Postcolonial Studies

Abstract Postcolonial studies refers to a broad range of inquiries related to the formerly colonized world, especially in literature, cultural anthropology, history, political science, religion studies, and sociology. Postcolonialist methodology originated in literary studies, but has subsequently had an intensely interdisciplinary focus. The use of the term “postcolonial” has been controversial, with some critics questioning the use of the prefix “post‐” and others questioning the ideological differences between postcolonial studies and Marxist thought. That said, postcolonial studies has become a broadly influential and established analytical lens, especially for research and teaching related to the Anglophone, Lusophone, and Francophone worlds, largely displacing earlier academic configurations such as the area studies model. Postcolonial studies can also be seen as a successor to terminology related to the “Commonwealth” (in the Anglophone world) as well as to the “Third World” configuration that was widely prevalent during the Cold War.