Postcolonialism: A Very Short Introduction

by Robert J.C. Young

Book Overview

Postcolonialism explores the political, social, and cultural effects of decolonization, continuing the anti-colonial challenge to western dominance. This lively and innovative account of both the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192801821
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.2" x 0.4" x 4.1"

Customer Reviews

A perspective different from what Americans are used to

Unlike other books I've read in the Oxford series, this one makes no pretense to being an academic study. In fact, it's one of the most one-sided books I've ever read all the way through. But it gets 5 stars from me because it's an articulate exposition of postcolonial thinking. It presents information and opinions that we just don't get in the mass media in the U.S. For instance, a recent US president made much of Saddam Hussein's use of poison gas against the Kurds in the 80s, but Prof Young notes that Winston Churchill, as British Colonial Secretary, used poison gas against the Kurds in the 1920s. If you want to understand why the legacy of colonialism generates such high feelings overseas, this book can help you get the picture. A valid criticism of the book is that it's a mishmosh of topics. The downside to this is that you're not going to get a grand theory into which everything falls. The upside is that you get a better feel for the diversity of the various situations in the "Third World". Some topics, like Algerian rai music, seem to get a surprising number of pages devoted to them, but it's often beneficial to dig deeper into selected topics along with a more cursory overview of the rest. There are an awful lot of references to Frantz Fanon. And Che Guevara is mentioned often also. I can think of some other people, like Ho Chi Minh, who could have just as well been included in a book like this. But, it's a "very short introduction", so understandable that the author talked about his favorite people. There's a very good section on feminism here. The author particularly notes that feminism isn't just some part of postcolonialism but that the postcolonial movement itself probably would not exist without the grassroots activities of women. While men have often gone along with a prevailing sentiment if it meant jobs in the short run, women have often been more eager to discard the patriarchal attitudes of colonialism and work for real social reform. Another plus is an extensive list of references that the reader can pursue. (I'm probably going to read one of the Fanon books, which I never would have thought of doing previously.) Warning: there are some jaw-dropping assertions here that may drive you up the wall. E.g, that America is a land of white Protestants who live in gated communities, whole-heartedly back corporate CEOs, and are responsible for what the French did in Algeria in 1840 because -- they were also white. This is truly a black-and-white view of the world, where white is bad. I suppose it reflects a misunderstanding of Americans and a misunderstanding of the distinction between us and our government that is shared by many around the world -- especially those who haven't spent much time here but know us mostly by what Western business and government has done to them. And is still doing. So, I understand the point of view of those who hate this book, but I can't think of another book that pre

Helpful book.

This book is a general review of the postcolonial literature. It's realy easy to understand and all of the concepts are very well explained. After reading this book, you will have the necessary knowledge to read a postcolonial piece of work. I recommend this book for someone who is reading postcolonial literature for the first time. :)

Political, Passionate, Engaging and Effective

In the introduction the author tells us that "Postcolonialism is about turning the world upside down and looking at it from a different perspective, that is, from the perspective of the disenfranchised people, a majority of whom come from the developing world" (2). The author then proceeds to show us the world from "their" eyes. His approach is unconventional; he presents "a montage" in which we see the bombing of Baghdad from an Iraqi's perspective, the plight of the homeless peasants in Brazil, the rape and torture of Algerians by the French in colonial Algeria, the forced unveilings of Muslim women under the American imposed Shah in Iran, the displacement of 200,000 Adivasi villagers because of the World Bank sponsored construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam, the CIA's overthrow of Patrice Lumumba, the president of the newly liberated Congo, and mass starvation in countries with surpluses of food. These slices of the lives and struggles of the disenfranchised peoples make the reader feel their pain and suffering. We experience the injustices of the world and view the imposition of Western culture and values as a form of violence and oppression; we come to understand the Third World's ambivalent, if not hostile, feelings toward the West. This may seem radical since the Western world prefers to ignore the harsh realties that exist in developing nations and within its own societies. The prosperous are taught that current systems (political and economic) promise equality, justice and prosperity for all and that our interventions overseas have been of a benevolent nature. Thus, by showing another perspective, a perspective in which all these ideas are turned upside down, may strike the uninitiated as subversive. But, that's precisely the point. Postcolonialism specifically seeks to subvert the West's understanding of itself (as good), of different cultures (as inferior) and of its relation to these cultures (as kind and beneficial). It argues that all understandings of historical relations, as well as all forms of knowledge, are inherently political as they authorize one group's view of reality over another's. A previous reviewer claims that this work reads like a pamphlet. I think this is because it has an emotional impact on the reader, which can be particularly disconcerting for someone who has never seen the world from this perspective and is resistant to giving it any validity. But, this glimpse of the world through the eye's of the Westerner's Other is also what makes this introduction so unique and effective. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in becoming acquainted with this subject on an intellectual and emotional level. However, if you're looking for a critique of Postcolonialism, this is not the book for you.

A brilliant book--it could change your life

If you don't want to have any of your views challenged or at least put in question, then don't read this book. You can learn from this book: it tells you about a different world, which is probably not your own. If you just want someone to tell you about the world you already know, then there are many many other books around that do that. This book takes you on a journey of discovery around the earth, showing you what it looks like, how it feels, when the third world comes first, not last. It will be different, it may make you feel uncomfortable, you may feel that it is turning your world upside down, but its an amazing, positive and heartening experience you will never forget.

New Directions

This book is surprisingly good for such a short read. It opens up some new directions in the field by exploring connections between American and African colonialisms, it has clear and useful ways of characterising what postcolonial studies is about, and it is one of those books that gives you ideas for research projects you want to take on for yourself. Young suggests he wants to begin this by working from examples and contexts rather than theories, and this may be why this book is so refreshing and innovative. This is the best of the various introductions and (longer) short studies of the field. It was recommended to me by an experienced researcher well published in the field and it is a recommendation I endorse and pass on.