The Study On Postcolonial Theory

Since the 1990s, the postcolonial theory has been noticed by more and more people with the rise of cultural study. Nevertheless , it is not easy to grasp its meaning completely because of its different schools and theoretical complexity. Therefore, interpreting it and reviewing it to its experiences in China become the necessary work.The whole thesis includes five parts:The first part: Introduction .A brief survey of postcolonial theory is given in this part.The second part: The Backgrounds and Main Viewpoint of Postcolonial Theory. National liberation movement rised vigorously and many colonies proclaimed independence from their metropolitan states after World War Two. Seen from the whole world, the 1960s is the era in which culture was in chaos. They are two important ingredients or backgrounds behind the postcolonial theory. This makes the postcolonial theory 's appearance inevitably in history. Then, the part interprets the most importantviewpoint of postcolonial theory------orientalism, and points out its implication, theoreticalsource and limitations.The third part: Differentiating and Analyzing the Postcolonial Theory. The postcolonial theory is confused because it absorbs many theories of different schools. So the task that discriminate it from its related theories has to be done. At first, there is a brief discussion to the "post-" of postcolonial theory in this part. I think the prefix "post? is a kind of break and continuity whether from time or meaning. Then, through comparing theclosing conception------postmodernism, anti-colonialism and neocolonialism, we canconclude the characters of postcolonial theory: oppositional, ideological, flexible and dual.The fourth part: the Postcolonial Theory in China. In 1990s, because of the double crises of economy and politics and the lost of cultural identity ,China intellectuals began to look for their new subjective identities. The postcolonial theory provided a new angle and field for them. Early in 1990s, for the misreading to postcolonial theory, a lot of intellectuals wanted to erect the flag of "China nature " and "nativism" to opposite thewestern center. They were doomed to failure. Late in 1990s, the study on the postcolonial theory entered into reflective period. Going after the chance of dialogue has become what all intellectuals want today.The fifth part: Forecasting the Postcolonial Theory's Prospect. Now, the postcolonial theory is being paid more and more attention by people with the awakening to the oppression of cultural hegemony. The postcolonial theory has the intrinsic character of anti-colonialism with the join of intellectuals from the Second World and the Third World. This makes the developing space of the postcolonial theory unlimited...