Introduction to Postcolonialism: blog tasks
Create a new blog post called 'Advertising: Postcolonialism blog tasks'. Read ‘The Theory Drop: Postcolonialism and Paul Gilroy’ in MM75 (p28). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access.
Answer the following questions on your blog:
1) Look at the first page. What is colonialism - also known as cultural imperialism?
Colonialism is the belief that native or local people were somehow less intelligent or less civilised than their colonisers. The colonisers felt they had a moral duty to “improve” the lives of these people by making them more like the Western world – essentially forcing them to adopt Western ways of living, thinking, and behaving.
2) Now look at the second page. What is postcolonialism?
Postcolonialism isn’t just about the time after colonialism – it’s more about challenging and questioning the mindset that supported colonialism in the first place. It looks especially closely at the way race and power were framed and continues to critique those ideas today.
3) How does Paul Gilroy suggest postcolonialism influences British culture?
Paul Gilroy argues that Britain hasn’t fully dealt with its colonial past. In his book Postcolonial Melancholia (2005), he says that there’s still a lingering desire in British culture to hold onto that past power and influence – and that this shows up in how immigrants and people of colour are still treated and perceived today.
4) What is 'othering'?
Othering is when a person or group is seen as different, strange or not part of the ‘norm’. It’s a way of distancing ourselves from people we don’t fully understand or accept.
5) What examples of 'othering' are provided by the article?
The article points out how people are often reduced to negative labels like “illegal immigrant” or “asylum seeker”, rather than being seen as individuals. These terms strip away identity and make people seem like outsiders.
6) What is 'double consciousness'?
Double consciousness is the internal conflict people feel when they’re caught between two identities – like someone who feels both British and African, but isn’t fully accepted as either. It’s the feeling of always having to juggle different parts of who you are.
7) What are 'racial hierarchies'?
Racial hierarchies are the idea that some races are better or more valuable than others. It’s a way of ranking people based on their race, often putting white people at the top.
8) What examples from recent media products challenge the idea of racial hierarchies?
Paul Gilroy shares a story from Russell Brand’s Under the Skin podcast. He talks about a white woman who says, “the blacks are alright because we’ve all been together for a long time, but it’s Muslims now who are a problem.” This shows how people shift who they include or exclude based on current social fears – highlighting how racial hierarchies evolve rather than disappear.
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