Postcolonial Studies: An Introduction

1. Postcolonial Studies: An Introduction

2. Hegemony and Subaltern • Relates to: Power and Culture/Ideology (not necessarily a racial or economic issue) • Issue of: Access to power/influence (within a social structure) • Terminology: • Subaltern: term that describes anyone or any group that is socially, politically, or economically outside of the mainstream culture or power structure • Often considered oppressed, overlooked, or marginalized in society • Often shares many similar characteristics with the Other • Other = relation to culture; Subaltern = relation to power structure • Often denied a role or opportunity to fully participate in the culture or power structure • Examples: Native Americans in 19th century; Blacks during Reconstruction; European immigrants in 1880s and 1920s; the Joad family and migrant workers • Hegemony: term that describes anyone or any group that is socially, politically, or economically part of the mainstream culture or power structure • Able to participate (for the most part) in culture/power structure • Access to power structure, even if not technically “in power” • Not necessarily negative in connotation • Examples: White teachers at Assimilation schools; Whites in North and South during Reconstruction/Jim Crow; the Joad family and migrant workers; the orchard owners/bosses in The Grapes of Wrath • Terms are relative and flexible, but within reason. • Wealthy Republicans taxed by the government are not likely the subaltern, nor are they necessarily hegemonic. • People who draw unemployment or welfare benefits are not necessarily subaltern, but are not necessarily hegemonic. • Primary Result/Issue: • Crisis of Cultural and Personal Identity, formed from conflict of ideologies/ideological formations

3. Case Study: “A Journey Southward” • Dr. Miller: • Hegemonic Qualities: • half-white; highly educated; elite skills; refined manners/speech/dress; some cultural respect • Subaltern Qualities: • Half black; considered black by society; limited voice/authority in mainstream culture; access to money ≠ access to power • Verdict: Moderately Subaltern • Dr. Burns: • Hegemonic Qualities: • half-white; highly educated; elite skills; refined manners/speech/dress; wealthy; cultural respect • Subaltern Qualities: • None • Verdict: Fully Hegemonic (not necessarily negative/destructive) • Stowaway: • Hegemonic Qualities: • None • Subaltern Qualities: • Black; poor; unrefined manners, speech/dress; literally “below” the other passengers • Verdict: Fully Subaltern • Mc Bane: • Hegemonic Qualities: • White; authority in manners; freedom “to do as [he] please[s]”; military past/cultural respect • Subaltern Qualities: • Not wealthy; unrefined manners, speech/dress • Verdict: Fully Hegemonic • Conductor: • Hegemonic Qualities: • Part of power structure; white; agent of economic and legal authority • Subaltern Qualities: • Only part of the system, not in control of it; limited authority (over a only certain group) • Verdict: Moderately Hegemonic (not as much as Burns/McBane