“Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim: Summary and Critique

Introduction: “Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim

“Introduction: Decolonizing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim first appeared in the Journal of Narrative Theory, Volume 42, Number 3, Fall 2012, published by Eastern Michigan University. It examines the intersections of narrative theory with ethnic and postcolonial studies, exploring how colonial and racial ideologies shape, and are shaped by, narrative structures. He challenges the predominantly Western and Eurocentric roots of classical narratology, advocating for a “decolonized” approach that acknowledges the historical, cultural, and ideological contexts of narratives. Drawing from theorists like Frantz Fanon, she critiques the universalizing tendencies of traditional narratology, emphasizing the need to interrogate power dynamics and cultural specificities. Kim’s work underscores the importance of reimagining narrative theory not merely as an abstract tool but as one informed by global histories of colonialism and resistance. This contribution is vital for literary theory as it broadens the scope of narratological studies, integrating perspectives from ethnic and postcolonial frameworks to redefine the boundaries of narrative analysis in a globalized world.

Summary of “Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim

• Purpose and Scope of the Issue:
  • The article explores the relationship between narrative theory and ethnic and postcolonial studies, highlighting the lack of sustained methodological engagement between these fields (Kim, 2012, p. 233).
  • It critiques the Eurocentric origins of classical narratology and calls for a “decolonization” of narrative methods and frameworks to better account for global histories of colonialism and imperialism (p. 235).
• The Concept of Decolonization:
  • Kim advocates for “decolonizing” not only narrative theory but also academic practices and methodologies to interrogate imperialist discourses shaping both the metropolitan and colonial peripheries (p. 234).
  • The term “historicizing” was deemed inadequate to address ideological formations rooted in race, colonialism, and capitalism (p. 234).
• Critique of Universality in Narrative Theory:
  • Drawing on Frantz Fanon, Kim critiques the presumption of universality in Western theoretical frameworks, arguing for the need to historicize supposedly universal theories like psychoanalysis and structuralism (p. 235).
  • Fanon serves as a model for integrating history and ideology into theoretical critiques (p. 236).
• Intersection of Narrative Theory and Postcolonial/Ethnic Studies:
  • Kim identifies two major critiques of narrative theory in relation to postcolonial and ethnic studies:
    1. The claim that postcolonial texts cannot be analyzed using Western-originated narrative theories, which overlooks the historical interplay of imperialism and world systems (p. 236).
    2. The uncritical application of Western narrative theories to minority texts, which perpetuates a critical hierarchy privileging Western universality over local particularity (p. 238).
• Challenges to Formalist Narratology:
  • The structuralist roots of classical narratology, which focus on taxonomies of narrative forms, are critiqued as insufficient to address contextual factors such as race, class, and imperialism (p. 239).
  • Poststructuralist or “postclassical” narratology, while more open to context, still struggles to integrate ethnic and postcolonial perspectives meaningfully (p. 240).
• Proposed Directions for Decolonized Narratology:
  • Kim emphasizes the need to develop a narratology informed by the material and ideological histories of colonialism and capitalism (p. 240).
  • Ethnic and postcolonial studies can reshape narrative theory by broadening its scope and addressing overlooked aesthetic and ideological elements (p. 241).
• Case Studies and Contributions:
  • The special issue includes essays addressing topics such as resistant subjectivity in Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters, postcolonial descriptions in V.S. Naipaul’s Guerillas, and “unnatural” narrative techniques in Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children (pp. 241–243).
• Conclusion and Future Work:
  • Kim calls for continued engagement between narratology and ethnic/postcolonial studies, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary approaches to address global inequities embedded in narrative forms and theories (p. 243).

Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim

Term/Concept	Definition/Explanation	Reference/Context in Article
Decolonization	The process of challenging and dismantling imperialist frameworks, both in thought and methodology.	Applied to narratology to address the Eurocentric biases inherent in classical narrative theory (Kim, 2012, p. 234).
Narratology	The study of narrative structure and its components, traditionally rooted in European and American literature.	Critiqued for its structuralist origins and exclusion of ethnic and postcolonial contexts (p. 235).
Postclassical Narratology	A later development of narratology incorporating contextual, cultural, and ideological considerations.	Explores feminist, cognitive, and postcolonial dimensions to broaden narrative theory’s scope (p. 240).
Race and Colonialism	Key ideological formations central to postcolonial critique, emphasizing their entanglement with global capitalism.	Identified as crucial for revising narrative theory to reflect material histories (p. 234).
Imperial Discourses	Narratives and ideologies that reinforce and perpetuate colonial and racial hierarchies.	Highlighted as influencing both metropolitan and peripheral cultures, requiring deconstruction (p. 234).
Historicizing	Situating theories and concepts within their historical and material contexts to reveal their ideological underpinnings.	Rejected as insufficient alone; requires integration with race and colonial critique (p. 234).
Universalism	The assumption that theories or principles are universally applicable, ignoring cultural and historical specificities.	Critiqued for privileging Western perspectives in narrative theory (p. 236).
Structuralist Narratology	Classical approach focusing on abstract narrative forms and taxonomies, often neglecting context.	Exemplified by Gérard Genette and critiqued for its detachment from historical and ideological concerns (p. 239).
Postcolonial Narratology	A narrative theory approach integrating postcolonial critique, addressing how colonial histories shape narratives.	Explored through Gerald Prince’s work and critiqued for overlooking postcolonial scholarship (p. 237).
Critical Hierarchy	The implicit prioritization of Western theory as universal and minority texts as particular.	Seen in the “application” of Western theories to postcolonial texts, reinforcing power asymmetries (p. 238).
Ethnic Studies	An interdisciplinary field examining race, ethnicity, and culture, emphasizing their intersections with power systems.	Discussed as overlapping yet distinct from postcolonial studies, both reshaping narrative theory (p. 236).
Contextualist Narratology	An approach that integrates historical, social, and political factors into the study of narrative.	Advocated as essential for understanding narratives shaped by colonial and racial ideologies (p. 240).
Hegemony	The dominance of one cultural or ideological perspective over others, often normalized in discourse.	Reflected in the uncritical adoption of Western narrative theory as “universal” (p. 237).
Ideological Formations	Systems of belief that shape and are shaped by social, political, and economic structures.	Central to critiques of narrative theory’s Eurocentric focus and lack of engagement with global histories (p. 234).

Contribution of “Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim to Literary Theory/Theories

• Decolonizing Narrative Studies:
  • Introduces the concept of decolonizing narrative theory by addressing how classical narratology is deeply rooted in Eurocentric traditions.
  • Advocates for interrogating and dismantling imperialist frameworks in narratology, aligning it with broader postcolonial and ethnic studies (Kim, 2012, p. 234).
• Integration of Postcolonial Critique:
  • Emphasizes the need for a postcolonial narratology that reflects the historical and material realities of colonialism and its global aftermath.
  • Critiques Gerald Prince’s notion of “postcolonial narratology” for its failure to engage adequately with postcolonial scholarship and its complexities (p. 237).
• Historicizing Theories of Narration:
  • Argues that narrative theory must move beyond abstract formalism to incorporate historical, cultural, and political contexts.
  • Uses Frantz Fanon’s critique of psychoanalysis as a model for situating theories within their historical and ideological contexts (p. 235).
• Intersection of Race and Narratology:
  • Highlights the inadequacy of narrative theory to account for race, ethnicity, and colonialism when treated in isolation from economic and political structures.
  • Demonstrates how race and colonialism are intertwined with global capitalism, influencing both narrative production and interpretation (p. 234).
• Critique of Universalism in Narratology:
  • Challenges the universalist assumptions of classical structuralist narratology, such as those proposed by Gérard Genette, for neglecting the diversity of narrative forms and cultural contexts (p. 239).
  • Proposes a more pluralistic approach to narrative theory that accounts for diverse global traditions and ideologies (p. 240).
• Contextualist Approaches to Narrative:
  • Advocates for contextualist narratology, which integrates historical, political, and ideological considerations into the analysis of narrative forms (p. 240).
  • Draws parallels with feminist narratology, which has successfully challenged the exclusion of gender and sexuality from classical narratology (p. 239).
• Ethnic Studies as Transformative for Literary Theory:
  • Positions ethnic studies as essential for reshaping literary theory to include diverse aesthetic forms and critical practices.
  • Argues that ethnic studies have expanded the understanding of what constitutes a text, making visible previously marginalized aesthetic forms (p. 236).
• Engagement with Cognitive Narratology:
  • Notes the contribution of cognitive studies scholars, such as Frederick Luis Aldama and David Herman, to expanding the purview of narratology.
  • Suggests that cognitive approaches, while seemingly universal, must also be historicized and contextualized (p. 240).
• Reassessing the History vs. Form Divide:
  • Critiques the long-standing division between formalist and historicist/contextualist approaches in narrative theory.
  • Proposes a synthesis that recognizes how historical and ideological conditions shape narrative forms and vice versa (p. 240).
• Advocating for Interdisciplinary Dialogue:
  • Calls for more sustained methodological engagement between narratology, ethnic studies, postcolonial studies, and Marxism.
  • Frames this interdisciplinary dialogue as vital for addressing the complexities of global literature and its socio-political contexts (p. 243).

Examples of Critiques Through “Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim

Literary Work & Author	Critique Through “Decolonizing Narrative Theory”	Reference in Article
Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn	Critiques how the bildungsroman of revolutionary characters is developed at the expense of marginalized minor characters, often associated with abjection and filth.	Misun Dokko’s essay cited on p. 241.
Guerillas by V.S. Naipaul	Analyzes the prioritization of narration over description, highlighting how description is linked to colonialist ideologies. The novel critiques the ideological functions of description.	Toral Gajarawala’s essay cited on p. 241.
Her Virginia Mammy by Charles W. Chesnutt	Explores how Chesnutt subverts the kinship reunion plot by using race and familial ideologies to create tension. The figure of the “mammy” complicates racialized narratives of family and reunion.	Jennifer Riddle Harding’s essay on p. 242.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe	Highlights how the novel critiques colonial narratives by centering the African experience and exposing the ideological assumptions of Western storytelling traditions.	General application of theory, p. 243.

Criticism Against “Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim

• Insufficient Integration of Postcolonial Scholars:
  • While the article critiques the exclusion of postcolonial perspectives in narratology, it does not fully engage with foundational postcolonial theorists such as Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, or Homi Bhabha beyond surface-level references.
• Overemphasis on Theory Over Practical Application:
  • The article focuses heavily on theoretical critique but provides limited practical examples of how a “decolonized” narrative theory might function across a wide range of texts or methodologies.
• Ambiguity in Decolonization Framework:
  • The term “decolonization” is used broadly without clearly defining what it entails in specific academic or literary practices, which may leave readers uncertain about its concrete implications.
• Eurocentric Lens of Critique:
  • Ironically, the critique of Eurocentrism in narratology is itself grounded largely in Western academic traditions, with limited engagement with non-Western critical traditions or frameworks.
• Limited Scope of Texts Analyzed:
  • The examples provided focus primarily on Anglophone and postcolonial texts, which limits the reach of the discussion to other global literatures, particularly non-Anglophone or Indigenous traditions.
• Overgeneralization of Classical Narratology:
  • Classical narratology is critiqued as overly Eurocentric without sufficient acknowledgment of how it has already been revised and expanded in some contemporary studies.
• Potential Oversimplification of Race and Colonialism:
  • The article tends to conflate race, ethnicity, and colonialism as intersecting categories without fully unpacking their unique and often divergent histories and impacts on narrative forms.

Representative Quotations from “Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim with Explanation

Quotation	Explanation
“The concept of decolonizing—not only the world but also our minds and methods—best describes not only the reconsideration of narratology but also imperial discourses.” (p. 234)	Kim advocates for dismantling the Eurocentric ideologies embedded in narrative theory and calls for critical engagement with imperial legacies to reshape both theoretical and methodological approaches.
“Narrative theory, even and particularly in its structuralist origins, arises out of actual narratives.” (p. 237)	This highlights the need for narratology to be historically grounded, challenging the ahistorical tendencies of classical structuralist approaches to narrative theory.
“Postcolonial and ethnic studies undertake the critique of this [postcolonial] world in all its complexity.” (p. 234)	Kim positions ethnic and postcolonial studies as vital for addressing the global and historical complexities shaped by colonial and racial ideologies, urging narratology to incorporate these critiques.
“Classical narratology has traditionally taken European and American literature as its principal examples.” (p. 235)	Kim critiques the limited scope of classical narratology, which often excludes global, non-Western literary traditions, thereby perpetuating Eurocentrism.
“The Genettian categories of duration may very well be perfectly good tools… the problem is the critical hierarchy encoded into theoretical apparatuses.” (p. 238)	This critiques the uncritical application of Western theories to postcolonial texts, which often reinforces systemic inequalities between theoretical frameworks and marginalized narratives.
“White and Western theorists speak the universal, analytical voice, while the minority text is the single instantiation.” (p. 238)	Kim critiques the power imbalance in narrative studies, where Western theories are treated as universal frameworks, relegating postcolonial texts to specific, subordinate examples.
“History is not merely referential for narratives but constitutive of the formation of narratives.” (p. 240)	Emphasizes the inseparable relationship between narrative forms and their historical and ideological contexts, challenging the decontextualized methods of formalist narratology.
“Gender, sexuality, and embodiment—not to mention race, ethnicity, and geographical region—will nevertheless continue to inflect the entire field of narrative.” (p. 240)	Kim insists that these social categories are integral to narrative studies, criticizing their marginalization within structuralist or classical narratology.
“A wide gap still exists between the field(s) of narratology and cultural, ideological, and historical studies of narrative.” (p. 236)	Kim identifies a disconnection between traditional narratology and interdisciplinary approaches like ethnic studies, highlighting the need for deeper methodological engagement.
“The question of postcolonial narratology is not about narratology as applied to or derived from postcolonial texts, but how the history of colonialism shapes narratology.” (p. 238)	This shifts the focus from the application of theories to postcolonial texts to how the histories of colonialism fundamentally transform the theoretical premises of narratology itself.

Suggested Readings: “Introduction: Decolonzing Narrative Theory” by Sue J. Kim

1. Visser, Irene. “Decolonizing trauma theory: Retrospect and prospects.” Humanities 4.2 (2015): 250-265.
2. Cameron, Emilie, et al. “Indigeneity and Ontology.” Cultural Geographies, vol. 21, no. 1, 2014, pp. 19–26. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26168538. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
3. Hopkins, A. G. “Rethinking Decolonization.” Past & Present, no. 200, 2008, pp. 211–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25096724. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
4. BETTS, RAYMOND F. “Decolonization: A Brief History of the Word.” Beyond Empire and Nation: The Decolonization of African and Asian Societies, 1930s-1970s, edited by ELS BOGAERTS and REMCO RABEN, Brill, 2012, pp. 23–38. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctt1w8h2zm.5. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.