Postcolonialism

Does the history of colonialism still matter after

decolonisation?
  The process whereby a powerful state extends control and exerts
influence over developing and vulnerable states
 Colonialism as a practice reached from the 15th century to the end
What is of WW2, where decolonization became prominent
colonialism?  Great Britain expanded its influence across India, Egypt and Africa
 The French empire constituted states such as Algeria and the Ivory
Coast (named for their commodity)
 1. IR was birthed during the height of European imperialism

Colonial roots 2. Traditional theorists such as Thucydides, Machiavelli, Kant and

Hobbes lived during periods of intense violence against non-
of IR Europeans
3. Eurocentrism
 1. An alternative to the Eurocentric mainstream position of IR
2. Based on colonial rule and how effects are still felt presently
Postcolonialism 3. The power of language
4. The practice of colonialism doesn’t exist in the same way, but
the effects still exist
5. Postpositivist epistemology
 1. “Orientalism” - Edward Said (1979).
2. Balfour’s justification for the treatment of the Egyptians was
based on British superiority and Egyptian inferiority
Postcolonial 3. British “knowledge” of Egypt manipulated the way Egypt was
viewed for the colonizers and colonized
scholarship
4. “Eurocentric conception of world politics” – John Hobson
(2012).
  Erroll Henderson exploration of racism in IR theory maintains how
“these major paradigms of world politics [realism and liberalism]
are oriented by racist – primarily white supremacist – precepts”
 Although few scholars would readily admit a racist ontology, racist
Challenging thinking ‘was [and continues to be] fundamental to the
conceptualization of anarchy; IR’s fundamental concept which
mainstream IR depended on the primitivization of non-European societies’.
 “Anarchy is what states make of it” – Wendt (1992).
 Mainstream IR is founded on this; therefore, it is key to recognize
the colonial roots inherent in the discipline
  The powerful dictate the use of language and how we identify
“others”
 Balfour’s separation between ”us” and “them” served to legitimize
oppression and justify occupying other states
Power of
 “…the more advanced have a duty and therefore a right to
language intervene in, and to improve the character and the conduct of the
less advanced (Hindess, 2007)”
 Western scholars have stated the moral imperative of “civilizing”
non-Europeans according to their standards.
 1. A trading agreement between Africa and the US which opened
the US economy to African nations, reducing US trade barriers
2. Agreement was framed on African countries increasing exports,
thus improving economies
3. World Trade Organisation was set up to facilitate trade between
Case Study: states, but WTO was negotiated by the EU and US
African Growth 4. US created the narrative that this would be highly beneficial for
Africa, furthering an imperialistic notion of superiority and
and elitism
Opportunity 5. AGOA seen as a move by the US to exploit and access cheap
African labour and resources
Act 2000 6. Eligibility requirements dictated according to US preference
7. In the end, African states had little bargaining power in the US
market and only 6/30 countries witnessed a significant increase
in exports
Does the
history of  The legacy of colonialism is still apparent in contemporary IR
colonialism still  EU Refugee Crisis

matter after  Nonproliferation program

decolonisation?