Post-Colonialism: Knowledge From The West vs The Colonized
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Assumes knowledge: what is said to be true is never a full account of events
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Gaps between what is said to have happened and what actually happened
→ explained by examining how colonial structures shape academic research
💡 Ex: European research for ‘universal truths’ with the world’s natives as research subjects
Problems:
- Didn’t involve use of native knowledge or concerns
- Findings not universally accessible: natives are illiterate and in poverty
Post-Colonialism disputed validity of European justification for imperialism
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The idea and commonplace of ‘expert knowledge’ about former colonial expanses
→ Used to justify imperialism
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Propositions by Rationalism & Critical Theory theorists that rationalism & humanism is enough context for critique of imperialism
- The West thought it has sole responsibility for charting the course of human history
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Prevailing rationalities and historical justifications of imperialism
→ self-serving assumptions
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The scientific understanding of natives through their cultures with their customs, and habits as reflected by European’s own ‘caste of mind’
→ divided humanity into races, ethnic groups, heathens, and barbarians