Overview Definition of Terms Postcolonial Feminist Theories Chandra Mohanty

Terms Colonialism- control by one power over a dependent area Imperialism- the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation by direct territorial acquisition or indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas Hegemony- The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others

Terms Ethnocentrism- based on the attitude that one’s own group is superior Third World- specific geographical areas and “imaginary spaces” Latin America, the Caribbean, African, Southeast Asia, China, Oceania Also includes people of color in the US, Europe and Australia- black, indigenous, Latino, Asian

Postcolonial Feminist Theories Thinkers: Trinh T. Minh-Ha, Gayatri Spivak, Chandra Mohanty, Maria Fernandez-Kelly, Maria Mies, Ester Boserup, Uma Narayan Description of Problem: –Undercutting of women’s traditional economic base by colonialism –Exploitation of women workers in the post- colonial economy –Lack of education for girls –Inadequate maternal and child health care

Postcolonial Feminist Theories Analysis: –Sexism, racism, imperialism, capitalism, colonialism –Patriarchal family structures –Traditional cultural practices that are harmful to women Remedies: –Protection of women’s economic resources in modernization –Education, health care, family planning –Community women’s organizing –Eradication of practices such as female genital mutilation

Postcolonial Feminist Theories Contributions: –Gender analyses of modernization and economic restructuring –Data on exploitation of women and children workers –Women’s rights as human rights –Understanding of connection between 1 st and 3 rd world Shortcomings: –Western ideas of women’s independence can undercut community –Cultural diversity vs. universal women’s rights (micro vs. macro change)

Chandra Mohanty “Feminism Without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity” “Discursive colonization” of much Western feminist theory and scholarship –Global hegemony of western scholarship She provides: 1. A critique of how Western feminists construct the 3 rd world and 3 rd world women 2. Creation of feminisms that are historically and culturally grounded

Chandra Mohanty Critique of Western Feminist Theory about 3 rd world women –Western feminists have created a binary of Western vs. non-western –Produced work that has created a monolithic, singular, universal 3 rd world woman –This 3 rd world woman is uneducated, traditional, powerless, family-oriented, outside history, evolutionarily backward, and has no choices –This conception limits knowledge of women globally and limits coalition-building

Chandra Mohanty Invisibility of 3 rd world feminism in literature Creation of new types of feminisms and feminist theories that include: –Local, cross-national, cross-cultural analyses –Race, class, state, liberation struggles Examples/immigration laws, multinational companies and labor forces participation –Imagined community- horizontal comradeship Political alliances rather than biological or cultural