Abstract
Postcolonial theory has tended to focus on those spaces where European colonialism has had a territorial and political history. This is unsurprising, as much of the world is in this sense ‘postcolonial’. But not all of it. This article focuses on Poland, often theorised as peripheral to ‘old Europe’, and explores the application of postcolonial analyses to this ‘other’ place. The article draws upon reflections arising from a study of responses to ethnic diversity in Warsaw, Poland. In doing so we conclude that postcolonialism does indeed offer some important insights into understanding Polish attitudes to other nationalities, and yet more work also needs to be done to make the theoretical bridge. In the case of Poland we propose the ‘triple relation’ be the starting point for such work.
Highlights
Postcolonial theory has tended to focus on those spaces where European colonialism has had a territorial and political history
Rather, where the application may work is through using some of the tools of postcolonial theory to better understand the Eastern European experience, while acknowledging that the hegemonic discourse of western enlightenment has a variety of spheres of influence, one of which is within Europe itself
We have here employed a postcolonial perspective with reference to ideas of Polishness and ‘otherness’, but, as we argue, these ordinary experiences have to be anchored in a long-durée perspective penetrating complex Polish history and hegemonic relations with other nations – either as a colonised or colonising power
Summary
Postcolonial theory has tended to focus on those spaces where European colonialism has had a territorial and political history. We propose that thinking Poland postcolonially offers much in terms of understanding both national identity and ideas of ‘otherness’ in the country.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
