Money, Sex and Money, Sex and PowerPower

Gendered power and the Gendered power and the development of development of

colonialismcolonialism

Week 8Week 8

2011-122011-12

Lecture outlineLecture outline

►What is colonialism/imperialism and What is colonialism/imperialism and how does it relate to capitalism?how does it relate to capitalism?

►Different conceptualisations of Different conceptualisations of colonialism and its relation to colonialism and its relation to gendered powergendered power

►Brief look at post-colonialism and the Brief look at post-colonialism and the place of gender in post-colonial theoryplace of gender in post-colonial theory

What is What is colonialism/imperialism?colonialism/imperialism?

►Waylen distinguishes ‘old’ and ‘new’ Waylen distinguishes ‘old’ and ‘new’ forms of colonialismforms of colonialism

►Old colonialism – late 15Old colonialism – late 15thth and 16 and 16thth centuriescenturies

►New colonialism – 17New colonialism – 17thth and 18 and 18thth centuriescenturies

►Shift from indirect to direct political Shift from indirect to direct political control by colonial state – 19control by colonial state – 19thth century century

Political controlPolitical control

►Established as political strategy and for Established as political strategy and for economic gaineconomic gain

►Formalised rights of possession over Formalised rights of possession over coloniescolonies

►Established rights to extract and use Established rights to extract and use raw materials, natural resources from raw materials, natural resources from coloniescolonies

►Facilitated development of capitalist Facilitated development of capitalist industry at home, created markets for industry at home, created markets for manufactured good in coloniesmanufactured good in colonies

ChangesChanges

►Changes in land ownershipChanges in land ownership►Commercialised agricultureCommercialised agriculture►Taxation system introduced – wage Taxation system introduced – wage

labour, migrationlabour, migration►Restricted form of capitalismRestricted form of capitalism►Women lost control over land, capital, Women lost control over land, capital,

their own and others’ labourtheir own and others’ labour

Effect on womenEffect on women

4 major perspectives on colonial history:4 major perspectives on colonial history:► Imperial historyImperial history►Nationalist perspectivesNationalist perspectives►Marxist and socialist perspectivesMarxist and socialist perspectives►Post-colonial studiesPost-colonial studies

Themes of literatureThemes of literature

►White western women’s involvement White western women’s involvement in imperialismin imperialism

►Effect of imperialism on women in Effect of imperialism on women in BritainBritain

►Experiences of colonised womenExperiences of colonised women►Men and colonial masculinitiesMen and colonial masculinities►Colonialism and sexualityColonialism and sexuality►Gendered discourses of colonialismGendered discourses of colonialism

Analytical questionsAnalytical questions

►How colonialism affected women and How colonialism affected women and gender relationsgender relations

► The gendering of colonial processesThe gendering of colonial processes►How women both supported and resisted How women both supported and resisted

colonialismcolonialism►Waylen argues that key concepts for Waylen argues that key concepts for

analysis of imperialism besides class and analysis of imperialism besides class and gender are: ‘race’ and ethnicity; slavery; gender are: ‘race’ and ethnicity; slavery; migration; sexuality, reproduction and migration; sexuality, reproduction and miscegenation; changes to family relations, miscegenation; changes to family relations, work relations and relations of powerwork relations and relations of power

Gender and imperialismGender and imperialism

► Imperial history – history of imperialism Imperial history – history of imperialism written from point of view of coloniserswritten from point of view of colonisers

►Excludes women and genderExcludes women and gender►Taken up by feminists and others Taken up by feminists and others

looking at women’s position in the looking at women’s position in the coloniescolonies

►Can be part of discourse that Can be part of discourse that represents women in colonies as represents women in colonies as ‘backward’ in comparison with US and ‘backward’ in comparison with US and W.European womenW.European women

Imperialism as progressiveImperialism as progressive

►Driving force of historical progressDriving force of historical progress► Societies freed from traditional Societies freed from traditional

backwardness, become dynamic, modernbackwardness, become dynamic, modern►Modernisation theoryModernisation theory►Oppression of women is part of ‘traditional Oppression of women is part of ‘traditional

backwardness’backwardness’►Modern capitalist liberal democracy will Modern capitalist liberal democracy will

liberate women from feudal bondsliberate women from feudal bonds► Colonised women have no agencyColonised women have no agency

Nationalist perspectivesNationalist perspectives

► Experience of colonised people centralExperience of colonised people central► Imperial history racist and patronising, sees Imperial history racist and patronising, sees

colonial power in positive light, devalues colonial power in positive light, devalues history and culture of colonised societieshistory and culture of colonised societies

► Pre-colonial societies not backward at all, Pre-colonial societies not backward at all, dynamic and developing economically dynamic and developing economically before European interventionbefore European intervention

► Colonised peoples active agents of change Colonised peoples active agents of change in modernising worldin modernising world

►Women involved in independence Women involved in independence movementsmovements

Nationalist perspectives on Nationalist perspectives on womenwomen

►Women’s position pre-colonialism no Women’s position pre-colonialism no worse than under colonial ruleworse than under colonial rule

►Colonial power destroyed bases of Colonial power destroyed bases of women’s powerwomen’s power

►Colonial powers didn’t liberate Colonial powers didn’t liberate colonised women, inhibited indigenous colonised women, inhibited indigenous processes of changeprocesses of change

►Women agents of social changeWomen agents of social change

Re-assessmentRe-assessment

► In 1970s and 1980s re-assessment of In 1970s and 1980s re-assessment of nationalist periodnationalist period

►UN conference on women, first one in UN conference on women, first one in 19751975

►Nationalist struggles improved women’s Nationalist struggles improved women’s situationsituation

►Focus on economic and political rights Focus on economic and political rights ►Women’s personal position within family Women’s personal position within family

not addressed not addressed

Marxist/socialist perspectives Marxist/socialist perspectives

►Different groups benefitted from Different groups benefitted from capitalist imperialismcapitalist imperialism

►Upper and middle classes of Upper and middle classes of indigenous population benefittedindigenous population benefitted

►Alliance between colonisers and this Alliance between colonisers and this section of populationsection of population

►Subaltern status – lower class and Subaltern status – lower class and other marginalised groups – resisted other marginalised groups – resisted exploitation and oppressionexploitation and oppression

Marxist analysis and womenMarxist analysis and women

Colonialism erodes pre-capitalist sites of Colonialism erodes pre-capitalist sites of women’s powerwomen’s power

Introduces new forms of patriarchal controlIntroduces new forms of patriarchal control► Changes in sexuality, marriage, familyChanges in sexuality, marriage, family► Forms of work, employment and labourForms of work, employment and labour► Land use, property rights and inheritanceLand use, property rights and inheritance

British rulers in India, together with Brahmin British rulers in India, together with Brahmin elites in Kerala, destroyed matrilineal elites in Kerala, destroyed matrilineal kinship systemkinship system

Male alliancesMale alliances

►Women active resisting colonialismWomen active resisting colonialism►Hostility from male alliances of colonial Hostility from male alliances of colonial

authorities and indigenous elitesauthorities and indigenous elites►Waylen: ‘new’ customary laws aimed at Waylen: ‘new’ customary laws aimed at

controlling womencontrolling women►Collusion between 2 sources of male Collusion between 2 sources of male

powerpower►Construction of tradition, new forms of Construction of tradition, new forms of

control over womencontrol over women

Post-colonialism and genderPost-colonialism and gender

Edward Said defined orientalism as a view Edward Said defined orientalism as a view which defined ‘the oriental’ and the Orient as:which defined ‘the oriental’ and the Orient as:

► A biological inferior that is culturally A biological inferior that is culturally backward, peculiar, and unchanging – to be backward, peculiar, and unchanging – to be depicted in dominating and sexual termsdepicted in dominating and sexual terms

► The feminine and weak Orient awaits the The feminine and weak Orient awaits the dominance of the West; it is a defenceless dominance of the West; it is a defenceless and unintelligent whole that exists for, and in and unintelligent whole that exists for, and in terms of, its Western counterpartterms of, its Western counterpart

► He called into question the underlying He called into question the underlying assumptions that form the foundation of assumptions that form the foundation of Orientalist thinkingOrientalist thinking

Gender and colonialist Gender and colonialist discoursediscourse

►Emerged from literary and cultural studiesEmerged from literary and cultural studies►Perspective of imperial history a form of Perspective of imperial history a form of

colonial discourse, legitimates colonial rulecolonial discourse, legitimates colonial rule►Colonial rule legitimated with reference to Colonial rule legitimated with reference to

gender relationsgender relations►Gender relations in colonies (and Gender relations in colonies (and

contemporary societies such as contemporary societies such as Afghanistan) used as signifier of backward Afghanistan) used as signifier of backward societysociety

How useful is post-colonial How useful is post-colonial approach?approach?

►Waylen: legitimacy of colonialism Waylen: legitimacy of colonialism problematicproblematic

►Legitimated through construction of Legitimated through construction of knowledge about the colonised by the knowledge about the colonised by the colonisercoloniser

►Power over had to be legitimised – Power over had to be legitimised – minds of oppressed had to be colonised minds of oppressed had to be colonised – persuasion important not only – persuasion important not only coercioncoercion

Post-colonial approach Post-colonial approach criticisedcriticised

►Midgley: must go beyond discourse Midgley: must go beyond discourse analysisanalysis

►Economic, political, military, social and Economic, political, military, social and administrative structures importantadministrative structures important

►Need to avoid relativism and challenge Need to avoid relativism and challenge imperial history perspectiveimperial history perspective

►Need to analyse material basis of power Need to analyse material basis of power as well as language and symbols which as well as language and symbols which legitimate powerlegitimate power

ConclusionsConclusions

► Colonialism was gendered, affected indigenous Colonialism was gendered, affected indigenous gendered power relationsgendered power relations

► ‘‘Backwardness’ of indigenous peoples Backwardness’ of indigenous peoples symbolised in gendered termssymbolised in gendered terms

► Capitalist imperialism worsened women’s Capitalist imperialism worsened women’s positionposition

► Post-colonialism gives voice to subalternPost-colonialism gives voice to subaltern► Gender important symbolically and materiallyGender important symbolically and materially► Women active agents in bringing about social Women active agents in bringing about social

changechange