Key words
Unit 9: Colonialism & Orientalism
1. Colonialism
- Colonialism is defined as “control by one power over a dependent area or people.” It
occurs when one na<on subjugates another, conquering its popula<on and exploi<ng
it, oBen while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people.
2. Orientalism
- created body of theory and prac<ce" which constructs images of the Orient or the
East directed toward those in the West. Representa<ons of the East as exo<c,
feminine, weak and vulnerable reflect and define how the West views itself as
ra<onal, masculine and powerful.
3. Colonial discourse
- Colonial discourse analysis cri<cally examines the role played by these representa<ons
in colonialism and imperialism, 'rather than focusing on texts, systems of
significa<on, and procedures of knowledge genera<on
4. Othering
- describes the distancing and differen<a<on from other groups in order to confirm
one's own 'normality'.
5. binary division / binary opposi@on
- A binary opposi<on (also binary system) is a pair of related terms or concepts that
are opposite in meaning. Binary opposi<on is the system of language and/or thought
by which two theore<cal opposites are strictly defined and set off against one
another
Unit 10: Postcolonial analysis
1. postcolonial
- Occurring or exis<ng aBer the end of colonial rule
2. canon
- A list of books considered to be “essen<al”
3. counter-discourse
- Way of thinking that opposes a ins<tu<onalized discourse (opposing arguments, new
perspec<ves, new paradigms)
,4. wri@ng back
- Wri<ng by postcolonial authors that cri<cally engages with the colonial past and the
role of literature within it
5. power
6. single story/hegemonic discourse
- becomes ins<tu<onalized + cons<tutes a framework through which iden<fica<ons
become possible, at the same <me ruling out alterna<ve frameworks for
iden<fica<on
Unit 11: Class
1. class
- a division of a society based on social + economic status
- class struggle: opposi<on of and conten<on (heated disagreement) between social or
economic classes (struggle between proletariat + capitalist classes)
2. meritocracy
- government or the holding of power by people (ruling/influen<al class) selected
according to merit
- meritocra<c society = a society structured by only inequali<es of natural talent and
intelligence guided by effort (“”)
3. (social) dis@nc@on
- generated by learned paVerns of consump<on that are internalized as ‘natural’
cultural competences, which are, ul<mately, used to jus<fy forms of class domina<on
4. taste
- more than an aesthe<c category; ‘we are classified by our classifica<ons and classify
others by theirs
- taste is a profoundly (ungemein) ideological discourse; operates as a marker of class
- taste for this ins<tu<onalized culture (their own) is held up as evidence of their
cultural, and, their social superiority
5. economic + cultural capital
- s. notes unit 11
, Discussion questions
McLeod
1. What is the importance of interpellation in the context of colonialism and how does it affect both the coloniser and the
colonised?
● Interpellation = crucial process in colonialism, shaping identities + power dynamics between colonizers & colonized individuals
● involves the internalization of dominant ideologies and the construction of one's identity based on these ideologies.
Colonialism relies on beliefs and ideologies embedded in colonial discourses, which shape the representations and
perceptions of different cultures.
● For the colonized, interpellation de nes their roles + identities, positioning them as inferior & requiring colonisers' guidance
● colonizers reinforce their sense of superiority + entitlement, viewing themselves as the civilizing force
● Western women's complex relationship with colonial discourses complicates their role in the colonial project
2. What is the difference between Orientalism and colonial discourse?
● related concepts but not interchangeable
● Orientalism refers to the Western representation of North African and Middle Eastern lands in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries, focusing on stereotypes + assumptions
● Colonial discourse encompasses the complex ways colonial powers communicated + justi ed their projects, including
power, domination, & control
3. What does Said mean by ‘latent’ and ‘manifest’ Orientalism?
● Latent Orientalism refers to the underlying dreams and fantasies about the Orient, such as the division between East and
West
● Manifest Orientalism represents various expressions of Orientalist ideas based on latent Orientalism
4. What does McLeod mean by “our reading practices can constitute a political act” (39)?
● can be seen as a political act, re ecting our values and beliefs
● By critically engaging with texts & understanding their historical and cultural contexts, we can challenge colonial discourses +
decolonize the mind, actively questioning + subverting power structures
5. What does it mean when Said is accused of “writing out the agency and the voice of colonised peoples” (McLeod 48)
and why would that be problematic?
● he may overlook the perspectives + experiences of colonized peoples, potentially reinforcing the power dynamics of the
colonial powers
● fails to acknowledge the agency + resistance of the colonized in shaping their narratives + challenging oppressive structures
● a more comprehensive understanding of colonial discourses requires considering the perspectives + contributions of the
colonized peoples themselves
6. What would be „counter-hegenomic thought“ (Grams qtd. in McLeod 48) in the context of Orientalism? (p. 9)
● refers to opposing dominant views + power structures perpetuated by Orientalist representations
● involves alternative perspectives + discourses that challenge the authority & in uence of Orientalist discourse, seeking to
dismantle power dynamics and stereotypes
fl fi
Unit 9: Colonialism & Orientalism
1. Colonialism
- Colonialism is defined as “control by one power over a dependent area or people.” It
occurs when one na<on subjugates another, conquering its popula<on and exploi<ng
it, oBen while forcing its own language and cultural values upon its people.
2. Orientalism
- created body of theory and prac<ce" which constructs images of the Orient or the
East directed toward those in the West. Representa<ons of the East as exo<c,
feminine, weak and vulnerable reflect and define how the West views itself as
ra<onal, masculine and powerful.
3. Colonial discourse
- Colonial discourse analysis cri<cally examines the role played by these representa<ons
in colonialism and imperialism, 'rather than focusing on texts, systems of
significa<on, and procedures of knowledge genera<on
4. Othering
- describes the distancing and differen<a<on from other groups in order to confirm
one's own 'normality'.
5. binary division / binary opposi@on
- A binary opposi<on (also binary system) is a pair of related terms or concepts that
are opposite in meaning. Binary opposi<on is the system of language and/or thought
by which two theore<cal opposites are strictly defined and set off against one
another
Unit 10: Postcolonial analysis
1. postcolonial
- Occurring or exis<ng aBer the end of colonial rule
2. canon
- A list of books considered to be “essen<al”
3. counter-discourse
- Way of thinking that opposes a ins<tu<onalized discourse (opposing arguments, new
perspec<ves, new paradigms)
,4. wri@ng back
- Wri<ng by postcolonial authors that cri<cally engages with the colonial past and the
role of literature within it
5. power
6. single story/hegemonic discourse
- becomes ins<tu<onalized + cons<tutes a framework through which iden<fica<ons
become possible, at the same <me ruling out alterna<ve frameworks for
iden<fica<on
Unit 11: Class
1. class
- a division of a society based on social + economic status
- class struggle: opposi<on of and conten<on (heated disagreement) between social or
economic classes (struggle between proletariat + capitalist classes)
2. meritocracy
- government or the holding of power by people (ruling/influen<al class) selected
according to merit
- meritocra<c society = a society structured by only inequali<es of natural talent and
intelligence guided by effort (“”)
3. (social) dis@nc@on
- generated by learned paVerns of consump<on that are internalized as ‘natural’
cultural competences, which are, ul<mately, used to jus<fy forms of class domina<on
4. taste
- more than an aesthe<c category; ‘we are classified by our classifica<ons and classify
others by theirs
- taste is a profoundly (ungemein) ideological discourse; operates as a marker of class
- taste for this ins<tu<onalized culture (their own) is held up as evidence of their
cultural, and, their social superiority
5. economic + cultural capital
- s. notes unit 11
, Discussion questions
McLeod
1. What is the importance of interpellation in the context of colonialism and how does it affect both the coloniser and the
colonised?
● Interpellation = crucial process in colonialism, shaping identities + power dynamics between colonizers & colonized individuals
● involves the internalization of dominant ideologies and the construction of one's identity based on these ideologies.
Colonialism relies on beliefs and ideologies embedded in colonial discourses, which shape the representations and
perceptions of different cultures.
● For the colonized, interpellation de nes their roles + identities, positioning them as inferior & requiring colonisers' guidance
● colonizers reinforce their sense of superiority + entitlement, viewing themselves as the civilizing force
● Western women's complex relationship with colonial discourses complicates their role in the colonial project
2. What is the difference between Orientalism and colonial discourse?
● related concepts but not interchangeable
● Orientalism refers to the Western representation of North African and Middle Eastern lands in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries, focusing on stereotypes + assumptions
● Colonial discourse encompasses the complex ways colonial powers communicated + justi ed their projects, including
power, domination, & control
3. What does Said mean by ‘latent’ and ‘manifest’ Orientalism?
● Latent Orientalism refers to the underlying dreams and fantasies about the Orient, such as the division between East and
West
● Manifest Orientalism represents various expressions of Orientalist ideas based on latent Orientalism
4. What does McLeod mean by “our reading practices can constitute a political act” (39)?
● can be seen as a political act, re ecting our values and beliefs
● By critically engaging with texts & understanding their historical and cultural contexts, we can challenge colonial discourses +
decolonize the mind, actively questioning + subverting power structures
5. What does it mean when Said is accused of “writing out the agency and the voice of colonised peoples” (McLeod 48)
and why would that be problematic?
● he may overlook the perspectives + experiences of colonized peoples, potentially reinforcing the power dynamics of the
colonial powers
● fails to acknowledge the agency + resistance of the colonized in shaping their narratives + challenging oppressive structures
● a more comprehensive understanding of colonial discourses requires considering the perspectives + contributions of the
colonized peoples themselves
6. What would be „counter-hegenomic thought“ (Grams qtd. in McLeod 48) in the context of Orientalism? (p. 9)
● refers to opposing dominant views + power structures perpetuated by Orientalist representations
● involves alternative perspectives + discourses that challenge the authority & in uence of Orientalist discourse, seeking to
dismantle power dynamics and stereotypes
fl fi
