Postcolonial Discourse Research Articles

Decoding Edward Said: A critical review of the genesis of ‘Orient’, ‘Occident’, and ‘Other’.

Purpose: This paper critically examines Edward Said’s seminal concepts of the "Orient," "Occident," and the "Other" within postcolonial discourse, focusing on how these constructs have shaped Western perceptions of Eastern societies. By analyzing Said’s influential ideas, this study explores how Orientalism fostered an intellectual hegemony that underpinned Western dominance over the East. Methodology: The methodology comprises an in-depth literary analysis of Said’s foundational texts, Orientalism (1978) and Culture and Imperialism (1993), alongside a critical review of secondary sources in postcolonial studies, including contributions from Foucault, Gramsci, and Spivak. Findings: Findings reveal that Said’s framework exposes the cultural and political subjugation enforced by the West while uncovering the power-knowledge mechanisms sustaining these inequalities. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The unique contribution of this paper lies in its synthesis of Said’s discourse with contemporary theories of cultural hegemony, providing fresh insights into the enduring impact of Orientalist thought on modern geopolitics and epistemology. This study underscores the ongoing relevance of Said's critique for understanding present-day cultural and intellectual dominance in the postcolonial context.

Contextualizing the Manifestation of Gendered Colonialist Microaggressions: A Qualitative Study on Post-Colonial Migration Experiences Among Immigrant Women

Over the last decade, the framework of microaggressions has been adopted to examine subtle manifestations of discrimination from the perspective of socially disadvantaged groups. However, the microaggressions literature is strongly U.S.-centered, and very few studies have been conducted in other societal contexts, such as European countries characterized by distinct migration patterns and post-colonial intergroup relations. Moreover, foreign-born immigrant women have been overlooked in microaggression research. The present qualitative study draws upon post-colonial feminist theory and adopts an intracategorical intersectional approach to examine the experiences of foreign-born immigrant women in Portugal. Ten focus groups were conducted with 52 participants ( Mage = 34.2, SD = 10.2). Data were analyzed via a two-step process thematic analysis (TA) approach. First, codebook TA was used to produce nine themes building on previous microaggressions taxonomies. Then, reflexive TA was applied to generate four macro-themes related to post-colonial discourses. As a result, we propose a taxonomy of Gendered Colonialist Microaggressions and a theoretical framework linking these subtle forms of discrimination to social representations of immigrant women, rooted in colonial legacies and systemic power disparities. This study highlights the understudied psychological and societal implications of microaggressions in post-colonial settings, raising new questions and providing directions for future action.

The third integrative wave in sociology’s development. Part II. Theories and methods for an augmented social reality

The article is analyzing positive prospects of the sociology’s development in the context of today’s fragmentation of scientific discipline under conditions of metaparadigm crisis and post-globalization. Current disintegration in sociology is provoked by the rising postcolonial discourse, by attempts to stigmatize western classics and to create theoretical alternatives to the ‘global North’ domination in knowledge production as well as by spread of conceptions opposing social reality of networks and flows to classical sociality of structures and agency (M. Castells, B. Latour, J. Urry, K. Knorr Cetina). The third in the modern sociology’s history integrative wave is expected to come in the 2020s displacing tendencies of disintegration, discrimination, growing gaps and rising barriers. Now theories are relevant as they create a coherent configuration of four types of structures: institutions, interactions, networks, and flows. The new subject matter for theorizing is constituted by their interconnections in forms of fields of structurations, scapes of assemblages, communications, platforms, projects, and events. After the ideas of the end of Modernity and multiple Modernities, the idea of augmented Modernity emarges overcoming constitutive distinctions of the last century’s sociology: local vs. global, system vs. lifeworld, material vs. symbolic, private vs. public, real vs. virtual, physical vs. digital, et ctr. Mutual penetration of different social structures stimulates elaboration and implementation of innovative hybrid methods directed towards an augmented data collecting and analysis.

Sociology in the 21st century: between fragmentation and integration

The article is analyzing current sociology in the context of fragmentation and integration periods in the discipline history. The first integrative wave in the history of sociology was in the 1920s– 1950s. It appeared in grand theories by P.Sorokin, T.Parsons, the Frankfurt school which united heterogeneous ideas from classics in models of society as system. After the paradigm crisis of the 1960s– 1970s and following spread of postmodernist discourse, the second integrative wave arose in form of theories overcoming gaps between concepts of determinist structures and constructivist agency (J.Habermas, A.Giddens, P.Bourdieu) as well as in form of metatheorizing (G.Ritzer, P.Sztompka, J.Alexander). Today’s fragmentation of sociology under conditions of metaparadigm crisis and post-globalization is provoked by the rising postcolonial discourse, by attempts to stigmatize western classics and to create theoretical alternatives to the ‘global North’ domination in knowledge production as well as by spread of conceptions opposing social reality of networks and flows to classical sociality of structures and agency (M.Castells, B.Latour, J.Urry, K.Knorr Cetina). The third integrative wave is expected to come in the 2020s displacing tendencies of disintegration, discrimination, growing gaps and rising barriers. Now theories are relevant as they create a coherent configuration of four types of structures: institutions, interactions, networks, and flows. The new subject matter for theorizing is constituted by their interconnections in forms of fields of structurations, scapes of assemblages, communications, platforms, projects, and events. A metaphor of augmented reality is integrating different concepts of social reality and it is overcoming constitutive distinctions in the last century sociology: between system and lifeworld, locality and globality, the private and public, the material and symbolic, the real and virtual, the physical and digital, etc.

Reclaiming African Identity: Analyzing Issues of Postcolonial-ism in Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart"

Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" stands as a seminal work in postcolonial literature, exploring the intricate dynamics between colonizers and the colonized in the context of European colonization's impact on African societies. This abstract delves into the novel's portrayal of postcolonial themes, focusing on the disruption of traditional Igbo culture, power dynamics between Europeans and indigenous peoples, and the psychological and emotional repercussions of colonization. Achebe was motivated to write the novel as a response to European portrayals of Africans in literature, particularly influenced by Joyce Cary's shallow depiction of Africa in "Mr. Johnson." Achebe's use of language, particularly his appropriation of English to convey African experiences, challenges Eurocentric narratives and offers a counter-narrative that centres African perspectives. Through meticulous depiction of pre-colonial Igbo society, Achebe reclaims African history and cultural identity, countering colonial misrepresentations and emphasizing the resilience and dignity of indigenous cultures. Additionally, the abstract discusses Achebe's critique of colonial ideologies, particularly Christianity, which undermines native traditions and fractures communal bonds within Igbo society. By contrasting "Things Fall Apart" with Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," Achebe challenges demeaning depictions of Africans in Western literature and asserts the importance of authentic representation in postcolonial discourse. Overall, "Things Fall Apart" remains a powerful testament to the enduring legacy of colonialism and the ongoing struggle for cultural autonomy and identity in the postcolonial world. By using a postcolonial framework, the study aims to shed light on the socio-political implications of Achebe's work and highlight the importance of diverse narratives and marginalized voices.

Postcolonial Discourse: Language Nonconformity in Pantomime

Postcolonial Discourse: Language Nonconformity in Pantomime

Deciphering the Postcolonial Discourse: An Oriental Reading for The Kite Runner by Khaled Housseini and The Parisian by Isabella Hammad

Postcolonial literature explores the effects of colonialism and its aftermath, shedding light on the complex relationships between colonizers and the colonized. It challenges dominant narratives, gives voice to marginalized perspectives, and examines themes of identity, power, and cultural hybridity. It also addresses issues of nationalism, representationalism, opposition, ethnicity, and feminism. Postcolonial dialogue in literature refers to the discourse that emerges in the aftermath of colonialism, encompassing various elements such as the reshaping of identities, power dynamics, cultural exchanges, and responses to historical colonial narratives. It is often a space where writers and intellectuals from formerly colonized societies engage with and respond to the legacies of colonialism. A wide range of post-colonial novels has been published during the 1990s and the first years of the 21st century, including The Kite Runner by the Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini and The Parisian by the British-Palestinian novelist Isabella Hammad. These novels provide insight into the postcolonial experience, offering nuanced portrayals of the impacts of colonization on individuals and societies. This article aims to deciphering the postcolonial discourse in Khaled Housseini’s The Kite Runner and Isabella Hammad’s The Parisian using oriental lenses. An oriental perspective seems to offer a unique examination of the different experiences of those from oriental cultures, shedding light on the nuanced complexities of postcolonial discourse. Thus, the oriental perspective adds depth and nuance to the analysis of The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and The Parisian by Isabella Hammad.

Voices from Margin: Theoretical Insights into Kaiser Haq's Ode on the Lungi

This article investigates into Kaiser Haq’s poetic masterpiece, “Ode on the Lungi”, exploring its theoretical underpinnings and critical insights. The study employs a multidimensional approach, integrating postcolonial theories, literary analysis, and socio-cultural inquiry to unravel the symbolic significance of the lungi as a representation of subaltern voices. Haq strategically uses the lungi to challenge power imbalances, resist sartorial hegemony, and advocate for sartorial equality in the face of globalization. The research method includes qualitative analysis, theoretical engagement, and empirical evidence, aligning with postcolonial scholars such as Gramsci and Guha. The article underscores the poem’s role in breaking down divisive dichotomies and promoting democratic ideals. Through theoretical insights and close textual analysis, the study explores how the lungi, as a symbol of the underclass, resists aggressive modernism, demanding equal standing in the postcolonial and globalized reality. The poet’s call for “sartorial equality” transcends fashion, becoming a rallying cry for broader societal equality and recognition of marginalized voices. The research concludes by positioning Haq’s “Ode on the Lungi” as a powerful articulation of the subaltern voice within the complexities of postcolonial discourse.

Revisiting the Influence of Online Readers in Postcolonial Literature: A Postcolonial Analysis

This paper explores the impact of online platforms, institutions and digital reading communities on reading practice in the digital age. The subjective status of the readers and their activeness in the creation and realization of the meaning of literary texts are emphasized by reception aesthetics. The current research on postcolonial literature focuses broadly on the authors perspective and the texts perspective but lacks the readers perspective. This paper puts the changes in readers subjectivity in the digital era under the post-colonial perspective, discussing what kind of changes have taken place in the subjectivity of network readers. Meanwhile, it analyzes how cyber subalterns and elites will influence postcolonial discourse in the digital realm. Using a theoretical and methodological framework covering post-colonialism and receptive criticism, this article demonstrates how marginal discourses can construct and grow spaces within social and cultural limits. The results show that the online reading practice and the formation of online communities further blur cultural boundaries. The post-colonial visual threshold gives readers the task of expanding marginal discourse. Finally, this article illustrates that readers subjectivity is still limited by digital institutions and algorithms, and they must be wary of network colonization.

The Rise of Decolonial Image: Postcolonial Reading to Django Unchained Movie by Quentin Tarantino

This paper provides postcolonial analysis of Django Unchained movie which is written and directed by American Film writer Quentin Tarantino in 2012. More specifically, the analysis focused on three primary components: firstly, Quentin Tarantino’s critique for slavery of blacks and racial discrimination, secondly, Orientalized Oriental discourse via postcolonial lens, and thirdly, decolonization discourse which is represented by Django, the protagonist of the movie. Throughout the movie, the viewers can see many scenes of slavery and racial intolerance which reflects many historical facts in the era of American slavery; including how blacks were obliged to work and how they were treated inhumanely. In a similar vein, the viewer can see the spirit of Orientalized Oriental phenomenon through Stephen as one of the major actors of the movie who embodies the phenomenon which supported abusing with blacks although he is a black actor. Quentin Tarantino gives a spectacular role to Django who becomes a symbolic emancipation of blacks and earns his freedom and frees his wife, Broomhilda. Postcolonial critics react against the imperial history of colonization, like the structure of racism as well as colonial power which reshaped itself by Orientalized Oriental discourse. After all, Django Unchained Movie contributes to the discourse of postcolonialism in which Quentin Tarantino reveals some historical facts about African American slavery, and in contrast to many other Film Makers, he gives a good role to non-European hero, Django.

Reimagining Scheherazade: Feminist and Postcolonial Discourses in Githa Hariharan’s When Dreams Travel

Reimagining Scheherazade: Feminist and Postcolonial Discourses in Githa Hariharan’s When Dreams Travel

Native American History as Counter-Discourse in James Welch’s Narratives: The Examples of “Fools Crow” and “Killing Custer”.

A peculiar dimension in the Native American writing is the documentation of the history of the Native Americans’ traditional lives before, during and after their encounter with the white settlers. It is a development that is essentially explicable within the purview of postcolonial discourse, given that, in some contexts, historical distortions from the perspective of the ‘other’ have been asserted as the rationale for such creative explorations on the part of the Native writers. In the context of this study, such a dimension, with particular reference to James Welch’s novels, is considered as, indeed, counter-discursive. Two of his novels, Fools Crow and Killing Custer, are selected with a view to assessing how the historical documentations in the texts translate to counter-discourses in the context of the Native Americans’ historical evolution. The study reveals that, while the Native American histories in the texts dovetail into each other, they are largely inspired by the Native Americans’ colonial experience vis-à-vis the need to represent their history from the perspective of ‘us’ as opposed to ‘other’. It concludes that the narratives have, in a significant way, performed the allegorical configuration function, as a counter-discourse strategy described by Slemon (1987). This holds in that they have conceivably assumed ‘readings’ and ‘contestations’ of the previously textualised colonial experience of the Native Americans from the perspective of the ‘other’.

“Meine Stimme auf der Suche nach ihrem Weg” – Eine Rekonstruktion des Personalismus M. A. Lahbabis aus der Erfahrung von Gefangenschaft und Exil

Abstract The postcolonial discourse in the Maghrib was dominated by the political Left for a long time. Thus, other approaches of coming to terms with the experience of colonialism were marginalized. It was Abdelkébir Khatibi’s book Maghreb Pluriel which made it possible to acknowledge these other discourses in their own way of criticizing colonialism, without reading them from the beginning with a hermeneutics of suspicion. In establishing one of these discourses the founder of the modern Moroccan academic philosophy, Mohamed Aziz Lahbabi, played a substantial role: His experience of depersonalization during the colonial period was the starting point for his search of being a person, and for his personalist philosophy.

Reading W. B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney in a Postcolonial Context: Exploring Landscape and Identity

This article critically examines Ireland's postcolonial position, with a specific focus on the poetic works of influential Irish writers William Butler Yeats and Seamus Heaney. The exploration begins by delving into Ireland's historical and cultural context as a colonized nation, shedding light on the profound impact of English domination and the complexities of Irish history. Furthermore, the article draws parallels between the Irish experience and anticolonial movements in Third World countries, emphasising on the similar struggles in resisting colonization. The central argument posits that, having endured colonialism, both Yeats and Heaney actively contribute to the postcolonial discourse by employing themes of landscape and identity as distinct forms of resistance. Yeats, driven by a personal interest in mythology, mythologizes resistance against the colonizer through the revival of heroic deeds in his poetry. Conversely, Heaney engages in a subversion of the “us vs them” dichotomy, responding to the Empire through his works. The imagery of earth, depicted in his poetry, symbolises the connection between physical landscape to Irish identity. By situating Yeats’ and Heaney’s poetry within a postcolonial framework, this article seeks to acknowledge their collective contribution as a form of "writing back to the Empire," thereby enriching the discourse surrounding Irish postcolonialism.

THE VIEW FROM THE EAST ON THE PROBLEM FIELD OF WESTERN LITERARY AND THEORETICAL STU

The study aims to determine the status of modern theoretical literary debate within the context of scientific theorizing in China and Japan. Growing understanding of the crisis of Euro-Atlantic literary-theoretical thought in the first two decades of the 21st century took shape in the publication of works by venerable specialists in the field of literary studies devoted to the causes of its occurrence and the taxonomy of directions and theoretical tools to overcome it. What unites this whole corpus of extensive research is an indirect or direct recognition of the decline of productive literary theoretical research, which came after the literary theoretical breakthrough of the late 60s of the 20th century. At the same time, the refusal to recognize Western literature as a model, artistic and aesthetic norm caused the emergence of powerful voices of authors whose writings are not directly shaped by the Western literary canon. Simultaneously, the refusal to recognize Western literature as a model, artistic and aesthetic norm caused the emergence of powerful voices of writers whose work is not directly shaped by the Western literary canon. The polemic started with the postcolonial discourse regarding the epistemological perspectives of Western literary theory in a situation of clash with a non-Western literary text, which, at the turn of the 21st century, developed into a reflection of its ontological potential. Both intellectuals and artists of the age of Multiculturalism, who relied on the Poststructuralist “breakthrough to the transcendental” on the one hand and on the philosophical nature as well as poetics and aesthetics of art of the East on the other, demonstrated that a complex of issues related to the future existence of literary theory risen by the literature itself, is much more sophisticated. First of all, these processes are caused by the early formation of new future horizons of world literature, in which artists with Eastern artistic and aesthetic background and knowledge play a major role. Following the mastering of the Western literary and aesthetic canon – rather a long period when the writings of these authors were derived from the general paradigm of Western literature – the formation of a new literature takes place, protesting Bhabha’s idea of mimicry as a way of survival and adaptation of the colonized and demonstrating the non-Western canon as its artistic source. The era of posttheory should testify that the rumours of the “death of the theory” may be greatly exaggerated in case the overcoming crisis of theory, which is based on literary knowledge originating from the East.

A Contextless Context: Postcolonial Studies and Terrorism in Israel and Gaza

ABSTRACT: The present article offers a critique of postcolonial theory, a perspective often applied to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Critiques of Israel today tend to frame the Hamas-led October 7th massacre in terms that either excuse or justify it. In this article I provide an overview of Palestinian terrorism and argue that it is the main driver behind Israeli policies, "a context of the context." The issue of terrorism in today's dominant postcolonial discourse is either completely absent or portrayed as a discursive manipulation, used by Israel to justify the oppression of Palestinians. Contrary to the well-known and well-studied reality of terrorism, postcolonial researchers purposefully present Israeli actions as a "contextless context" for the attack. Finally, the paper leverages the "context" concept within a Gramscian perspective, to discuss the interests, power, and resources behind the production of post-colonial knowledge. Framed as "organic intellectuals" embedded in a "historical bloc" such scholars weave together the interests of Western-Leftist parties and Political Islam, Iran, Qatar, Russia, and China into a fabric that applies academic justification for warmongering.

Role and the Untold Stories of the Women in Power in the Epic Mahabharata

This paper provides an overview of existing research papers analysing "Palace of Illusions" by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. It highlights key findings and contributions of these studies, which explore various aspects of the novel, including its feminist perspective, narrative techniques, cultural representation, and character analysis. Through close textual analysis and theoretical frameworks such as feminism, postcolonialism, and psychology, scholars investigate how Divakaruni reimagines traditional mythology, crafts her narrative, navigates cultural complexities, and portrays the character of Draupadi. The paper concludes by suggesting avenues for further research to deepen our understanding of this captivating work and its significance within Indian literature, feminism, and postcolonial discourse.

Deconstructing gender stereotypes in standardized English language school textbooks in Algeria: Implications for equitable instructional materials

The pressing need to promote gender equality in today’s globalized society is underscored in Sustainable Development Goals and juxtaposed with the goal of cultivating global citizenship. Despite these efforts, mainstream post-colonial discourse on Maghrebi women categorizes them as less citizens neglecting ‘the complexity’ of their lives and experiences. The scarcity of research that depicts Algerian women’s experiences along with the treatment of the topic of gender as ‘taboo’ restricted opportunities on researching this important category of society. While there are numerous studies conducted in the Algerian context on female’s stereotypical depiction and invisibility in school textbooks, the discussion of the topic remains ahistorical. It relegates the status of women as ‘the oppressed’ which runs the risk of reproducing colonial epistemologies. Guided by Goffman’s gender stereotype theory and Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis conceptual framework, the paper draws on data collected from four standardized English language school textbooks that are currently used in Algeria. The textbooks content affirms the ‘subaltern’ categorization of Algerian women through emphasizing their deagentialization, dependence, and disempowerment. These findings have implications for gender equity in Algeria, the Maghreb, and the broader North Africa contexts.

Revisiting Edward Said: Culture vs Materiality (A study of his positionality Conflicts in Al-Ahram's articles)

Keeping in view the distinct status of Edward Said in postcolonial discourse, the contexts of his intellectual endeavors reflect an unconscious or innocent indifference to material issues the post-colonial societies were immediately facing after the end of formal colonization. This research article seeks to understand the politics of discourse that Edward Said’s formative works and his Al-Ahram articles exhibit by deconstructing the texts to revisit his celebrated intellectual cum political status among the postcolonial cultural and academic intelligentsia during the previous century. Edward Said seems a significant cultural force behind the curtain who helped the socio-cultural identities of marginalized communities to attain their socio-political exterior in a discourse that was essentially a sovereign attempt to voice the marginalized people enjoying the territorial place only. He substantiated his intellectual position in Culture and Imperialism (1993) and cemented it with historiographic evidence from the text and tradition that constructed the cultural space only, for that matter; but when he started authoring articles for Al-Ahram (An Egyptian Newspaper), he foregrounded his positional interior that was conflicting with his own previously established positions. He shifted the material debate to cultural lifeways, societal experiences, and nativity, and in doing so he innocently facilitated capitalism in establishing the fruitless discourse of cultural politics. but when Edward Said started writing for Al-Ahram, he concentrated more on material issues than cultural debate, especially when he started emphasizing his concerns regarding the Palestine issue. This is what I understand as positionality conflicts. This article attempts to investigate Edward Said’s articles to unearth his determined ideological/political narratives constructing cultural discourse and later confrontation with space, place, culture, and identity, which turned out to be more material than mere ideological. In a way, Edward Said realized over time that his earlier works were not grounded which signified the cultural exterior only.

The Cultural Erosion: Post-Colonial Discourse in Achebe's Things Fall Apart

The purpose of this research is to examine the erosion of cultural identity of Igbo society as a result of British colonization. It also looks at the colonial hegemony enforced by institutions of the church, judiciary, medical system, and education in Igbo society. The peaceful Igbo village descends into chaos as the protagonist's son disobeys his father and mocks the idea of brotherhood by converting himself into Christianity. The impact of colonialism and the supremacy of European culture destroys the social harmony of Igbo society. As a result, despite the struggle and sacrifice of true lover of original culture, the rich cultural legacy continues to collapse. A post-colonial social narrative raises questions to the aboriginal Igbo culture that was originally shaped by a variety of cultural ethos. The community experiences a significant transformation while the true followers original culture struggle with the shifting dynamics of relationships. The traditional lifestyle of the Igbo people is disrupted and challenged by European civilization. As they resist the changes imposed by the colonizers, the indigenous people's identity changes.