• Citer

Colonialism and postcolonialism : Psychological dimensions

par Licata, Laurent
Editeur scientifique Christie, Daniel J.
Référence Encyclopedia of Peace Psychology, Wiley-Blackwell, London
Publication Publié, 2012

Partie d'ouvrage collectif

• Accès en ligne
• Détails
• Contenu
• Statistiques

Résumé :

European colonial powers invaded then dominated a large part of the world from the Renaissance to the middle of the 20th century. Across this long history and numerous geographical settings, colonialism took various forms, was associated with diverse practices, and was justified by different ideologies. However, it created unprecedented situations of encounters between the original inhabitants of the colonised countries and European colonisers, locking them in “the most complex and traumatic relationship in human history” (Loomba, 2005, p. 8). This long traumatic relationship had a tremendous influence on the psychologies of both the colonised and the colonisers, deeply affecting their views of the world, of the other peoples, and of themselves. This influence did not cease once the independence treaties were signed, as the colonial experience continues to impregnate the cultures and identities of both formerly-colonising and formerly-colonised peoples. As a consequence, colonialism still affects their current interactions, be it in the context of international relationships or in that of contacts between majority members and immigrants or indigenous peoples in western countries. Accordingly, psychological analyses have occupied a central position in anti-colonial and post-colonial critiques. This article will summarize some of the main features of these analyses. After defining key concepts, it will address the colonial situation as a source of representations about the other peoples for the Europeans. Then it will address the psychological characteristics of the colonial situation for both the colonised and the colonisers and their mutual relationships, before and after decolonisation. Finally, it will situate colonialism as a topic in current psychological research.