Neo-Colonialism versus Post-Colonial Theorisation

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At the most basic level, postcolonial theorisation is concerned with space; the Other’s space and our space. As the Palestinian literature theoretician, Edward Said – probably the most central figure of postcolonial thinking – expresses it: “Just as none of us is outside or beyond geography, none of us is completely free from the struggle over geography” (1993, pp. 6-7). The struggle over geography – this is how the central content in postcolonial thinking can be summarised. Geo-graphy, i.e. descriptions of the earth, are never neutral; they are written from a specific position, in a specific space, at a specific time, by a specific author, intended for a specific audience etc. The struggle over the control of such descriptions is carried out on several levels and with complex relations not only to military aspects, but also to economy, politics and culture. “That struggle is complex and interesting because it is not only about soldiers and cannons but also about ideas, about forms, about images and imaginings” (ibid.). What is analysed is not the text, as some critics of postcolonia...

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