Postcolonial Theory: What is it?

A helpful form of criticism to help people see the connection among

other forms of criticism including psychological
Postcolonial criticism defines formerly colonized peoples as any
population that has been subjected to the political and economic
domination of another population
Britain was one of the largest imperial powers during the nineteenth
century and has many works written by people from the countries that
were under British power
What are some important vocabulary?

Othering: judging all people who are different as less than human

Eurocentrism: also called universalism. The use of the European culture

is standard and all other cultures are negatively contrasted with it

Diaspora: the migration of people from their native land. Often deals
with identity

Identity: the way a person or group of people define themselves

Language: Prominent for both colonization and the resistance as the

taking back of the native language can help people maintain their
culture.

Mimicry: the colonized adapting to the colonizers culture and way of

life including language and education.

Information from Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide chapter on

Postcolonial theory and criticism by Lois Tyson