Globalization and Postcolonialism

Hegemony and Resistance in the Twenty-first Century

By (author) Sankaran Krishna

Paperback - £35.00

Publication date:

16 December 2008

Length of book:

234 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9780742554689

Globalization has become a widely used buzzword, yet popular discussions often miss its deeper realities. This book offers the first clear explanation of the impact of colonialist legacies in a globalized world in an era defined by the "War on Terror." Sankaran Krishna explores the history of the relationship between Western dominance and the forms of resistance that have emerged to challenge it. Moving beyond the simple formulation of "They hate us because we are rich, we are free, and they are crazy," he asks, "What have we done that might generate such animosity? What face has the United States presented to the developing world over time?

Krishna argues that we live on an interrelated globe, that history matters a great deal in constructing contemporary realities, and that others create stories or narratives about the world based on their experiences just as we do based on ours. He contends that the interactions between the West and the non-West have not been politically innocent, economically egalitarian, or culturally benign in their consequences. Presenting a lucid exploration of the intertwined histories of both globalization and postcolonialism, this book uses compelling real-world examples to make sense of this crucial relationship.
An outstanding work of synthesis and critique, made even more valuable for its lucid, fair, and uncompromising discussion of postcolonial theories and thinkers. Because Krishna is able to move seamlessly between the political economy of underdevelopment and postcolonial literary theory and cultural studies, readers are able to grasp the connections among material, institutional, political, and cultural power on a global scale. This is an exemplary study of the power of postcolonial thought, itself written as a postcolonial text.