Colonization..not new but never gets old..
Im sure you all have at least some knowledge on what the term colonization means. Maybe in other forms or just by everyday news headlines on your TV or trending twitter feeds. As we have learned in American studies, colonialism has two imperatives:"go away" or "come work". There are also three ways in which colonialism can exist. this includes: geography, cultural, and economical. There are many examples today, that illustrate the "go away" imperative. The Palestinian/Israeli conflict, Isis in Syria, Ukrain&Russia, and etc. All of these have a manner in which colonialism is presented. In the Palestinian Israeli conflict colonialism is shown through physical geography.
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| palestine after Israelites occcupation An example of colonialism in an economical manner would be the Ukraine Russian conflict. where Russia adjusts its economy by banning all McDonalds as a form of rebellion to America's refuse to aid them in their conflict. (http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/mcdonald-s-forced-to-scraps-salad-in-russia-over-food-import-ban/506754.html)In American Literature we learned that the "Go Away" imperative was used by the Puritans in form of isolation. Isolation is an important factor that separates the Puritans from the rest of the colonists. We've read examples from sources like John Winthrop and Mary Rowlandson, which make isolation a clear and important aspect of Puritanism. After all, we mustn't associate with the devil.. 
Recently we've observed a later form of colonialism shown by the Europeans on the African slaves who used the "Come Work" imperative. They influenced the African culture which led to identity confusion like in the reading of Equiano. No matter how much we think colonialism is in the past, it is the one part of history that keeps repeating itself.
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I really enjoyed your entry! There is one point, however, that I am a bit confused about. At the very end you talk about how the "come work" imperative afflicted by Europeans on the African slaves, influenced African culture and caused identity confusion. I am unsure what you mean by this. Possibly how Equiano was influenced from when he came to America, to when he wrote his story,or how his opinions/outlook on himself and other people were effected?
ReplyDeleteThis idea that colonialism still happens today is one that we should all keep in the back of our minds. I think colonialism has roots to some extent in the fact that land is so important to so many people for so many different reasons. It is interesting that Israel's conflict with Palestinians came up; this is a perfect example of religion being a driving factor in the struggle for land.
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