Introduction: “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah
“Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah first appeared in Critical Inquiry, Vol. 17, No. 2, in Winter 1991. Published by the University of Chicago Press, this seminal essay explores the relationship between postmodernism and postcolonialism, questioning whether the “post-” in both terms signifies a similar departure from their respective foundational ideas. Appiah argues that while both movements critique the grand narratives of their predecessors, they do so in different cultural and historical contexts. Postcolonialism, he suggests, must contend with the legacies of imperialism and the specific socio-political challenges faced by formerly colonized societies, while postmodernism addresses the exhaustion of modernist ideals within Western culture. The essay is significant in literary theory because it bridges two major intellectual movements, offering insights into how global culture, identity, and power are constructed in the contemporary world. Appiah’s work remains pivotal in understanding the complexities of cultural production and identity formation in postcolonial contexts, enriching the discourse in both postmodern and postcolonial literary studies.
Summary of “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah
1. Distinction Between Postmodernism and Postcolonialism
- Postmodernism and Postcolonialism Defined: Appiah explores whether the “post-” in both terms carries the same implications. Postmodernism refers to a critique of modernist ideologies in the West, while postcolonialism is a reaction to the legacy of colonialism in non-Western societies.
- Different Contexts: Postmodernism emerges from a Western context, dealing with questions of aesthetics, culture, and the critique of Enlightenment rationality. Postcolonialism, however, deals with the socio-political effects of colonization on non-Western societies.
- “The post- in postcolonial, like the post- in postmodern, is the post- of the space-clearing gesture.”
2. Critique of Universalism
- Postmodernism’s Rejection of Grand Narratives: Appiah highlights how postmodernism rejects grand narratives and the idea of universal truth, particularly in art, culture, and philosophy.
- Postcolonialism’s Challenge to Colonial Universalism: Similarly, postcolonialism challenges the idea of the colonial “civilizing mission,” arguing that such narratives were tools of oppression.
- “Postcoloniality… is also a post- that challenges earlier legitimating narratives.”
3. Cultural Commodification and Neotraditionalism
- Commodification of African Art: Appiah critiques the commodification of African art in Western markets, showing how objects once used in traditional contexts are now repurposed for Western consumption.
- “I want to remind you… of how important it is that African art is a commodity.”
- Neotraditionalism as a Reflection of Modernity: Neotraditional African art, created for the global market, embodies elements of both traditional and modern influences, but it is often packaged to fit Western expectations of “authenticity.”
- “Man with a Bicycle is produced by someone who does not care that the bicycle is the white man’s invention: it is not there to be Other to the Yoruba Self.”
4. The Role of Postcolonial Intellectuals
- Complicity of the Postcolonial Intellectual Class: Appiah suggests that postcolonial intellectuals often mediate between the West and the periphery, producing works that cater to both African and Western audiences.
- “Postcoloniality is the condition of… a relatively small, Western-style, Western-trained group of writers and thinkers, who mediate the trade in cultural commodities.”
5. Critique of Nativism and Nationalism
- Rejection of Nativist and Nationalist Narratives: Appiah critiques the romanticization of precolonial African cultures, arguing that these nostalgic views serve both African elites and Western consumers.
- “The national bourgeoisie that took the baton of rationalization… turned out to be a kleptocracy.”
- Postcolonialism as Anti-Nationalist: Postcolonial writers like Appiah reject nationalist narratives, seeing them as failures in addressing contemporary African political and social realities.
- “Africa’s postcolonial novelists, novelists anxious to escape neocolonialism, are no longer committed to the nation.”
6. Intersection of Postcolonialism and Postmodernism
- Shared Critique of Modernity: Both postcolonialism and postmodernism reject modernity’s universal claims, but for different reasons. Postmodernism critiques the excesses of reason, while postcolonialism critiques the Eurocentrism that justified colonization.
- “Modernism saw the economization of the world as the triumph of reason; postmodernism rejects that claim.”
- Globalization and Cultural Exchange: Postmodernism and postcolonialism both operate in a transnational, globalized world, where cultures are constantly intersecting and influencing each other.
- “Postmodern culture is the culture in which all postmodernisms operate, sometimes in synergy, sometimes in competition; and because contemporary culture is, in a certain sense… transnational.”
7. Conclusion: Postcolonial Pessimism
- Pessimism about Postcolonial Futures: Appiah concludes by expressing a form of postcolonial pessimism. While postcolonial writers reject colonial narratives, they also critique the failures of postcolonial nations to deliver on the promises of independence.
- “Postcoloniality has become, I think, a condition of pessimism.”
- Cultural Production as Resistance: Despite the bleak political outlook, African cultural production continues to thrive, with creators engaging in less anxious forms of creativity that transcend colonial and postcolonial frameworks.
- “For all the while, in Africa’s cultures, there are those who will not see themselves as Other.”
Literary Terms/Concepts in “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah
| Literary Term/Concept | Definition/Explanation |
| Postmodernism | A movement that rejects modernism’s grand narratives and embraces pluralism, fragmentation, and ambiguity in culture and literature. |
| Postcolonialism | An intellectual discourse that analyzes and responds to the cultural, political, and social legacies of colonialism and imperialism. |
| Grand Narrative | A totalizing narrative that claims universal applicability, often critiqued by postmodernism and postcolonialism for its exclusionary and oppressive nature. |
| Neotraditionalism | A blend of traditional cultural elements with modern influences, often seen in African art created for global markets. |
| Commodification | The process of turning cultural artifacts into marketable commodities, often criticized in both postmodern and postcolonial discourses. |
| Nativism | The belief in and promotion of the inherent value of native culture, often seen as a reaction to colonial oppression, but critiqued by Appiah for romanticizing the past. |
| Nationalism | A political ideology that emphasizes the interests of a nation and the creation of a national identity, often critiqued in postcolonial theory for its failures in post-independence contexts. |
| Cultural Relativism | The belief that values, norms, and practices are relative to the cultural context, important in critiquing Western universalism. |
| Transnationalism | The process or advocacy of operating across national boundaries, relevant to both postmodernism and postcolonialism in understanding global culture. |
| Avant-Garde | A radical, innovative movement in the arts, often challenging mainstream cultural norms; used to describe intellectuals aiming to escape colonial influences. |
| Syncretism | The blending of different religious, cultural, or philosophical traditions into a new whole, seen in cultural practices of postcolonial societies. |
| Ethnography | The systematic study and recording of human cultures, particularly used to document non-Western cultures; criticized by Appiah for contributing to Western stereotypes. |
| Modernism | A movement in art, literature, and culture that emphasized progress and the rationalization of society, often critiqued by postmodernism. |
| Charismatic Authority | A form of leadership based on the personal charm and emotional appeal of the leader, rather than institutionalized legal-rational authority. |
| Alterity | The state of being ‘other’ or different, often imposed by dominant cultures on marginalized groups, and a key concept in both postcolonial and postmodern studies. |
Contribution of “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah to Literary Theory/Theories
1. Postmodernism
- Contribution: Appiah connects postmodernism’s critique of grand narratives to a global context, highlighting the rejection of modernist claims to universal truths across different cultural domains.
- Reference: “Modernism saw the economization of the world as the triumph of reason; postmodernism rejects that claim, allowing in the realm of theory the same proliferation of distinctions that modernity had begun.”
- Insight: He positions postmodernism as a framework that embraces multiplicity, difference, and fragmentation, and applies this lens to non-Western contexts, questioning how global cultures fit within postmodern narratives.
2. Postcolonialism
- Contribution: Appiah’s essay critically engages with postcolonialism by exploring how postcolonial societies struggle with both their colonial past and postmodern challenges in the globalized world.
- Reference: “Postcoloniality is the condition of… a relatively small, Western-style, Western-trained group of writers and thinkers, who mediate the trade in cultural commodities of world capitalism at the periphery.”
- Insight: He shows how postcolonial intellectuals mediate between the West and their local cultures, suggesting that postcolonial theory must reckon with the complexities of cultural exchange and global commodification.
3. Cultural Studies
- Contribution: Appiah examines the commodification of culture, particularly African art, within the global market. His analysis contributes to cultural studies by revealing how cultural products are shaped by global consumerism.
- Reference: “I want to remind you, in short, of how important it is that African art is a commodity.”
- Insight: By connecting cultural commodification to postmodern and postcolonial critiques, Appiah shows how the circulation of cultural artifacts in a capitalist economy impacts their meaning and value, providing a lens to understand the intersection of culture and economics.
4. Neocolonialism
- Contribution: Appiah’s critique of postcolonial nationalism and the failure of postcolonial states reflects neocolonial theory, highlighting how postcolonial societies remain entangled in global power structures.
- Reference: “The national bourgeoisie that took the baton of rationalization… turned out to be a kleptocracy.”
- Insight: His essay demonstrates how postcolonial elites have perpetuated forms of economic and political domination, thus aligning with neocolonial critiques that explore how colonial powers continue to exert influence through economic and political structures.
5. Nationalism and Anti-Nationalism
- Contribution: Appiah’s critique of nationalism within postcolonial discourse challenges the romanticized view of national identity that postcolonial theorists often emphasize.
- Reference: “Africa’s postcolonial novelists, novelists anxious to escape neocolonialism, are no longer committed to the nation.”
- Insight: By rejecting the nationalist project of the postcolonial bourgeoisie, Appiah argues that postcolonial writers must move beyond simplistic nationalist frameworks and explore broader, transnational solidarities.
6. Nativism
- Contribution: Appiah critiques the nativist impulse in postcolonial theory, which often seeks to reclaim precolonial cultural practices. He argues that this romanticization is both limiting and inaccurate.
- Reference: “The assault on realism is… postnativist; this book is a murderous antidote to a nostalgia for Roots.”
- Insight: Appiah argues that nativism does not offer a viable path for postcolonial societies, as it fails to acknowledge the complex, hybrid identities that emerge in the wake of colonization.
7. Ethnography and Anthropology
- Contribution: By critiquing ethnography and its role in constructing Africa as an “Other” for Western consumption, Appiah contributes to postcolonial critiques of anthropology and ethnographic representation.
- Reference: “Shrobenius, the anthropologist, as apologist for ‘his’ people… African traders and producers of African art, who understand the necessity to maintain the ‘mysteries’ that construct their product as ‘exotic’.”
- Insight: He exposes how Western anthropologists and ethnographers have historically contributed to the exoticization and commodification of African culture, aligning his work with postcolonial critiques of Western knowledge production.
8. Transnationalism
- Contribution: Appiah’s exploration of the global circulation of African art and cultural products highlights the transnational dimensions of both postmodernism and postcolonialism.
- Reference: “Postmodern culture is global-though that emphatically does not mean that it is the culture of every person in the world.”
- Insight: His discussion of transnationalism shows how cultural exchange in a globalized world complicates the binary of the local versus the global, emphasizing the need for postcolonial theory to engage with global networks of power, culture, and capital.
9. Alterity and Otherness
- Contribution: Appiah challenges the binary of Self and Other in both postmodern and postcolonial theory, arguing for a more complex understanding of cultural identity that moves beyond essentialist categories.
- Reference: “What we must learn to live without is… the binarism of Self and Other.”
- Insight: By critiquing the construction of the “Other” in Western discourses, Appiah’s work aligns with postcolonial critiques of alterity, calling for a more nuanced and fluid understanding of cultural identity that resists fixed binaries.
10. Ethical Universalism
- Contribution: Appiah’s discussion of postcolonialism’s ethical dimensions critiques relativism and promotes an ethical universalism that respects human suffering and rights.
- Reference: “The basis for that project of delegitimation cannot be the postmodernist one: rather, it is grounded in an appeal to an ethical universal.”
- Insight: He argues that postcolonialism must be grounded in a respect for universal human rights and dignity, as opposed to a relativist stance that would accept exploitation and oppression as culturally specific norms.
Examples of Critiques Through “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah
| Author and Literary Work | Critique through Appiah’s Lens | Key Concepts from Appiah |
| Chinua Achebe – Things Fall Apart | Appiah would critique the novel’s nationalist project, which seeks to recover a precolonial “usable past” as a foundation for postcolonial identity. He would argue that this romanticized nativism fails to address the complexities of postcolonial realities and leads to the limitations of nationalism. | Nationalism, Nativism |
| Yambo Ouologuem – Le Devoir de Violence | Appiah aligns with Ouologuem’s rejection of both colonialism and postcolonial nationalist elites. He supports the novel’s postrealist approach in rejecting romanticized precolonialism and critiquing postcolonial kleptocracies. This work exemplifies a postnationalist stance. | Postnationalism, Postrealism |
| Jean Rhys – Wide Sargasso Sea | Appiah might analyze how Rhys deconstructs colonial binaries by giving voice to the silenced colonial subject, complicating the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized. The novel critiques Western notions of “Otherness” and highlights the complexities of identity in postcolonial settings. | Alterity, Cultural Relativism |
| Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o – A Grain of Wheat | Appiah would critique the novel’s attempt to mediate between nationalist ideals and the realities of neocolonialism. He might argue that the novel reflects a growing skepticism about nationalism and instead promotes broader ethical considerations of justice and human suffering in the postcolonial context. | Postcolonialism, Neocolonialism, Ethical Universalism |
Criticism Against “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah
Overgeneralization of Postcolonial Experiences
- Appiah’s analysis may be critiqued for overgeneralizing the experiences of postcolonial societies, particularly by not accounting for the specific historical and cultural contexts of different regions. His broad approach might obscure the diversity of postcolonial identities.
Neglect of Grassroots and Popular Resistance
- Critics might argue that Appiah’s focus on postcolonial intellectuals and elites overlooks the role of grassroots and popular resistance in shaping postcolonial discourse. By concentrating on the “comprador intelligentsia,” he may marginalize the contributions of non-elite voices.
Limited Engagement with Gender in Postcolonialism
- Appiah’s essay could be critiqued for its limited engagement with gender issues within postcolonial discourse. Feminist critiques of postcolonialism, which examine the intersection of race, gender, and colonialism, are not extensively addressed.
Ambiguity in Defining Postmodernism in Non-Western Contexts
- Appiah’s discussion of postmodernism in a postcolonial context may be seen as ambiguous or underdeveloped. Critics could argue that he does not fully explain how postmodernism, a predominantly Western intellectual movement, translates into non-Western postcolonial contexts.
Rejection of Nativism as Too Dismissive
- Some postcolonial theorists might criticize Appiah’s rejection of nativism as being too dismissive. Nativism, while flawed, can serve as an important strategy for reclaiming cultural identity and resisting colonial dominance, particularly in specific historical contexts.
Potentially Elitist Perspective
- The essay could be critiqued for adopting an overly academic or elitist perspective, focusing on intellectual discourses that may not resonate with broader postcolonial populations. Appiah’s analysis may fail to connect with the lived realities of ordinary people in postcolonial societies.
Limited Solutions for Postcolonial Pessimism
- While Appiah critiques postcolonial nationalism and postcolonial elites, critics might argue that he offers limited constructive solutions for overcoming the pessimism that he identifies in postcolonial societies. The essay highlights the issues without proposing clear alternatives.
Representative Quotations from “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah with Explanation
| Quotation | Explanation |
| “The post- in postcolonial, like the post- in postmodern, is the post- of the space-clearing gesture.” | This quotation encapsulates Appiah’s central argument, suggesting that both postcolonialism and postmodernism reject exclusive, foundational narratives in different ways. |
| “Postcoloniality is the condition of… a relatively small, Western-style, Western-trained group of writers and thinkers, who mediate the trade in cultural commodities of world capitalism at the periphery.” | Appiah critiques the postcolonial intellectual elite as complicit in perpetuating global capitalist structures, despite their critique of colonialism. |
| “Modernism saw the economization of the world as the triumph of reason; postmodernism rejects that claim.” | Appiah highlights how postmodernism challenges modernism’s faith in reason and progress, embracing instead a fragmented, decentered view of the world. |
| “I want to remind you, in short, of how important it is that African art is a commodity.” | Appiah critiques the commodification of African art in global markets, arguing that it is shaped and valued through a Western lens for consumer purposes. |
| “Africa’s postcolonial novelists, novelists anxious to escape neocolonialism, are no longer committed to the nation.” | He argues that postcolonial writers are increasingly skeptical of nationalist projects, instead critiquing both colonial legacies and postcolonial elites. |
| “Postcoloniality has become, I think, a condition of pessimism.” | Appiah expresses a pessimistic view of postcolonial societies, reflecting on the failure of postcolonial governments to deliver on the promises of independence. |
| “The binarism of Self and Other is the last of the shibboleths of the modernizers that we must learn to live without.” | Appiah critiques the simplistic binary of colonizer and colonized, urging a more complex understanding of cultural identities that moves beyond fixed categories. |
| “What we call fundamentalism is as alive in the West as it is in Africa and the Middle and Far Easts.” | Appiah points out the global resurgence of religious and ideological fundamentalism, challenging the notion that secular rationality is the inevitable outcome of modernity. |
| “Postrealism is motivated… because what it sought to naturalize was a nationalism that, by 1968, had plainly failed.” | He critiques the realist tradition in African literature for legitimizing nationalism, which he argues failed to deliver justice or equality in postcolonial states. |
| “For postmodernisms… these works, however they are to be understood, cannot be seen as legitimated by culture-and history-transcending standards.” | Appiah critiques modernism’s universal standards for evaluating art, arguing that postmodernism refuses to impose a singular aesthetic or cultural criterion. |
Suggested Readings: “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” by Kwame Anthony Appiah
- Appiah, Kwame Anthony. “Is the Post- in Postmodernism the Post- in Postcolonial?” Critical Inquiry, vol. 17, no. 2, 1991, pp. 336–57. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1343840. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.
- Appiah, Kwame Anthony. “Cosmopolitan Patriots.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 23, no. 3, 1997, pp. 617–39. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1344038. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.
- Appiah, Kwame Anthony, and Henry Louis Gates. “Editors’ Introduction: Multiplying Identities.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 18, no. 4, 1992, pp. 625–29. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1343823. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.
- Appiah, Kwame Anthony. “Liberalism, Individuality, and Identity.” Critical Inquiry, vol. 27, no. 2, 2001, pp. 305–32. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1344252. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.
- Appiah, Kwame Anthony. “The Conservation of ‘Race.'” Black American Literature Forum, vol. 23, no. 1, 1989, pp. 37–60. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2903987. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.