Articles on Postcolonial Studies
Greetings,
This blog focuses on the thinking activities related to Postcolonial Studies, exploring two significant works by Ania Loomba: “Globalization and the Future of Postcolonial Studies” and “Future of Postcolonial Studies.” These texts form a part of our course curriculum assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad Sir.
Heroes or Hegemons? The Celluloid Empire of Rambo and Bond in America's Geopolitical Narrative
Throughout history, the Rambo and James Bond film series have served as strong vehicles for promoting Western ideals, particularly during the Cold War and the era of globalization. Hollywood has strategically used these movies to shape global perceptions of the United States—highlighting its military strength, cultural values, and political ideologies—while indirectly advancing American foreign policy.
For instance, Rambo: First Blood Part II reimagines the Vietnam War by presenting the United States not as a nation defeated, but as one seeking redemption. The film casts America in the role of a heroic power battling non-Western adversaries, reflecting the anxieties and ideological struggles of the Cold War. In Rambo III, this narrative shifts to Afghanistan, where Rambo allies with the Mujahideen against the Soviet Union. Here, the United States is depicted as a global liberator opposing communism, echoing its real-world support for Afghan rebels during the 1980s.
Although the James Bond franchise originates in Britain, it also reinforces Western geopolitical objectives. Films such as The Living Daylights (1987), Licence to Kill (1989), and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) portray Bond as a defender of freedom, democracy, and human rights. With their immense international popularity, these movies disseminate a pro-Western outlook, strengthening the cultural dominance of American and Western values. Their global success not only secures U.S. influence in the entertainment industry but also advances a Western-centric worldview.
Yet, such portrayals are not universally accepted. Alternative film industries, like Bollywood, provide opportunities to challenge these dominant narratives by presenting more diverse perspectives. By resisting Western ideological frameworks, non-Western cinema can help shape a more balanced and inclusive global dialogue.
Reimagining Resistance: The Appropriation of Tribal Heroes in Rajamouli's RRR
In RRR, Komaram Bheem, a tribal leader from the Gond community, is depicted as a larger-than-life figure on a mission to rescue a kidnapped tribal girl from British rule. Historically, however, Bheem’s struggle centered on protecting tribal rights, but the film reframes it as part of a broader nationalist resistance against colonialism. Although this amplifies the narrative’s grandeur, it shifts attention away from the genuine causes championed by Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju.
Both Raju and Bheem are remembered for standing up against oppressive regimes that stripped indigenous people of their rights. Raju’s struggle was directed at the British, particularly after the Madras Forest Act of 1882, which restricted Adivasis from accessing their traditional forests. Bheem, meanwhile, led a movement against the Nizam of Hyderabad, rallying people under the slogan “Jal, Jangal, Zameen” (Water, Forest, Land), which captured the essence of their fight to safeguard vital natural resources.
Indigenous communities are often the first to face the consequences of climate change, as the destruction of their lands forces them to migrate. Because they typically manage their resources sustainably, the loss of their territories not only threatens their homes and culture but also damages the environment. Today, it is not colonial powers but large corporations that drive much of this exploitation. The struggles of Raju and Bheem were not only about resisting unjust rulers but also about confronting displacement and ecological destruction—challenges that continue to affect indigenous peoples. Their fight to defend their communities and protect their land from exploitation remains deeply relevant in the present.
By centering primarily on the nationalist narrative, RRR overlooks deeper issues such as land, water, and forest rights, which remain vital for indigenous communities today. Reducing their struggles to a story of anti-colonial resistance oversimplifies the broader reality and risks diminishing the continued importance of their fight for environmental and indigenous rights.
POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES IN THE ANTHROPOCENE: BRIDGING PERSPECTIVES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Communities in the Global South, particularly those in formerly colonized regions, are among the most severely affected by climate change and environmental degradation. Colonialism created a legacy of resource exploitation that led to widespread deforestation, biodiversity loss, and ecological disruption, leaving these regions especially vulnerable today. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak argues that postcolonial studies must expand to confront present-day challenges; her remark that “postcolonial is the day before yesterday” reflects the idea that the discipline should engage with contemporary issues.
Environmental activist Vandana Shiva also emphasizes the deep connections between colonialism and ecological damage. She contends that the exploitation of natural resources initiated under colonial rule has been intensified by global capitalism and the dominance of multinational corporations. While some scholars share Shiva’s belief that pre-colonial societies lived more harmoniously with nature, others note that these societies still grappled with patriarchy and inequality. Nonetheless, it is evident that environmental concerns cannot be separated from social and cultural contexts—especially in the Global South, where protecting ecosystems must also involve addressing the needs of local people and communities.
This reorientation within postcolonial studies underscores how these regions continue to be marginalized in global environmental debates. A telling example appears in the film The Constant Gardener (2005), which exposes how multinational corporations prioritize profit over sustainability. Such practices perpetuate environmental destruction in postcolonial contexts, pushing these regions to the margins of global politics and continuing patterns of exploitation rooted in colonial history.
GLOBALIZATION AND FICTION: EXPLORING POSTCOLONIAL CRITIQUE AND LITERARY REPRESENTATIONS
Contemporary literature often examines globalization as a force that complicates questions of identity, culture, and economic power, with many postcolonial writers approaching it critically. Authors such as Arundhati Roy in The Ministry of Utmost Happiness and Aravind Adiga in The White Tiger portray characters navigating the sweeping social and economic transformations brought about by globalization, highlighting themes of resistance, hybridity, and struggles over identity.
In The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga’s protagonist, Balram Halwai, rises within India’s emerging economic order while simultaneously exposing the deep inequalities and corruption fueled by global capitalism. His story underscores the hidden costs of modernization, where individuals are often compelled to make morally compromising choices in order to endure. Likewise, Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness explores the impact of globalization on India’s marginalized groups, weaving together narratives of resistance and survival. Through characters such as Kashmiri separatists and people displaced by development projects, Roy illustrates how those excluded from the global economy continue to push back, even in subtle and everyday ways.
GLOBALIZATION AND THE FUTURE OF POSTCOLONIAL STUDIES
In its early phase, postcolonialism was largely defined by opposition to British rule and everything it symbolized, particularly in countries like India and other colonized regions. This perspective was widespread across nations that had endured colonial domination. However, the events of 9/11 reshaped the field, forcing postcolonial thought to engage with new global realities.
Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, in their influential book Empire, argue that systems of control and power today differ significantly from classical imperialism. Following 9/11, the United States emerged as a dominant global force, and its military interventions in the Middle East revealed that contemporary empires still bear colonial traits, albeit in new forms. Similarly, Ania Loomba notes that the “New American Empire” and the war on terror complicate the assumption that the world has simply moved beyond colonialism, since questions of power, resistance, and domination continue to persist.
Unlike earlier empires that relied on direct rule, modern powers such as the U.S. and the U.K. exert influence through transnational corporations that exploit workers in developing nations. This new form of dominance, which Joseph Stiglitz critiques as “market fundamentalism,” reflects an ideology of global capitalism that transcends borders and intensifies inequality.
In the context of Globalization 4.0, with rapid advances in technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI), postcolonial studies must once again evolve. While the fourth industrial revolution promises innovation, it also raises urgent concerns about labor exploitation. Automation and AI are restructuring industries in ways that often deny workers fair wages and humane conditions. A critical postcolonial lens is necessary to ensure that technological progress does not reproduce colonial patterns of domination or create deeper inequities.
Thus, in the contemporary era, postcolonialism needs to broaden its scope to include global capitalism, technological power, and new forms of imperial influence. Although traditional colonial empires have formally ended, their legacies endure in economic and technological structures that continue to shape postcolonial societies. Adopting an updated postcolonial perspective is essential for addressing the challenges of globalization while keeping justice and equality central to global progress.
References :
Adiga, Aravind. The White Tiger. India: HarperCollins Publishers India, 2008.
Gupta, Suman. Globalization and Literature. Germany: Polity Press, 2013.
Loomba, A. (2015). Colonialism / Postcolonialism: New Critical Idiom (3nd ed.). New York Routledge.
Roy, Arundhati. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness. United States: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2018.
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