Shohat and Stam open their book, Unthinking Eurocentrism by unpacking the misconceptions of what many people in western society think of as the “beginning”. The past is Greek or Roman and other “Western” societies with philosophers and the Republic with their versions of democracy. The narrative of the West tells us that everyone else does not have a history worth remembering or maybe even a history in general. This idea is tied into stories made so “the Other” becomes separate from Western society as they knew it and to some, as they know it now. They called it “the discourse of Plato-to-Nato Eurocentrism”. (Shohat & Stam 2014, pg. 14) If it isn’t Western history then it isn’t history at all. This is especially applied to those a part of indigenous groups across the world. This happened to religions and other aspects of culture, especially when places were colonized in the name of Christianity. It was seen as backwards, savage, and created by the devil.
The authors argue that the concepts of colonialism is not something that was only seen in the past. It can still be seen today in many places, most prominently in Africa. The invasion of countries under the guise of help enforces western thought and rule using the label of democracy. Many countries are being strong-armed into different ways of life because of the resources that their country holds. The “help” is actually exploitation to gain access to trade and the capital that the exploited country has. This is tied into various theories that claim that the wealth of countries is tied to the poverty in others. (Shohat & Stam 2014, pg. 17) The argument by those countries a part of the first world say the poverty of the “other” is due to their cultural practices rather than the exploitation the was done during the colonial process.
They continue by talking about racism and its ties to other systems implemented into society by the way of “isms” like classism and sexism. The power exerted over these countries and groups of people intermingle within their own systems as those who are chosen by the colonizers perpetuate the inequitable practices brought on by the same people exploiting them in the first place.
While all of this is going on, media in its various forms continue to spread western idealism in its own societies. Those responsible for the massacre of whole tribes of indigenous groups, like Columbus, are taught as simple explorers and war that killed millions of people becomes justified and relabeled at exploration of the “new world”. This is seen in movies and tv shows as well as general education. Colonialism becomes helping rather than destroying and exploitation becomes discovery. However, many groups are in the process of decolonizing by the ways of “indigenous media” or works created by others that identify with the colonized groups. This can be seen in African/-American communities, in South America in places like Brazil, Australia and in Native American nations in the United States. They are arguing against the idea of being post-colonial by documenting themselves and preserving old traditions. Decolonizing has its own backlash though especially in places like America.
Those trying to reestablish themselves are sometimes seen as “reverse racists” when they try to bring up the community or as people trying to divide Americas diversity. “Multiculturalism” and “People of Color” become a token. People are used to maintain power under the false pretenses of creating equitable societies. Shahot and Stam say those inequities further create the violence because people will fight each other for the power that those in dominant society have and that true multicultrialism is about the communities themselves rather than the representation because it becomes about the relations to power rather than the individual or power itself. (Shahot & Stam 2014, pg.47) Violence is ever present. Change can become violent and the solutions to the problems never seem to have a clear answer. What can be done?
Works Cited
Shohat, E., & Stam, Robert. (2014). Unthinking Eurocentrism : Multiculturalism and the media (Second ed., Sightlines (London, England)). Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY: Routledge.