the intellectual impact of postcolonialist theory upon communities of indigenous peoples, thereby, their generating postcolonial literature. [edit]Notable

theorists

1 Definition Post-colonialism is an intellectual direction (sometimes also called an era or the post-colonial theory) that exists since around the middle of the 20th century. It developed from and mainly refers to the time after colonialism. The post-colonial direction was created as colonial countries became independent. Nowadays, aspects of post-colonialism can be found not only in sciences concerning history, literature and politics, but also in approach to culture and identity of both the countries that were colonised and the former colonial powers. However, post-colonialism can take the colonial time as well as the time after colonialism into consideration.

Criticism of focusing on national identity

Scholars criticize and question the recent post-colonial focus on national identity. The Moroccan scholar Bin 'Abd al-'Ali argues that what is seen in contemporary Middle Eastern studies is 'a pathological [30] obsession with ... identity'. Nevertheless, Kumaraswamy and Sadiki argue that the problem of the lack of Middle Eastern identity formation is widespread, and that identity is an important aspect of [27] understanding the politics of the contemporary Middle East. Ayubi (2001) questions if what Bin 'Abd al-'Ali described as an obsession with national identity may be [31] explained by 'the absence of a championing social class?' Postcolonial literature is a body of literary writings that reacts to the discourse of colonization.

Frantz Fanon
Fanon is one of the earliest writers associated with postcolonialism. In his book The Wretched of the Earth, Fanon analyzed the nature of colonialism and those subjugated by it. He describes colonialism as a source of violence rather than reacting violently against resistors which had been the common [16] view. His portrayal of the systematic relationship between colonialism and its attempts to deny "all attributes of humanity" to those it suppressed laid the groundwork for related critiques of colonial and [17] postcolonial systems. Frantz Fanon offered a violent prescription for moving beyond the colonial mindset. But violence in Fanon, who was trained as a psychoanalyst, is a cathartic practice aimed at "cleansing" the male colonized psyche from the effects of the epistemic violence of colonialism. That is why Fanon supported the most violent factions of FLN in Algeria. It is important to read Fanon's emphasis on revolutionary [18] violence within the discourse of psychoanalysis. Although Fanon is generally considered to be one of the earliest writers in this field, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's Hind Swaraj (Indian Home Rule) had already proposed strongly postcolonial [19] theories in 1909. Besides Gandhi, Benoy Kumar Sarkar (18871949) had authored major works in this [20] field. Vladimir Lenin's work "Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism", (1916), has also been [21] regarded as one of the most important influences in the development of postcolonial theory.
[15]

By definition, postcolonialism is a period of time after colonialism, and postcolonial literature is typically characterized by its opposition to the colonial. However, some critics have argued that any literature that expresses an opposition to colonialism, even if it is produced during a colonial period, may be defined as postcolonial, primarily due to its oppositional nature. Postcolonial literature often focuses on race relations and the effects of racism and usually indicts white and/or colonial societies. Despite a basic consensus on the general themes of postcolonial writing, however, there is ongoing debate regarding the meaning of postcolonialism. Many critics now propose that the term should be expanded to include the literatures of Canada, the United States, and Australia. In his essay discussing the nature and boundaries of postcolonialism, Simon During argues for a more inclusive definition, calling it the need, in nations, or groups which have been victims of imperialism to achieve an identity uncontaminated by universalist or Eurocentric concepts or images. The scale and scope of modern European imperialism, as well as its extraordinarily organized character,

including the cultural licensing of racial domination, has sometimes led to the perception of colonization as a modern phenomenon. In fact, many critics propose that modern colonialism was not a discrete occurrence and that an examination of premodern colonial activities will allow for a greater and more complex understanding of modern structures of power and domination, serving to illuminate the operation of older histories in the context of both modern colonialism and contemporary race and global political relations. Works of literature that are defined as postcolonial often record racism or a history of genocide, including slavery, apartheid, and the mass extinction of peoples, such as the Aborigines in Australia. Critical response to these texts is often seen as an important way to articulate and negotiate communication between writers who define themselves as postcolonial and critics who are not part of that experience. In her introduction to Post-Colonial and African American Women's Writing,published in 2000, Gina Wisker notes that the indictment present in many postcolonial texts tends to produce guilt or feelings of inherited complicity in many readers. Also, although writing about these texts may raise the level of awareness of both the texts and their writers, some postcolonial writers see reflected in this activity an arrogant assumption about the need for noncolonial cultures to recognize postcolonial writers. Similarly, other critics have noted that critical response that focuses entirely on the essential nature of black or Asian writers may also serve to marginalize their writing by supposing their experiences as largely a product of being other than European. Postcolonialism includes a vast array of writers and subjects. In fact, the very different geographical, historical, social, religious, and economic concerns of the different ex-colonies dictate a wide variety in the nature and subject of most postcolonial writing. Wisker has noted in her book that it is even simplistic to theorize that all postcolonial writing is resistance writing. In fact, many postcolonial writers themselves will argue that their countries are still very much colonial countries, both in terms of their values and behaviors, and that these issues are reflected in their work. In her essay on postcolonialism, Deepika Bahri agrees, noting that while the definition of postcolonialism may be fairly boundaried, the actual use of the term is very subjective, allowing for a yoking together of a very diverse range of experiences, cultures, and problems. This diversity of definitions exists, notes Bahri, because the term postcolonialism is used both as a literal description of formerly colonial societies and as a description of global conditions after a period of colonialism. In this regard, according to Bahri, the notion of the postcolonial as a literary genre and an academic construct may have meanings that are completely separate from a historical moment or time period. Some women colonial writers draw a relationship between postcolonialism and feminism. For many of these writers, who live in strong patriarchal cultures, language and the ability to write and communicate represent power. Some of these writers, for example, have noted that since the language of British-ruled colonies is English, literature written in English has often been used to

marginalize and constrain female points of view. In the postcolonial period, however, language, and the ability to speak, write, and publish, has become an enabling tool for postcolonial authors.
Postcolonial literature (or Post-colonial literature, sometimes called New English literature(s)), is a body of literary writings that reacts to the discourse of colonization. Post-colonial literature often involves writings that deal with issues of de-colonization or the political and cultural independence of people formerly subjugated to colonial rule. It is also a literary critique to texts that carry racist or colonial [1] undertones. Postcolonial literature, finally in its most recent form, also attempts to critique the contemporary postcolonial discourse that has been shaped over recent times. It attempts to assimilate this very emergence of postcolonialism and its literary expression itself

Approach
Postcolonial literary critics re-examine classical literature with a particular focus on the social "discourse" that shaped it. Edward Said in his popular work Orientalism analyzes the writings of Honor de Balzac, Charles Baudelaire and Lautramont, exploring how they were influenced, and how they helped to shape a societal fantasy of European racial superiority. Postcolonial fiction writers might interact with the traditional colonial discourse by attempting to modify or subvert it. An example of this is Jean Rhys' Wide Sargasso Sea (1966), which was written as a pseudo-prequel to Charlotte Bront's Jane Eyre. Here, a familiar story is re-told from the perspective of an oppressed minor character. Protagonists in post-colonial writings are often found to be struggling with questions of identity, experiencing the conflict of living between the old, native world and the invasive forces of hegemony from new, dominant cultures.In Wide Sargasso Sea, the protagonist is shown to be renamed and exploited in several ways. The "anti-conquest narrative" recasts indigenous inhabitants of colonised countries as victims rather than [2] foes of the colonisers. This depicts the colonised people in a more human light but risks absolving colonisers of responsibility for addressing the impacts of colonisation by assuming that native inhabitants [2] were "doomed" to their fate. [edit]Notable

authors by region

This section needs to be expanded with JM Coetzee, Maryse Cond, Cyril Dabydeen, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Raywat Deonandan, Buchi Emecheta, Athol Fugard, Nadine Gordimer,Alamgir Hashmi, Bonny Hicks, Hanif Kureishi, Doris Lessing, Earl Lovelace, Gabriel Garca Mrquez, Bharati Mukherjee, Barbara Kingsolver, VS Naipaul, Michael Ondaatje, RK Narayan, Mahashweta Devi, EM Forster, Anita Desai, Bapsi Sidhwa, Wilbur Smith, Wole Soyinka, Ngg wa Thiong'o, Yvonne Vera, Derek Walcott, Kath Walker, Arundhati Roy, Amitav Ghosh, Haim Sabato, Eleanor Dark, Bole Butake, Anne Tanyi-Tang, Bate Besong, Maxine Hong Kingston. Marcus Garvey, Frantz Fanon, Aim Csaire, Lon Damas, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kaiser Haq. [edit]Africa Lopold Senghor conceived the idea of ngritude, Homi K Bhabha, Hampat B, Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart (1958) made a significant mark in African literature. Ayi Kwei Armahin Two Thousand Seasons tried to establish an African perspective to their own history. In Britain, J. G. Farrell's novels Troubles, The Siege of Krishnapur and The Singapore Grip, written during the 1970s, are

important texts dealing with the collapse of the British Empire. Season of Migration to the North by Tayib Salih. [edit]The

Americas

Isabel Allende from Chile contributes to Latin-American literature and occasionally writes in a style called magical realism or vivid story-telling, also used by Gabriel Garca Mrquez, Juan Rulfo and Salman Rushdie. Poet and novelist Giannina Braschi from Puerto Rico directly addresses the colonial situation of Puerto Rico in "United States of Banana". The author Jean Rhys made a significant contribution to postcolonial literature in her novel Wide [disambiguation needed ] Sargasso Sea, which describes a Creole woman whose Britishhusband mistreats her based on his perceptions of her cultural heritage. The Canadian writer Margaret Atwood is also a post-colonial writer who dealt with themes of identityseeking through her Southern Ontario Gothic style of writing. [edit]The

Middle East

Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt)novelist, Edward Said eminent scholar on Orientalism (Palestine) This section needs to be expanded [edit]Asia Postcolonial writings have been found among much of Indian literature. Meena Alexander is probably best known for lyrical memoirs that deal sensitively with struggles of women and disenfranchised groups. Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie has also contributed to the post-colonial literature. His second novel, Midnight's Children (1981) won the Booker Prize in 1981. Philippine authors like F. Sionil Jos, Jose Dalisay, Jr., N. V. M. Gonzalez and Nick Joaquin write about the post-colonial (some say neo-colonial) situation in the Philippines. Sri Lankan writers like Nihal De Silva or Carl Muller write about the post-colonial situation and the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, while Michael Ondaatje, international the most acclaimed author with Sri Lankan roots, adds the perspective of the diaspora. Indian authors like Chaman Nahal, Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, Anita Desai, Bharati Mukherjee, Hanif Kureishi, Rohinton Mistry, Arundhati Roy and Kiran Desai have contributed to the category. Pakistani authors like Ahmed Ali, Zulfikar Ghose, Bapsi Sidhwa, M. Athar Tahir, Mohsin [3][3] Hamid and Kamila Shamsie are considered to have contributed to postcolonial literature. Apart from fiction writers, at least some Pakistani poets have also been discussed by the critics to be important in this context. Though written by American author David Henry Hwang, M. Butterfly is one postcolonial work regarding the Western perception of the East in general, but specifically addresses the Western perspective on China and the French and American perspectives on Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Dutch Indies literature includes Dutch language postcolonial literature reflecting on the era of the Dutch East Indies (now: Indonesia). Much of the postcolonial literature of this genre is written by Dutch Eurasians known as Indos. Important authors that have been translated to English include: Tjalie Robinson, Maria Dermout and Marion Bloem.

[edit]Perspectives

on colonialism and Postcolonialism

Common perspectives on colonialism show colonialism usually works through the use of brutal force employed by one country to exploit another community and obtain economic wealth through abuse of native people. The post-colonial perspective emerged as a challenge to this tradition and legacy; it attempts to illegitimize the idea of establishing power through conquest. A relatively new emerging academic concept in relation to postcolonial studies is the Stranger King concept. Selim Al Deen from Bangladesh has also written postcolonial drama. [edit]Critic's

Point of View

What qualifies as postcolonial literature is debatable. The term postcolonial literature has taken on many meanings. The four subjects include: 1. Social and cultural change or erosion: It seems that after independence is achieved, one main question arises; what is the new cultural identity? 2. Misuse of power and exploitation: Even though the large power ceases to control them as a [4] colony, the settlers still seem to continue imposing power over the native. The main question here; who really is in power here, why, and how does an independence day really mean independence? 3. Colonial abandonment and alienation: This topic is generally brought up to examine individuals [4] and not the ex-colony as a whole. The individuals tend to ask themselves; in this new country, where do I fit in and how do I make a living? 4. Use of English language literature: It may be asked if the target of post-colonial studies, i.e. the analysis of post-colonial literature and culture, can be reached neglecting literary works in the original languages of post-colonial nations. [edit]Postcolonial
[4]

literary critics

Edward Said is often considered to have been the seminal postcolonial critic. Other useful critics are Bill Ashcroft, Ngg wa Thiong'o, Alamgir Hashmi, Homi K. Bhabha, Frantz Fanon,Leela Gandhi, Gareth Griffiths, Abiola Irele, John McLeod, Gayatri Spivak, Hamid Dabashi, Helen Tiffin, Khal Torabully, and Robert Young