Postcolonialism, Power Dynamics, and Identity
This briefing doc analyzes four texts exploring themes of postcolonialism, power dynamics, and identity construction:
1. "(Post)Colonial We-Narratives":
This academic article analyzes the use of "we-narration" in colonial and postcolonial literature. The author, Fasselt, argues that "we-narration" is not merely a tool for "writing back" to the center but can be used to explore the complexities of postcolonial societies and challenge simplistic notions of a unified postcolonial identity.
Key points:
Differentiated “we”: Fasselt challenges the idea of a monolithic "we" in postcolonial narratives. Using Conrad's The Ni__er of the "Narcissus" and Ngũgĩ's A Grain of Wheat as examples, she demonstrates how these texts depict a fragmented "we," highlighting internal divisions and the limitations of a collective identity.
Beyond "Otherness": Fasselt argues against viewing "we-narration" simply as a way to construct a postcolonial identity in opposition to a colonial "other." She suggests that "we-narration" can instead reveal a "radical intimacy of sameness" and highlight the limitations of the "other" concept.
"We" as a Panoramic Tool: In A Grain of Wheat, Fasselt argues that Ngũgĩ uses "we-narration" to present a panoramic view of the Kenyan village at the moment of independence, capturing the diverse experiences and perspectives of the community.
Key quotes:
"The present article begins, therefore, with an overview of the scholarship that seem to constitute the “non-I” in the “we.” - This highlights the focus on the internal composition of the "we" rather than solely its opposition to an external "other."
"The we-voice deployed in the novel is, in fact, riven by various forces from the very beginning. By introducing a traitor as the narrative’s first focalizer, for example, Ngũgı̃ positions the “we” of collaboration at the center of his engagement with the postcolonial future."
- This illustrates the inherent fragmentation and contradictions within the postcolonial "we."
"I have shown that the we-form can also be read as a reflection of recent reassessments and reformulations in postcolonial studies that foreground internal differentiation, the radical intimacy of sameness, and the move away from a preoccupation with 'otherness' against the unabated persistence of well-worn postcolonial concepts." - This summarizes Fasselt's argument about the evolving understanding of "we-narration" in postcolonial studies.
2. "DT: Power, Knowledge, and Justice":
This conversation between Devon Peña and Tezozomoc explores the concepts of power, knowledge, justice, and alterNative agency in the context of environmental and food justice movements.
Key points:
Critique of Universal Human Rights: Peña criticizes the concept of Universal Human Rights as a Western-centric imposition that disregards place-based and collective notions of justice practiced by indigenous communities.
AlterNative Jurisprudence: The authors discuss the possibility of a place-based or "customary" law that exists beyond the confines of formal positive law, emphasizing mutual reliance interests and self-governance practices seen in traditional systems like acequias.
State of Exception and AlterNative Agency: Examining Carl Schmitt's work, the conversation delves into the concept of the "state of exception," where sovereign power suspends the rule of law, and how it is used to marginalize and exclude certain groups. They propose strategies for "counter-exceptions" through acts of unauthorized social citizenship and the pursuit of autonomous spaces for resilient livelihoods.
Key quotes:
"In one alterNative version, as Gustavo Esteva and Mahdu Prakash argue in Grassroots postmodernism (1999): The Trojan Horse of Universal Human Rights delivers a top-down, one size fits all, western-centered concept of “individual” rights..." - This highlights the authors' critique of the universality of human rights discourse.
"While laws, in the local cultural sense, are a semiotic regime, and presumably all laws connect back to a system of meaning, the localized practices of customary law actually lay beyond the scope of formal or positive law..." - This establishes the existence of an alterNative, place-based legal system.
"Can we 'reset' the bare life, as in some streams of queer theory, and go toward an inversion of the negative pole so that this moment of alterity is re-deployed in a declaration of 'right livelihood' through withdrawal from engagement with the State and its “governmentalizing” agencies?" - This explores the potential for subversive agency against the state of exception.
3. "Gramsci and Subaltern Struggles Today":
This chapter analyzes Antonio Gramsci's theory of hegemony and its relevance to understanding and supporting contemporary subaltern struggles. Green emphasizes the need for counter-hegemonic movements to engage in a "war of position" to challenge dominant power structures.
Key points:
The Importance of Organic Intellectuals: Green discusses Gramsci's concept of organic intellectuals who emerge from within oppressed groups and can articulate their experiences and aspirations, facilitating the development of counter-hegemonic consciousness.
War of Position vs. War of Maneuver: The author contrasts Gramsci's concepts of "war of position," a long-term struggle for ideological and cultural influence, with "war of maneuver," a direct assault on state power. Green emphasizes the importance of engaging in the "war of position" to build a broad-based counter-hegemonic movement.
Building a New Ethico-Political Foundation: Green highlights Gramsci's idea that true social transformation requires not just seizing state power but also establishing a new ethical and political foundation for society that rejects the subordination of any group.
Key quotes:
"Under such conditions, the psychology of the peasants was inscrutable: their real feelings remained occult, entangled and confused in a system of defence against exploitation that was merely individualist, devoid of logical continuity, inspired largely by guile and feigned servility." - This illustrates the challenge of organizing a fragmented peasantry lacking collective consciousness.
"The council movement 'gave the masses a 'theoretical' consciousness of themselves as creators of historical and institutional values, as founders of states.'" - This highlights the transformative potential of grassroots organizations in fostering counter-hegemonic consciousness.
"The strategic idea that Gramsci puts forward is that revolutionary change requires the formulation of a new ethico-political foundation of society that disallows the subordination of one group by another." - This emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in values and principles to achieve lasting social change.
4. "Decolonization is Not a Metaphor":
Tuck and Yang argue that decolonization is not a metaphor but a material process of reclaiming Indigenous land and sovereignty. They critique the appropriation of decolonization discourse by settler academics and activists and emphasize the incommensurability of decolonization with other social justice movements.
Key points:
Decolonization as a Material Process: The authors insist that decolonization is not a symbolic gesture or metaphor but a concrete process of dismantling settler colonialism and restoring Indigenous land and self-determination.
Critique of Settler Appropriation: Tuck and Yang criticize the tendency of settler academics and activists to adopt the language of decolonization without engaging in the difficult work of relinquishing land and power.
Settler Colonialism as an Ongoing Structure: They emphasize that settler colonialism is not a historical event but an enduring structure of domination that continues to shape the present.
Key quotes:
"Decolonize (a verb) and decolonization (a noun) cannot easily be grafted onto pre-existing discourses/frameworks, even if they are critical, even if they are anti-racist, even if they are justice frameworks. The easy absorption, adoption, and transposing of decolonization is yet another form of settler appropriation." - This strongly asserts the distinct nature of decolonization and its resistance to assimilation into other frameworks.
"In order for the settlers to make a place their home, they must destroy and disappear the Indigenous peoples that live there. Indigenous peoples are those who have creation stories, not colonization stories..." - This highlights the fundamental conflict between settler colonialism and Indigenous ways of being.
"Abolition means self-possession but not object-possession, repatriation but not reparation." - This redefines abolition not just as ending slavery but also as restoring Indigenous land and dismantling the concept of property itself.
5. "I Am Not Your Chihuahua":
This collection of poems and prose explores themes of Chicanx identity, resistance against cultural appropriation, and reclaiming agency through language and self-definition.
Key points:
Rejecting Stereotypes and Appropriation: The author challenges stereotypical representations of Chicanx identity, rejecting attempts to commodify and domesticate their culture and experiences.
Reclaiming Language and Semiotics: The poems utilize code-switching, slang, and double meanings to subvert dominant language and create a space for authentic Chicanx expression.
Asserting Presence and Territoriality: The poems express a strong sense of belonging and connection to the land, refusing to be erased or displaced.
Key quotes:
"I am not your trans-border-crossing post-moderno post-colonialists chavoruco Soy un pinche “chinga tu madre” bluesman" - This declaration rejects academic and cultural labels while asserting a raw and defiant Chicanx identity.
"We demand more than land acknowledgements. We demand deeds, simple fees, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, tenants by entirety, Sole ownership, and community property." - This expresses the demand for material decolonization and the return of stolen land.
"Pendejo, don’t fall for the mythic literary cultural production of products as a measure of “authentic” identity; through its evocation of universal non-transcendental truths tainted with pre-cuauhtemoc and indigenous semiotics." - This warns against commodifying and essentializing Chicanx culture and identity.
Synthesis:
These texts collectively illuminate the complex interplay of power, knowledge, and identity construction in the context of colonialism and its legacies. They urge us to move beyond simplistic narratives of "us" vs. "them" and recognize the internal differentiations and ongoing struggles within marginalized communities. They challenge us to confront the material realities of settler colonialism and engage in authentic acts of decolonization that center Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination. Furthermore, they call for a critical examination of the ways language and cultural representation are used to perpetuate or challenge power structures.
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