Culture & Colonialism

This course explores the meaning of "culture" in societies that were subject to long-term colonial rule. It examines the impact of colonial power on social stratification, social categories, gender dynamics, religious identities and practices, and the day-to day lives of people. The course also explores the construction of cultural traditions and national identities and their places in the postcolonial world. Areas might include the cultural impact of British rule in South Asia, French and British rule in the Middle East, Spanish and Portuguese rule in Latin America, and other regimes of colonial rule throughout Africa and elsewhere in Asia.