justifying the unjustifiable: grappling with the contradiction behind justifying colonialism

It has long been asserted that colonialism is ethically unjustifiable. Still, the debate on colonialism has not fully settled. The continuing justification of colonialism has been described as hypocritical or even as a lie. This begs the question however, of why colonialism would continue to be justified if it is ethically unjustifiable. This thesis seeks to examine this question. It will do so by analysing why it is the case that colonialism is unjustifiable and considering what the motive would be behind justifying colonialism. This is done by giving an account of the contradictory logic of colonialism as an ideology and how justification functions to mediate this contradiction in logic. Exploring the position of justification in the modern discourse on colonialism, this thesis will conclude that the function of colonial justification is not to attempt to solve the contradiction in its logic or justify itself to either side of the contradictory thinking. Rather, colonial...Show moreIt has long been asserted that colonialism is ethically unjustifiable. Still, the debate on colonialism has not fully settled. The continuing justification of colonialism has been described as hypocritical or even as a lie. This begs the question however, of why colonialism would continue to be justified if it is ethically unjustifiable. This thesis seeks to examine this question. It will do so by analysing why it is the case that colonialism is unjustifiable and considering what the motive would be behind justifying colonialism. This is done by giving an account of the contradictory logic of colonialism as an ideology and how justification functions to mediate this contradiction in logic. Exploring the position of justification in the modern discourse on colonialism, this thesis will conclude that the function of colonial justification is not to attempt to solve the contradiction in its logic or justify itself to either side of the contradictory thinking. Rather, colonial justification refuses the discourse on its own internal contradiction, thereby avoiding a reckoning with it.Show less

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justifying the unjustifiable: grappling with the contradiction behind justifying colonialism