Postcolonial Studies: An Introduction

Postcolonial Studies and Criticism - An Introduction

1. Watch video resources

2. Read study material

3. Future of Postcolonial Studies

4. Check your progress - appear in 4 Online Test linked at the bottom of this blog

1. Watch Video Resources

1. Postcolonial Studies - Introduction 1
2. Postcolonial Studies - Introduction 2
3. Postcolonial Criticism - 1
4. Postcolonial Criticism - 2
5. Postcolonial Criticism - 3
6. Era of Darkness - Shashi Tharoor
7. Dangers of One Story - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
8. Discussion on Ashutosh Gowariker's Lagaan
9. Discussion on Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti
10. Nation and Hybridity: Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children

2. Reading Resources

Click here to download reading resources

3. Future of Postcolonial Studies

(i) Globalization and Postcolonial Studies

    (a) Simplified version of the above article

    (b) Globalization and Fiction - Article with examples

(ii) Climate Change and Postcolonial Studies

    (a) Postcolonial Studies in the Anthropocene: Bridging Perspectives for a Sustainable Future

4. Online Tests

(i) Edward Said's Orientalism - Basic Introduction - 16 Questions - 24 Marks

(ii) Key Concepts: Postcolonial Studies - 23 Questions - 30 Marks

(iii) Introduction to Postcolonialism: Click here to appear in an online test to check your understanding of this topic - 16 Questions - 50 Marks

(iv) Future of Postcolonialism: Click here to appear in an online test to check your understanding of this topic - 27 Questions - 75 Marks

Shashi Tharoor and Dark Era of Inglorious Empire

Speech at Oxford Union:



Looking Back at the British Raj in India: The University of Edinburgh



Exclusive Interview By Karan Thapar On His Book 'An Era Of Darkness'





About British Colonialism In India In His New Book 'An Era Of Darkness'

The Black Prince 

is a 2017 international historical drama film directed by Kavi Raz and featuring the acting debut of Satinder Sartaaj. It tells the story of Duleep Singh, the last Maharajah of the Sikh Empire and the Punjab area, and his relationship with Queen Victoria.

The story revolves around the young prince as he attempts both to regain his throne and reconcile himself with the two cultures of his Indian birth and British education. (Wikipedia)

Victoria & Abdul 

is a 2017 British biographical drama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Lee Hall. The film is based on the book of same name by Shrabani Basu, about the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her Indian Muslim servant Abdul Karim. It stars Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Michael Gambon, Eddie Izzard, Tim Pigott-Smith and Adeel Akhtar.

The postcolonial critique of the film

The arguments presented by Shashi Tharoor are based in real research and facts. They are not concocted from hearsay talks or tea-stall gossips.

Listen to Dr. Shidhanshu Trivedi. Even though he is doctorate degree holder in Mechanical Engineering, all his arguments are based on hearsay talks and not based on hard facts. This speech is one of the best example of misplaced postcolonial argument. One should be proud of one's cultural identity. However, our perception of our culture shall be based on real life lived experience. The difference in Shashi Tharoor's highly academic post colonial argument and that of Dr. Shidhanshu Trivedi's fake rhetorics is very clear.

The popular resistance of post colonial subject results in reply words, like tale told by an idiot, signifying nothing.

Points to ponder:

• Write on key arguments in Shashi Tharoor's book - An Era of Darkness.
• Write critique on both the films with reference to postcolonial insights.
• Summarise Ngugi Wa Thiongo's views in 'Introduction: Towards the Universal Language of Struggle' - from 'Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature'.  

Postcolonial Perspective and Shashi Tharoor

Postcolonial Perspective and Shashi Tharoor

As India celebrates 70 years of its independence from colonial rule, this session debates colonialism’s claims of benefit and development despite evidence of its fundamental nature. The panelists discuss if this period — from the time of Vasco da Gama's arrival to the final emergence of the English as the principal colonisers of the Indian subcontinent — was one of acquiring as much and as many of India's riches as each European power could lay their hands on. Session co-hosted by the South Asia Centre, LSE and The British Library, as part of the series ‘Colony as Empire: Histories from Whitehall’

Shashi Tharoor was present on the Q & A Australian show. Here are his highlights.

0:00 - Shashi Tharoor on Loots of the British Empire and how that affected India
10:08 - Shashi Tharoor on Homosexuality and Trans-gender rights in India
7:56 - Shashi Tharoor on rise of the Right and the backlash against Liberlism
11:50 - Shashi Tharoor on North Korea and Kim Jon Un



The article on this video

The motion: This house believes Britain owes reparations to her former colonies.

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