Investigating Postcoloniality And Postcolonialism As The Empire Writes Back

In undertaking the process of decolonising, the relationship between ‘postcolonialism’ and ‘postcoloniality’ must be examined. As history observes the birth and emergence of independent nations, post their colonizing experience, it notes also, the peculiar desire of the oppressed ‘colonised’ to forget its colonial past. There is a palpable will to forget, in the process of historical self- invention. There is a self-defensive need to erase harsh, painful memories of the cruelties of the colonial encounter. But that is an act, easier said than done. Postcolonialism, can thus be seen as a resistance to this ‘forgetting’ of the colonial aftermath.

Another interesting and highly important facet of the coloniser-colonised relationship is the so-called fatal attraction or pull exerted by the Western coloniser on the backward, inadequate colonized. Postcoloniality does find its origins in colonial oppression, yet, it must also recollect the seductive power of the same, oppressive coloniser. Therefore postcolonialism does not only make attempts towards an understanding of the colonial past, but definitely stands to gain from this experience too.

This special issue calls for papers that involve themselves with texts that can be investigated from the aspects of postcolonialism and postcoloniality. Creative writers can let the creative juices flow; creative writing (short stories or poetry) with postcolonial themes or references, are also welcome. The issue will also include papers on translated postcolonial works.