class presentation jan. 14

8/8/2019 Class Presentation Jan. 14

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Colonialism, Decolonization, and Nation-buildingIn-class Presentation

Noelle JaipaulJan. 14, 2009

In the article Colonizing Bodies and Minds, the author discusses

the effects of African colonization by the European powers in terms of

gender, and the consequent change in gender roles and gender power

dynamics. One of the main arguments Oyewumi brings forth is that in

pre-colonial African society, not only was there an absence of a sexual

hierarchy, but also the notion of gender identity as understood in a

Western sense did not exist. Thus, the European colonizers brought a

male hegemonic structure of society in which African women were

suddenly no more than wives. This Oyewumi refers to as wifization,

and is discussed in terms of access to education, access to property

and land, and the abolition of polygamy. Another key argument is that

African women suffered twice by colonization, first as Africans, and

second as women. This led to African womens subsequent loss of

autonomy and agency. In discussing women in colonial Africa,

Oyewumi points out the new genderization of education, the exclusion

of women from the public sphere, and the oppression of women within

religion. Though the arguments are concise and well-articulated,

Oyewumi tends to use somewhat anecdotal evidence throughout the

article, with the only reference to research being that with which she

disagrees. Many of the assumptions made have perhaps less scholarly


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backing than they should. Additionally, I disagree with Oyewumis

claim that for the women in the lower classes, their experience of

male dominance is muted overshadowed by socioeconomic

disadvantages (155). The fact that these same socioeconomic

disadvantages are by and large due to gender inequality (lack of

access to education and lack of access to meaningful employment for

women) means that the male dominance in lower classes is in fact

compounded by the both causal and effectual nature of gendered

poverty.

One very important point that Oyewumi does make is that

colonization also worked to instil a very dangerous internalization of a

gender hierarchy in both African males and females. To this day, the

notion of male dominance is prominent in the public and private

sphere. Additionally, the loss of history that came with the Europeans

meant that Africans no longer held to power to craft their own history,

and to some extent, this led to the inability to craft their own destiny.

Despite this important detail, vis--vis this psychological damage to

African men and women Oyewumi should have endeavoured further

into convincing the reader how it has negatively influenced African

societies of today.

In the article Decolonisation and Political Socialisation with

Reference to West Africa, Melvin Goldberg aims to explore the

process of granting independence to colonies of French and British


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West Africa. In particular, he discusses the three most important

characteristics that led to the decolonisation process: the emergence

of the Cold War and the US and Soviet Union as the new superpowers,

nationalist movements in colonies around the world, and internal

dissensions within colonies. A main reason for British and French

reluctance to grant independence was the fear of losing access to

markets as well as natural resources and raw materials that existed

within the colonies.

Goldberg briefly discusses each of the three characteristics mentioned

above, however, his discussion is quite short and somewhat superficial.

For instance, he does not emphasize enough the role of African

nationalism in demanding independence, including widespread appeals

to pan-Africanism that greatly spurred nationalist movements in other

parts of Africa.

Goldberg does well in examining the two main problems with

considering granting independence to African colonies, the first of

which was the importance of keeping in tact economic and cultural ties

after decolonisation. Additionally, both European powers wanted to

grant independence in such a timely fashion that it would quell

rebellions or demonstrations in the colonies. The imperialism of France

and Britain led to the transfer of power being handed to African

political parties who were seen to be amenable to the aims of the

Europeans. Unfortunately, due to the lack of effective preparation for


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independence, many African countries suffered government instability

after independence, as well economic decline as their economies were

still structured around French and British desires. Both of these

consequences are extremely important in discussing the state of Africa

today, and Goldberg does not do justice to this extrapolation.

Additionally, some of the cases Goldberg uses seem to require

background information that Goldberg does not expand on within the

article, for instance his reference to Guineas Toure voting no to

maintaining close ties with France.

Overall, both of these articles discuss some of the key effects of

colonization and the resulting discontents that led to demands for

independence. However, an analysis of how the consequences have

shaped current politics and economics in Africa should have been

included in both of the articles to lead to more well-rounded and

critical discussions on how the future can be moulded to remedy the ill

effects of the past.

class presentation jan. 14

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