Reinventing Histories: A Postcolonial Revisiting of Colonial Historiography

Abstract

Colonial historiography systematically portrayed colonized societies as inferior to justify Western dominance, framing them as backward "Others" in need of civilizing. Postcolonial theory, following the trails of Edward Said’s Orientalism, challenges these narratives, exposing their role in reinforcing imperial power structures. Key scholars like Frantz Fanon, Homi Bhabha, and Leela Gandhi argue that reclaiming and rewriting history is essential to dismantling colonial legacies. Resistance to Eurocentric histories involves interrogating biased representations and centering marginalized voices. The critique extends to colonial policies of James Mill and Thomas Macaulay, particularly the imposition of English, which marginalized indigenous knowledge systems. Debates within postcolonial studies highlight tensions between Western frameworks and decolonial approaches, emphasizing the need for epistemologies rooted in local contexts. The struggle to decolonize history persists, as even postcolonial narratives sometimes inadvertently replicate colonial paradigms. Postcolonial historiography seeks to disrupt dominant narratives by prioritizing subaltern perspectives and challenging enduring power imbalances. This transformative approach underscores the political nature of history-writing and advocates for inclusive, pluralistic accounts of the past.