(Doc) The Impact of Colonialism

Running head: COLONIALISM
COLONIALISM
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Colonialism is a set of unequal relationship involving political, economic and cultural
between two groups and the one group is faced with political, cultural, social and economic
domination by the foreign power (Iris Marion). Racism is the prejudice and discrimination
against a group on basis of ethnicity, color, origin, or any other social criteria. It is important to
know that ideological basis of colonialism is racism, the two concepts are interrelated. In this
essay, the strategies employed by European philosophers to justify colonialism are discussed and
the way it manifests deeply enrooted existing racism in the colonialist. The impact of
Colonialism is still observed in the contemporary era in form of racism therefore the role played
by racism in the same discourse is discussed as well.
Deconstruction: Walter Mignolo has presented two of his thoughts, first regarding the capability
of non-European philosopher’s thinking and another regarding the geopolitics and biopolitics on
decoloniality. Many a time Colonialism has been the center of international debates (Sassen).
The question given by Hamid Dabashi ‘can non-european think?’ is answered by Mignolo. He is
in support of Dabashi for they both were able to witness the discrimination when they travelled
in Europe (Mignolo). It was not a matter to be left unanswered for they felt the need to address
the epistemic racism that is present in social as well as institution spheres. Through the writing
the goal was to highlight the way European thinkers think of Third world today and about the
third world philosophers.
Hamid Dabashi’s article on philosopher’s role has been one of the major contribution in
the areas of the pieces in areas of the public domain. In the initial paragraphs the response of
Dabashi tells the role of the modern philosophers such as Judith Butler, Simon Critchley,
Victoria camps, Chantal Mouffe. The philosophers maintain a hierarchy while mentioning the
names of the philosopher represents the perspective of their thinking. The mentioning of

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American philosopher is the refection of the hierarchy that is inbuilt in the orient. Also, another
strategy that has been seen from the article is the silence on the non-European philosophers. The
philosophers who are non-European yet US-based are given the light compared to the non-
European philosophers with no US background.
India was treasure filled with gem which attracted the British Empire. India was a rich
country filled with resources. The colonizer were aware of the rich resources and that made the
colonizer stay for centuries on India. India was a country that was rich with textile, spices, jewels
and man force.
Reconstruction: As mentioned above, according to the european philosopher’s behavior and the
frame, it is represented to the world that Native American possess wisdom and Anglo-American
science. Africans possess the experience and European philosophy. The third world has culture
however with the social sciences of First World including anthropology that is based on the
cultures of third world countries. Islam is a country that dwells in religion whereas Europeans
dwells in secularism.
However, the non-European thinkers have different perspective on the same context
(Phinney). The concept of euro-centrism is discussed in the article that states the way it can
impact on intellectuals. Often the idea of non-European thinkers are labeled as euro- centrism
and that is a strategy through which European philosophers gain the credits of the non-European
philosopher’s intellectuals. It is often taken as offence by the non-European thinkers and against
their self-respect. It is not acceptable by the non-European thinkers to be called Eurocentric since
there is a deep rooted will of not following the Europe’s footsteps (Mba). It is important to
understand that non-European would not like to be the followers of the European writers.