An academic field that examines the cultural, political and literary consequences of colonialism and imperialism
Postcolonialism
A complex and dynamic sense of self that is shaped by personal, cultural, historical, and political experiences, especially under the influence of colonial structures.
Identity
A broader ideology that justifies the expansion of a nation's power and influence through colonization, military force, or economic control.
Imperialism
A political entity made up of multiple of territories or nations ruled by a central power, often obtained through conquest and maintained through dominance
Empire
The forced movement of individuals or communities from their homeland due to colonization, war, or political conflict.
Displacement
A movement or ideology that emphasizes collective identity and self-governance based on shared culture, history, and territory.
Nationalism
The ability of individuals or communities to act independently and make their own choices, often in defiance of oppressive systems.
Agency
The process by which colonies achieve political independence and engage in cultural and psychological recovery from colonial domination.
Decolonization
A term coined by Edward Said to describe how the West constructs stereotypical and patronizing representations of Eastern societies to justify domination.
Orientalism
A concept used to describe how colonial discourse defines colonized people as fundamentally different, inferior, or exotic in contrast to the colonizer’s self-image.
The Other
Actions—ranging from armed rebellion to cultural production—that challenge colonial domination and assert local autonomy.
Resistance
A strategy of colonized subjects who imitate the colonizer’s culture, language, and behavior, often producing a sense of ambivalence as the mimic is both similar and different.
Mimicry
A term used to describe populations outside the hegemonic power structure who are socially, politically, and geographically marginalized.
Subaltern
The dispersion of a people from their original homeland, often accompanied by a sustained connection to cultural roots and a sense of collective memory.
Diaspora
A psychological conflict experienced by individuals who navigate multiple cultural identities, often due to living in a colonized or racialized society.
Double Consciousness
The political and economic domination of one nation over another, typically involving the settlement of people from the colonizing nation and exploitation of the colonized territory's resources.
Colonialism
The capacity for formerly marginalized or colonized individuals to articulate their experiences, perspectives, and identities, especially through literature and art.
Voice
The dominance of one group over others, not just through force but also through cultural, ideological, or intellectual influence.
Hegemony
A cultural and social condition that emerges when individuals or groups blend elements from different cultures, often as a result of colonial encounters.
Hybridity
The use of cultural elements from a marginalized group by a more dominant group without proper understanding or respect, often resulting in distortion or commodification.
Cultural Appropriation