Postcolonial Theory

Postcolonial Theory

What is postcolonialism? It is a term rather difficult to define. It first evolved from the works of authors such as Frantz Fanon, who wrote The Wretched of the Earth in 1961, and Edward Saïd who came forth with his theory of Orientalism in 1978. The first accepted definition of the term was to be found in a collection of essays titled The Empire Writes Back, edited by Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin in 1989. Then came a moment when this definition, mainly based on ideas of race and space, showed its limits. Many scholars agreed that it was too rigid to encompass the experience of postcolonialism. David Theo Goldberg and Ato Quayson thus published a collection of essays named Relocating Postcolonialism in an attempt to find, through the work of many scholars, a new definition to the concept.

The students in charge of the creation of this website were taught by one such scholar. Professor Dawn Duncan teaches her own theory to the students of Concordia College, MN. It is to be found in her essay titled “A Flexible Foundation”, which was published in 2002 in Goldberg and Quayson’s book.

The following graphic is an illustration of her theory as it presents the aspects that are to be taken into consideration when approaching postcolonial theory/literature:

Based on the architectural concept of the “floating slab” (321), Duncan defines a “flexible foundation” as “maintain[ing] three points of intersection for a base [to the postcolonial dialogue] connecting ontological, contextual and textual concerns” (321). It provides a “base that is flexible enough to adjust to the shifting conditions yet sustain the integrity of the structure” (321).

The categories (ontological, contextual and textual), are subdivisions of their basis (the flexible foundation), which are in turn subdivided into three categories each.

The ontological part is subdivided into three questions which are the components of an identity crisis commonly presented by the people experiencing postcolonialism: Who am I? Where do I belong? To whom am I connected?

Then comes the contextual aspect of the flexible foundation, which is "the sociopolitical domination of a native people by an encroaching alien power" (328). Duncan also calls it the ABC’s of colonialism, a mnemonic method she teaches her students. There are three different categories to it. First, the motives, which she calls the “Gs”: Gold, Glory and God. Then the agents, which are the “Ms”: Merchants, Military, and Missionaries. And finally the “Ls”, representing the realms: Land, Law, and Language.

The last category pertaining to the flexible foundation is the textual aspect. It is subdivided into three categories as well:

1) the state: it is the state construct, the public documents put forward by authorities to tell the story

2) the native: it is the people’s right to say their own story

3) the personal investigation: it is about finding truths about oneself and it implies going back to the native history and the state construct

Duncan calls this graphic a “living fluid triangulation” as it is able to adapt to the flexible nature of postcolonialism.

Works Consulted:

Duncan, Dawn. "A Flexible Foundation: Constructing a Postcolonial Dialogue." 2002. Relocating Postcolonialism. Ed. David Theo Goldberg and Ato Quayson. Bodmin: Blackwell, 2002. 320-32. Print.

Written by: Fanny Robuchon

Developed by: The Translations Design Team