Why was comparison such a crucial tool in European colonialism?
2500 word essay question: Why was comparison such a crucial tool in European colonialism?
How did European nations use the process of comparison to establish their superiority over those they colonised? You might want to consider Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Césaire’s Une Tempête in your response****. It would be a good idea to discuss some of the key issues
mentioned in relation to this topic: the use of binary oppositions, the material effects of comparison, and the way comparison was used to justify colonialism and present it as a ‘civilising mission’. **** not referring to entire play, only Act 1 Scene 2. I have uploaded the relevant scenes as pdf
versions. Please note I have uploaded both, the English and French translation of Césaire’s Une Tempête. I have also uploaded relevant lecture slides and seminar notes