Introduction

In International Relation field, there are so many theories and concept were proposed to
view any issue. In other word, we can say that theory were used to describe about certain
situation and things. For example, if someone have mindset with theory of Realism, that person
will judge any issue were arise or happen in this world with perspective of Realism (get more
power and this world are anarchy system). Same case with any person hold very strong believe
unto Liberalism theory, that person will judge that issue use Liberalism theory which is believe
that every countries can cooperate together for good common purpose and for the sake of the
peace world.

As we know, there are several theories are main theory in International Relation. There
are Realism, Liberalism, Marxism and Constructivism. But at the same, we also have alternative
theories other than main theories. One of the alternative theory is Post Colonialism. Post
Colonialism is theory where the critical point emphasized on Race relations and the impacts of
racism and against the remaining effect were leave by colonial power on culture. It also explain
about how national identity were build after the colonial power from European or Western power
declined at colonized countries (such as Asian, African and South America continent). Moreover,
it learning about how to survive in process for escape from colonialism. Post Colonialism also
try to remain the local cultural and transform in or hybridity1.
1 Mehdimajt. Post Colonial Theory. Scribd. Retrieved on 14th April, 2015 from
http://www.scribd.com/doc/29967394/Post-Colonial-Theory#scribd
1

This theory become one of the discussion in International Relations field by many scholars.
Some of the scholar discuss it and give contribution to this theory such as Gayatri Spivak, Homi
Bhabha, Stuart Hall, Sara Suleri, Frantz Fanon and Edward Said. Because of their contribution in
this theory, they known as major theorists for postcolonial theory. But at the same time, this
theory were criticism by other scholar. This paper will discuss about overall regarding this theory
and it validity in International Relations.

Critical Point in Post-Colonialism Theory

In period 1980s, postcolonialism has developed a body of writing that tries to shift the
main ways in which the relations between western and non-western people and their worlds
views2. How the perception of western people toward non-western people and non-western
people perception when they meet or see western people. This theory try to give right to all
people who live in this world in term of material and cultural well-being.

According to Postcolonialism, the countries which is get independent from their colonial
country actually still not independent. The colonial country still colonize these countries but
indirectly. The culture especially very influence for countries just get independent because
generally, western cultural are dominant in this world in any countries including their ex-colonial
countries. At the same time, historical past become one of main foundation for this theory.

This theory also try explain how the western countries as ex-colonial manipulated the
third world countries for their benefits. The interest or desire of western countries to get raw
material and low cost labour via Multinational Corporation from Third World countries become
one of the main issue in Postcolonialism view.

2 Young, R. J. C. (2003). Postcolonialism: A very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford

University Press Inc. p. 2
3

This theory proved that European people (Britain, France, German, and other) try shape the
world according to their design and emerged word Eurocentrism which is all the world will
focus on them and make them became main sources for everything such as education, fashion
and cultural at all3. One of the example we can take is British Empire. According to some
sources, British used other name of organization to colonized countries which is their former
colonies, called Commonwealth. This organization also become one of the new way for British
to colonized these countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Nigeria, Hong Kong and others) after get
independent since imperialism period was ended4.

Postcolonialism view the Western Countries as imperial power, definitely will leave their legacy
and impact to countries that their colonized during imperialism period. The government were
elected to govern the former colony countries normally become like puppet to imperial power
to make sure their interest not leave just like that 5. Previously, the Asian, Africa and South
America were colonized in term of political directly but now through the other war since get
independent especially economic6.

3 Goswami, N. (2014). Europe as an Other: Postcolonialism and Philosophers of the

Future. Hypatia, 29(1), 59-74. doi:10.1111/hypa.12055
4 Mishra, V., & Hodge, B. (1991). What is post () colonialism?. Textual Practice, 5(3),
399-414.
5 Loomba, A. (2007). Colonialism/postcolonialism. Routledge. p. 16
6 Vazquez-Arroyo, A. Y. (2008). Universal history disavowed: on critical theory and
postcolonialism. Postcolonial Studies, 11(4), 451-473
4

Contribution of Scholars in Postcolonialism Theory

Edward Said
Edward Said is one of the most controversial scholar for contemporary intellectual during his
time. Said was very famous and influence in cultural and postcolonial field. One of the most
influence book that many student remember and very influence are Orientalism and Culture and
Imperialism which is tell us about link and relation between Western and Non-Western for
colonial and postcolonial contexts. He mention about the implication of Western domination and
imperialism to non-European states.

His work Orientalism (1978), try explain the growth of Western influence since
eighteenth century until now. Orientalism is seen as one set of academic discipline which is
studying about the Orient with see the gap or difference between the Orient and the Occident 7.
He also mention about the interdependent between political and cultural dimension. At the same
time the effects of it for long term in Asian states even if they get independent from their excolony. For example, the dispute of territories between Asian states after the imperial period
since the get independent8.

7 Kennedy, V. (2013). Edward Said: A critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons. p. 1
8 Parry, B. (1992). Overlapping territories and intertwined histories: Edward Saids
postcolonial cosmopolitanism. Edward Said: a critical reader, 19-47
5

Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak

Gayatri Spivak always give impression to other people that she is para-disciplinary, ethical
philosopher. She was born in Calcutta, West Bengal on 1942 and was the first generation of
intellectuals after Indian get independent from British. She did her undergraduate in University
of Calcutta on 19599. She was famous about use her political for critical thinking about
colonialism. At the same time give guideline to literature for many people. She challenge the
idea of Western which is Western claim that they are more democracy, much more developed
than other countries and civilized.

She also explain why so many countries where former ex-colonized countries in
condition where they are not in good condition and cannot move forward. There are several book
were written by her such as Can the Subaltern Speak? (1985), In Other Worlds: Essays in
Cultural Politics (1987), Outside in the Teaching Machine (1993), A Critique of Postcolonial
Reason: Towards a History of the Vanishing Present (1999), Death of a Discipline (2003), Other
Asian (2005), Who Sings the Nation-State? (2008). Many scholars called her as a feminist postcolonial theorist according to her work and view regarding issue were arise before.

9 Kilburn, M. (2012). Postcolonial Studies @ Emory. Scholar Blogs. Retrieved on 16th

April, 2015 from
https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/postcolonialstudies/2014/06/19/spivak-gayatrichakravorty/
6

Homi Bhabha

Homi K. Bhabha was born on 1949 in Mumbai, India and from Persian family. He graduated
from University of Mumbai and later on further his studies in English Literature from Christ
Church, Oxford University. His famous ideas is hybridization, mimicry, difference, and
ambivalence which is inspired from Edward Saids work where his came out about new cultural
forms from multiculturalism10.

Homi Bhabha known as a member of Holy Trinity of postcolonial theory, same with Edward
Said and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. Bhabha developed further what has been done by Edward
Said with new direction. Bharba underlining instead orientalisms discursive not stable and he
claim that it no need for homogenous to be hegemonic. Moreover, he claim that Edward Said
idea were mention in Orientalism are still undeveloped idea. He also analyze the colonial
stereotype which Bhabha see as an instance of the gain of colonial authority 11. He also try to
make combines intellectual ease with the believe (the cultural production is always most
productive where it is most ambivalent and transgressive) that it can bring changes in term of
practically to social change12.
10 Homi K. Bhabha. Wikipedia. Retrieved on 17th April, 2015 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homi_K._Bhabha#cite_ref-huddart_1-0
11 Kapoor, I. (2003). Acting in a tight spot: Homi Bhabha's postcolonial politics. New
Political Science, 25(4), 561-577.
12 Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The location of culture. Psychology Press. p. 410
7

Criticism of Postcolonialism Theory

In every theories were produced will get criticism from other scholars as well especially from
scholars which is are not in same boat or thinking. One of the biggest of weakness can be critic
is postcolonialism theory just based on historical grounding and framework only. This weakness
become dilemma and could not counter-attack with strong evident with convince. This argument
not valid in all time and all place in this world, in fact some countries can develop very well even
if they are been colonized once upon a time13.

The argument also used by some people regarding criticism of postcolonialism is too focuses on
concept ruler-ruled and colonizer-colonized. The scholar whose pro to postcoloniaslim such
as Edward Said, Homi Bhabha and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak were critic because of their tools
just focus on the Third World countries and the period of imperialism on 19 th century. They
should develop more tools to justify their claims and more broad compare to recent situation14.

13 Matin, K. (2013). Redeeming the universal: Postcolonialism and the inner life of
Eurocentrism. European Journal Of International Relations, 19(2), 353-377
14 Madureira, L. (2008). Nation, Identity and Loss of Footing: Mia Couto's O Outro P
de Sereia and the Question of Lusophone Postcolonialism. Novel: A Forum On
Fiction, 41(2/3), 200-228
8

Moreover, they argument that they used also too focus on language and the emerged of
multicultural or multiracial society to ex-colonized countries such as India and Palestine-Arab.
This argument also other scholar can counter with give example to good countries even if they
were lived in multiethnic or multiracial society. For example, we can take a look in United States
of American where their country can living in peace and good condition as well as their excolonizer which is British since get independent15.
Even if at the early stage, have difficulties to settle problem such as racial tension and
riots but finally they can solved it. Same cases happen to Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and
Australia where they can developed compare to other countries as well. This argument were used
by the scholar where they bring other evident to make their point become more strong and
logical perspective.

15 Abdul-Jabbar, W. K. (2015). The rise of the unsaid: spaces in teaching

postcolonial literature. Teachers & Teaching, 21(2), 221-231.
9

Conclusion

As conclusion, Postcolonialism theory is a theory give another different perspective to

worldview compare to main theories such as Realism, Liberalism, Communism and
Constructivism. The view that they try to give to world is about what happen to countries had
been colonized by Western power once upon a time during imperial period since 19 th century.
When the colonized countries get independent from colonizer countries, bad effect has been
detected such as divide and rule concept still remain, poverty increase and racial problem among
the citizen especially the aboriginal group.

But at the same time, postcolonialism theory get criticism from scholar which is came
from other school. The criticism were appointed to postcolonialism scholar are too focuses on
history background, too narrow with the effect of language, cultural and poverty countries and
emerged of multicultural or multiethnic society in ex-colonized. the suggestion given by other
scholars is the concept must broader and huge compare to present.

Even if postcolonialism theory are not strong enough empirical proven by other scholars
from different school of tough, but at the same time it contribute to International Relation field
and several famous scholar were born such as Edward Said, Homi Bhabha and Gayatri
Chakravorty Spivak
References

10

Abdul-Jabbar, W. K. (2015). The rise of the unsaid: spaces in teaching postcolonial literature.
Teachers & Teaching, 21(2), 221-231

Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The location of Culture. Psychology Press. p. 410

Goswami, N. (2014). Europe as an Other: Postcolonialism and Philosophers of the Future.
Hypatia, 29(1), 59-74.

Homi

K.
Bhabha.
Wikipedia.
Retrieved
on
17th
April,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homi_K._Bhabha#cite_ref-huddart_1-0

2015

from

Kapoor, I. (2003). Acting in a tight spot: Homi Bhabha's postcolonial politics. New Political
Science, 25(4), 561-577.

Kennedy, V. (2013). Edward Said: A critical introduction. John Wiley & Sons. p. 1
Kilburn, M. (2012). Postcolonial Studies @ Emory. Scholar Blogs. Retrieved on 16th April,
2015 from https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/postcolonialstudies/2014/06/19/spivak-gayatrichakravorty/

Loomba, A. (2007). Colonialism/postcolonialism. Routledge. p. 16

Madureira, L. (2008). Nation, Identity and Loss of Footing: Mia Couto's O Outro P de Sereia
and the Question of Lusophone Postcolonialism. Novel: A Forum On Fiction, 41(2/3),
200-228

Matin, K. (2013). Redeeming the universal: Postcolonialism and the inner life of Eurocentrism.
European Journal Of International Relations, 19(2), 353-377

Mehdimajt. Post Colonial Theory. Scribd. Retrieved on 14th April,

http://www.scribd.com/doc/29967394/Post-Colonial-Theory#scribd

2015

from

Mehdimajt. Post Colonial Theory. Scribd. Retrieved on 14th April,

http://www.scribd.com/doc/29967394/Post-Colonial-Theory#scribd

2015

from

Mishra, V., & Hodge, B. (1991). What is post () colonialism?. Textual Practice, 5(3), 399-414.
11

Parry, B. (1992). Overlapping territories and intertwined histories: Edward Saids postcolonial
cosmopolitanism. Edward Said: a critical reader, 19-47

Vazquez-Arroyo, A. Y. (2008). Universal history disavowed: on critical theory and

postcolonialism. Postcolonial Studies, 11(4), 451-473

Young, R. J. C. (2003). Postcolonialism: A very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford

University Press Inc. p. 2

12