A Reflection About Colonialism, Feminism, And Racial Discrimination

In one of their published articles, researchers Subhabrata Bobby Barnerjee and Stephen Linstead examine different discourses about globalization. One of the key ideas that they were trying to point out is that although cultural diversity is still widely promoted, the oneness of ideals and beliefs seems to be one of the most important factors that can lead towards true world peace and harmony.

The authors also delve into the idea that first-world countries will be the dominant forces that will lead to globalization. The not-so-powerful countries will be lesser participants only, their ideals and statutes will have little to no implementation at all, the authors explain.

Let's tackle that head-on...

To reinforce the ideas mentioned above, let’s discuss some thoughts about the difference between colonialism of the past, and the present nature of it. Let’s take a brief look at how a powerful country like the United States has evolved from the perspective relevant to the subject matter.

By looking back at history, it is known that for hundreds of years, the federal government has assumed a huge role in managing nearly all aspects of the life of the natives that live on American soil. Compared to the ‘non-native’ kinds of people living within the same area, the government’s methods were a bit more intrusive when native residents were the focus in a given situation.

Because native Americans were often looked down upon and are viewed as incompetent and uneducated, the “White Americans,” who were often the ones managing the Federal system wanted to act as the “guardians” of the natives – to watch over them, protect them, and take care of the land and resources those natives own.

But as generations went on, the government failed to live to its promise. They helped extract the benefits that the land can give, and whatever natural resources the environment is giving. There’s nothing wrong with such a notion, although if it is only for the greater benefit of the non-natives, then that is where injustice could really sprout from.

It's all about greed and lust for power...

Because of the ever-increasing need for resources like oil, gold, and even land itself, the hostility against native Americans kept on increasing as well. In 1887, there was a bill that allocated a 100-acre land area for the natives.

It seemed good but they aren’t still fully entitled to it – the government still must have some control on overseeing and how such real estate properties be tilled. Such an ugly set of events escalated into an even more gruesome scenario as more and more land areas were removed from tribal jurisdiction.

Things got even worse when in 1937, the avenues in which the natives can secure their own lands were blocked by congress and sealed them into federal trust perpetuity.

While the aforementioned narrative might just be the rant of someone with very close ties to Native American ancestry, there are supporting historical pieces of evidence that such oppression did actually happen. The point of the matter is that globalization has very little thing to do with equality and fairness. Rather, it is about global superpowers imposing their will on the lesser-influential races.

Multiculturalism, though something that can really beautify the world’s evolution isn’t very much respected if industrialism and futurism are the goals. And since ‘fiction’ is included in the reading material’s title, it can in fact be attributed to globalization. Why? Because a truly peaceful colonialism is very hard to establish. It is more suitable to be called just a fictitious narrative that will never become a reality.

Thoughts About African Feminism And The African Diaspora

“Feminism is a term that generally came from western countries” – this is the opening thought of Oshadi Mangena, a renowned feminist author-researcher, in one of her writings.

She writes about the idea that Western Feminism cannot exist without African Feminism. The main concept of that piece of writing is that the dispersion of African women into other locations and cultures is a liberation of the female species in Africa. Let’s have a balanced discussion about such a notion.

If diaspora means the citizens of a certain geographical area needs to depart from their ancestral domain and thrive somewhere else, then what Ms. Mangena is trying to say is that the women of her country should abandon some of their core beliefs so that they can be totally free from the shackles that bind them. If you are someone who believes that women should be given equal rights with men, then you cannot help but agree with the author’s standpoint.

While it is not a very good idea to abandon the core principles that define who you are as an African woman, considering letting go of the traditional tenets that do nothing but prevent women from getting the skill and power they need must be taken into account.

If it’s truly necessary so that the civilization in which they’re a part of can advance further, then they have to be given access with the right to high levels of education, and the right to be in the same industry as men, should they have the appropriate mindset and skills to perform the given career opportunities.

It is a known fact that African women who lived within the domain of their own country all of their lives are slaves of oppression and inequality. And if there are other areas in the world in which women are treated fairly, like in most western countries, African women must also be allowed to trek there so that they can have the education and mental transformation needed so they can bring about great change in themselves as well as in their homeland when they get to set foot in the country where they belong again.

Half a century ago, black people, especially women were looked down upon terribly by a handful of white people. These days, we have to be thankful that the dreadful mindset is no longer as huge as it was.

Regardless of your skin color, let’s just celebrate life fairly and without any form of social bias.