This document defines key terms related to postcolonial literature and criticism. It discusses colonialism as the establishment of settlements in distant territories subject to a parent state. Imperialism involves a metropolitan power ruling over distant territories, while neo-imperialism refers to economic control. Postcolonialism can refer to the temporal period after colonialism or an ideological critique of colonialism. However, some critique postcolonialism for presenting a linear view of history and ignoring ongoing aspects of colonialism. The document also notes social and racial differences within colonies were not fully captured.

1. DEFINING THE TERMS
Postcolonial Literatures
Prof. José Santiago Fdez. Vázquez

2. COLONIALISM
“[A colony]is a settlement in a new country
… a body of people who settle in a new
locality, forming a community subject to
or connected with their parent state; the
community so formed, consisting of the
original settlers and their descenant and
successors, as long as the connection
wuith the parent state is kept up”

3. Traditional definition of Colonialism
 This definition ignores the existence of
pre-colonial peoples.
 Colonialism involves the conquest and
control of other people´s lands and goods.

4. Colonialism and Imperialism
 Colonialism ⇒ Implantment of settlements
on distant territories.

5. Colonialism and Imperialism
 Colonialism ⇒ Implantment of settlements
on distant territories.
 Imperialism ⇒ “Practice, theory and
attitudes of a dominating metropolitan
centre ruling a distant territory.

6. Colonialism and Imperialism
 Colonialism ⇒ Implantment of settlements
on distant territories.
 Imperialism ⇒ “Practice, theory and
attitudes of a dominating metropolitan
centre ruling a distant territory.
 Neo-imperialism ⇒ Economic control.

7. Main stages in the development of
Western imperialism
 Age of discovery (15th and 16th
centuries).
 Age of mercantilism (17th and 18th
centuries).
 Age of imperialism (19th and 20th
centuries).

8. Differences between Wstern imperialism
and other forms of imperial conquest
 Western imperialism is intertwined with
the development of a capitalist economy.

9. Differences between Wstern imperialism
and other forms of imperial conquest
 Western imperialism is intertwined with
the development of a capitalist economy.
 Development of a highly elaborate
ideological discourse.

10. Two senses of the word “postcolonial”
 Temporal meaning

11. Two senses of the word “postcolonial”
 Temporal meaning
 Ideological meaning

12. Critique of postcolonialism
 The term reproduces a linear and
progressive view of history.

13. Critique of postcolonialism
 The term reproduces a linear and
progressive view of history.
 Colonialism is not over yet.

14. Critique of postcolonialism
 The term reproduces a linear and
progressive view of history.
 Colonialism is not over yet.
 Differences between “settler colonies” and
“colonies of occupation”. Ambivalent role
position of settlers.

15. Critique of postcolonialism
 The term is too monolithic:
 Differences between “settler colonies” and
“colonies of occupation”. Ambivalent role
position of settlers.

16. Critique of postcolonialism
 The term is too monolithic:
 Differences between “settler colonies” and
“colonies of occupation”. Ambivalent role
position of settlers.
 Social and racial differences in the colonies.

17. Critique of postcolonialism
The scope of the postcolonial:
 Status of ethnic “minorities” and
immigrants ⇒ Diaspora as a consequence
of colonialism.

18. Critique of postcolonialism
 Excessive importance given to colonial
history.

19. Critique of postcolonialism
 Excessive importance given to colonial
history.
 Postcolonialism as neo-colonialism:
 Institutional position of postcolonial critics and
theorists.
 Reproduction of geographic-economic structure
of colonialism.

20. Sources of postcolonial theory
 Intellectual and political activism against
colonialism.
 Influence of postructuralism in colonial
discourse theory.