20.1. What is Colonialism?#

We already defined colonialism in chapter 2, but we thought we’d define it here again.

20.1.1. Colonialism#

Colonialism is when one group or country subjugates another group, often imposing laws, religion, culture, and languages on that group, and taking resources from them. Colonialism is often justified by belief that the subjugated people are inferior (e.g., barbaric, savage, godless, backwards), and the superiority of the group doing the subjugation (e.g., civilized, advanced).

“White Saviors”#

Sometimes colonialism is a little bit more subtle. For example, the term “White Savior” is a sarcastic term for white people being seen as liberating or rescuing “helpless” non-white people. This is common in TV and movies (see the TVTropes entries on Mighty Whitey, and White Man’s Burden). For example, consider movies like James Cameron’s Avatar, Dances with Wolves, The Last Samuri (starring Tom Cruise), The Blind Side, The Help, La La Land, etc.

Movie Poster. Top center is Tom Cruise's face. Below it is text "Tom Cruise", then in smaller text "The Last Samurai". On the sides of the poster are Japanese characters.

Fig. 20.1 Poster for the movie The Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise.#

20.1.2. Decolonization / Postcolonialism / Liberation / Landback#

Counter to colonialism, decolonization, postcolonialism, liberation, and landback are movements where the colonized/oppressed take back power from the colonialists/oppressors, and graple with the consequences of having been colonized. This may be a response to colonization by:

  • Government occupation (e.g., England ruling India/Pakistan, USA removing Indigenous Americans from their land, USA ruling Cuba and the Philippines)

  • Oppressed group in a country with restricted rights or ability to make their voices heard (e.g., women’s rights and civil rights movements in USA)

  • Cultural and economic dominance (e.g., the global power centers of Silicon Valley, Hollywood, Wall Street, etc.)