How is the postcolonial subject's identity formed, in a nation which in addition to being postcolonial also happens to be postwar. The importance in bridging both the fields of Post-colonialism and...Show moreHow is the postcolonial subject's identity formed, in a nation which in addition to being postcolonial also happens to be postwar. The importance in bridging both the fields of Post-colonialism and Memory studies, is crucial to further understand the identity creation processes in Latin America. The case of Guatemala, and its 36 years long raging Civil War,has provided informants that were interviewed in order to shade a light onto their truths, and further our understanding of the identity of the postcolonial subject.Show less
The relationship between Britain and Singapore was tied under colonial history, and it is known that post- colonial relationships are sensitive in nature. In order to determine the nature of the...Show moreThe relationship between Britain and Singapore was tied under colonial history, and it is known that post- colonial relationships are sensitive in nature. In order to determine the nature of the relationship, there is another significant figure that shared parallel political endeavours with Lee Kuan Yew, and that is Britain’s first female prime minister Margaret Thatcher. On top of that, both prime ministers shared the same reputation of being tenacious and often acted dictatorially. Among two other British prime ministers during Lee Kuan Yew’s tenure, Margaret Thatcher had a significant relationship with the Singaporean prime minister. They also both ended their premierships on the same day, 28th November 1990. A country’s prime minister can act as the main representative of the government and often the leader reflects the country’s policy. Therefore, this BA thesis will analyze the questions: How does the relationship of Lee Kuan Yew and Margaret Thatcher illustrate the alliance between the former coloniser and the colonised? And how did they perceive each other as prime ministers?Show less
Bachelor thesis | Film- en literatuurwetenschap (BA)
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The Joys of Motherhood reveals the deeply traumatizing experience of a woman in postcolonial, urban Lagos, unfairly forced into positions and expectations because of her gender, and weighed down...Show moreThe Joys of Motherhood reveals the deeply traumatizing experience of a woman in postcolonial, urban Lagos, unfairly forced into positions and expectations because of her gender, and weighed down with shouldering more responsibilities than the men in her life. Separated from the discoursive space of her hometown and settled into the confusing metropolis of Lagos, The Joys of Motherhood’s Nnu Ego is stripped of the conventional means for agency and power, and instead has to resort to adapting to a wildly different environment, which means she often has to scramble for survival. Stéphane Robolin, in her Gendered Hauntings, wastes no time exposing the link Emecheta creates between womanhood and slavery in The Joys of Motherhood, and divulges on Nnu Ego’s powerlessness in Lagos with a stunning critique of Honi Bhabha’s concepts of hybridity, showing how Nnu Ego fails to gain ground in this space and how Emecheta does not view it as a space of possibility. I stressed, however, that in the book Nnu Ego often attempts to claim a form of agency and fails, but at least succeeds at showing the painful process of adaptation. In addition, I asserted that The Joys of Motherhood is also a testament to the strength of women, not only a mourning of it.Show less
This thesis will use qualitative research methods in order to bridge the gap between the Post-Soviet and the Postcolonial studies. Over the past years Postcolonial literature began dominating...Show moreThis thesis will use qualitative research methods in order to bridge the gap between the Post-Soviet and the Postcolonial studies. Over the past years Postcolonial literature began dominating Universities across the world. The theories presented by Postcolonial scholars are gaining more legitimacy in the international arena, providing an insight into the identity crisis experienced by the global society. This piece will analyse the two main concepts presented by Postcolonial scholars: the Empire and Modernity. The concepts will be examined in the light of Post-Soviet literature. The interrelation of Postcolonial theory with the narrative on Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe will unveil the extent to which U.S.S.R can be considered as a colonial Empire. The Soviet rule did not only have the negative consequences on the material and social infrastructure of Eastern European nations, the colonial power has also contributed to the creation of a stereotype of “Eastern bloc” and the belief in a clear cut divide of Europe, which also is referred as the “Iron Curtain”. Such stereotypes still inhabit the imagination of many across the world. Nevertheless such conception of Eastern Europe is inaccurate as portrayed by the comparison of the historical narratives from Romania and Poland in the later part of the thesis. The article will conclude with the manner in which these stereotypes have been resisted within and outside of the Eastern side of the “Iron Curtain””.Show less
This research will address the influence of postcolonialism within the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, an archaeological museums. Postcolonialism is a frequently discussed topic in...Show moreThis research will address the influence of postcolonialism within the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden, an archaeological museums. Postcolonialism is a frequently discussed topic in museology, however, the discussed museums are mainly ethnological. In this thesis I have explored different aspects of the National Museum of Antiquities on the basis of year reports and other archival material, and interviews. The permanent presentation, the temporary exhibitions, the field research, the collecting policies and the public attitude of the museum all seem to have made certain postcolonial changes. The strongest change made lies in the museum’s attitude towards its public. The National Museum of Antiquities is connecting past societies to the people of the present by making its collection open to visitors from different ages, nationalities and backgrounds. In doing so, the museum globalizes towards the public.Show less
This thesis draws on postcolonial theory and Taiwanese history to provide an in-depth analysis of language and memory in Edward Yang's 1991 "A Brighter Summer Day". It argues that nation's project...Show moreThis thesis draws on postcolonial theory and Taiwanese history to provide an in-depth analysis of language and memory in Edward Yang's 1991 "A Brighter Summer Day". It argues that nation's project of language and memory --- discourse claiming the nation to be linguistically and historically homogenous and unified --- is challenged exactly through language and memory, by drawing attention to linguistic discrepancies and individual memories that challenge the official narrative. This ultimately challenges fixed binary notions of identity such as "(mainland) Chinese" versus "Taiwanese".Show less
