Postcolonialism
Siba N. Grovogui
The chapter by Siba N. Grovogui was quite interesting for me. The author uses
postcolonialism to find answers on culture, power and identity questions, related to IR
theories. We read that this term might have different originations depended on
geographical locations. Different regions were conquered by other states and regimes
throughout the history, so they had to experience divergent types of control. This fact gives
us the result that they differ with ideologies and culture from each other. In my opinion this
view of social and political difference is the most interesting and notable, because the
beginning of every issue around us has its historical and rational background.
The author emphasizes that postcolonialism is a main actor in ‘creation of truths’
established on different forms of understanding and it offers totally new route of thinking
about self-determination.
The chapter had two main goals. First was highlighting the lack of international justice
norms, and the second- illustrating the postcolonial ambition revoke European imperialism
and colonialism heritage, to change international order and notions of society completely
(Grovogui).
As I mentioned above, the whole chapter is full of interesting points and views. For me,
basically, postcolonialism, as a theoretical approach seemed quite confusing few years ago,
when I first read Michel Foucault’s works. Foucault’s ideas were mainly connected to
colonial and postcolonial concepts and their impacts on world society. A whole series of
colonial models was brought back to the West, and the result was that the West could practice
something resembling colonization, or an internal colonialism, on itself. (Foucault 1975–76
[2003], 103).
One of the main topics from the text I want to mention about is orientalism and identities.
Grovogui considers postcolonialism as the study of identities and cultures. He lists authors,
whose works highlight this theme and drop attention to essentialism. Main idea of this last
approach is that “identities and culture have their own essential features which are
impermeable to those of others” (Grovogui).
In most African countries, theorists hardly use postcolonial ideas without any “fear,”
because even nowadays European ideology and frames have a big influence on colonial
population of current Africa. Today’s different states of this continent represent countries
which, centuries ago, used to live in different political spaces and had their own rules. But,
fortunately, self-determination process affected beneficially on some colonial population
and helped them to dispose colonial character. Reading this part reminded me the situation
in my country. Georgia is a post-soviet country. For many years people’s mind was under
influence of communism ideas. In 1991 USSR collapsed and states under their pressure had
an opportunity to live in a better way. It seems that life-style changed, but communist
ideology seemed to be dominant again. The reason is simple. Rational revolution needs
time, changing generations who would have “new mind,” and opportunities to perceive new
challenges. Still nowadays you meet people (mainly older generation), who idealize that
regime. In my opinion, these two are quiet similar examples, how self-determination works
for people and help them to gain new values.
In conclusion, I agree with author that “postcolonialism has a critical constructionist
dimension.” This study aims to generate new, politics which would be more sensitive for
human beings. I think, the main goal of this chapter was to show influences of wealthier
countries occupation on states and regions, which were colonized.
As Lena Tan (professor in international relations at Otago University) emphasizes in her
article, during this long-term process colonialism included the big importance in developing
of the international system, with its social norms and structures.
