Deck 8: Postcolonial Theory and Globalization

Question 1

Although not all agree, the term postcolonial implies that

A) Colonialism has collapsed, and scholars must assess its aftermath
B) Colonialism has emerged, so much so that scholars must plan for its overthrow
C) Although economic colonialism is over, cultural colonialism has been ushered in by media fragmentation
D) Colonialism continues, to the detriment of non-European populations

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Much of postcolonial theory takes its inspiration from which of the following books:

A) The Prison Notebooks
B) Culture and Society
C) The Wretched of the Earth
D) Globalization and its Discontents

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Edward Said's notion of "Orientalism" argues that

A) The "Orient" is quickly catching up to the rest of the world in educational and economic development
B) Scholars have created the "Orient" in line with racist ideologies
C) The "Orient" is perpetually underdeveloped due to political corruption
D) The "Orient" developed along parallel lines to the rest of the world, it just kept itself isolated for so long.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The "Orient" is considered in relationship to

A) The West
B) The East
C) Colonial Empires
D) The Occident

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a typical element of Orientalist discourse?

A) Sympathy
B) Oppression
C) Confrontation
D) Generalization

Question 6

The term "subaltern" is used to describe

A) The disempowered
B) Resistance from below
C) Underground political organizations
D) None of the above

Question 7

For Gayatri Chakrovorty Spivak, a persistent problem for the subaltern is that

A) They are economically deprived
B) Their disempowerment makes coherent organization difficult
C) No act of dissent occurs separately from the dominant discourse
D) Their leaders are in collusion with the powers that be

Question 8

Homi Bhabha focuses on the role of _______ in the relationship between the colonized and the colonizer

A) Identity
B) Politics
C) Economics
D) Culture

Question 9

For many theorists, globalization has become a code word for

A) Increasing competition
B) Cultural diffusion
C) Corporate imperialism
D) Subaltern resistance

Question 10

On the whole, theorists of globalization have a __________ view of the future

A) Pessimistic
B) Optimistic
C) Indifferent
D) Unrealistic

Question 11

Immanuel Wallerstein has made a mark on the study of globalization by focusing on _________ processes

A) Cultural
B) Economic
C) Environmental
D) Transportation

Question 12

According to Wallerstein, the modern world-system emerged with the collapse of

A) Colonialism
B) Slavery
C) European Feudalism
D) The stock market

Question 13

The modern world-system consists of which of the following three components

A) First world, second world, third world
B) Nobility, serfs, slaves
C) Owners, workers, unemployed
D) Core, periphery, semi-periphery

Question 14

"Dependency theory" argues that:

A) The interdependencies created by globalization result in mutual benefits for the core and periphery
B) Core states exploit peripheral states
C) Transnational NGOs are responsible for alleviating economic dependency in the third world
D) None of the above

Question 15

Giovanni Arrighi argues that the financial expansion of the last 30 years will

A) Result in catastrophe, because of deregulation and instability
B) Result in equilibrium, where financial capital will flow to its most efficient uses
C) Result in innovation, because more people will have access to startup funds
D) Result in rising standards of living in the developing world

Question 16

David Harvey views globalization as a "fix," or

A) A permanent solution to the world's problems of development and resource allocation
B) A temporary solution to inner crises inherent in capitalism
C) A step on the evolutionary development of capitalism that will lead to different and better social processes
D) None of the above

Question 17

Disastrous consequences such as asset devaluation that comes about as a result of surpluses of labor or capital is known as

A) The crisis of production
B) Dependency
C) Overaccumulation
D) Overconsumption

Question 18

Compared to others, Giddens' views of globalization are

A) More pessimistic
B) More optimistic
C) Less optimistic
D) About the same

Question 19

Saskia Sassen focuses on ______ ______ in her theory of globalization

A) Transnational policies
B) Global countries
C) Global cities
D) Economic dependency

Question 20

Manuel Castells views global society as being organized around a tension between the

A) Powerful and powerless
B) Core and periphery
C) Self and society
D) Net and self

Question 21

Postcolonial theory was inspired heavily from the book The Salt of the Earth

Question 22

It was Gayatri Chakrovorty Spivak who asked "Can the Subaltern Speak?"

Question 23

World-systems theory borrows heavily from Marxist analysis.

Question 24

According the Manuel Castells, the global network of computers has encompassed all of the world's people.

Question 25

Explain one major criticism of postcolonial theory, especially as it relates to the voices of the oppressed.

Question 26

What is capitalism's temporary "fix" to the problem of overaccumulation?

Question 27

How has the fall of colonialism changed the face of sociological theory? Do postcolonial theories give a voice to previously marginalized groups? Why or why not?

Question 28

Theories of globalization are diverse in their explanations. However, they all agree that the countries, economies, and people of the world are increasingly tied together. Choose two theories of globalization and explain the mechanisms they point to that tie the world together (i.e. economic, political, technological, etc…)

Question 29

Is globalization good, or bad? Support your argument with theories from the chapter.