University/Organization
French Department
Colorado College
Colorado Springs, Colorado
French Department
Colorado College
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Title
Postcolonial Studies and Victimization: The Space and Claim of the Victim
Synopsis
Postcolonial Studies has historically exposed the plight and condition of victims of colonial history. Much of postcolonial theory is predicated on the dynamics of the colonial victim’s condition. Rarely, though, does postcolonial theory examine the very dynamics of naming a victim or the dynamics of victimization itself. This paper examines how postcolonial studies often ignores the problematic dynamics of victimization and a reciprocity that seeks to appropriate the victim’s position.