Graduate Education Institute · Political Science and International Relations · Doctorate
Course Objective
What are the cultural, intellectual and political responses to colonialism and its legacy in Asia, Africa and Latin America? What has been the role of politics in mediating the conflicting demands of identity and power made by social groups in a post-colonial context? This course will enable students to understand postcolonial theory in relation to politics and to apply critical concepts such as hegemony and resistance to specific examples.
Course Content
Students will study the interpretive concepts of postcolonial theory with reference to specific examples such as hegemony and resistance in the twenty-first century, globalisation and nationalism, identity and hybridity, the role of public intellectuals in postcolonial state, essentialism and the clash of civilisations, and neo-orientalism and imperialism.
Required Resources
Loomba, Ania. 2005. Colonialism/postcolonialism. London: Routledge.
Course Learning Outcomes
- Students should be able to apply interpretive concepts such as hegemony to specific examples in political life and demonstrate a wide understanding of the literature on postcolonial theory. Further, students will learn how to communicate their analyses through written essays and visual presentations using information and communications technology.
Core Area Distribution
Teaching Methods
Assessment & Evaluation
ECTS / Workload
| Activity | Quantity | Duration (h) | Total Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Duration (Including Exam Week) | 16 | 3 | 48 |
| Out of Class Study Period | 16 | 7 | 112 |
| Midterm | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quiz | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Assignment | 3 | 8 | 24 |
| Practice | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Final | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Course Schedule
| Week | Subject | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Postcolonial Theory and Politics | |
| 2 | The Idea of the Political Other: Orientalism and the Dark Continent | |
| 3 | Colonialism and Knowledge | |
| 4 | Race and Class | |
| 5 | Gender and Patriarchy | |
| 6 | Nationalism and Pan-Nationalism | |
| 7 | Anti-Colonialism and the Nation-State | |
| 8 | Hegemony and Resistance | |
| 9 | Globalisation and the Politics of Identity | |
| 10 | Postcolonial Intellectuals as Political Critics | |
| 11 | Essentialism and the Myth of the 'Third World Dictator' | |
| 12 | A Clash of Civilisations or A Clash of Ignorance? | |
| 13 | Neo-Orientalism, 9/11 and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq | |
| 14 | Unipolarity and Neo-Imperialism | |
| 15 | Revolution and the Post-Colonial State | |
| 16 | Revolution and the Post-Colonial State |