Imperial feminism

Imperial feminism, also known as imperialist feminism or colonial feminism, refers to a phenomenon within feminist studies, in which rhetoric supporting women's rights is appropriated in order to justify empire-building.[1] These empires, or upholders of empire, espouse the claim that women from other countries need to be saved and that intervention is vital in realizing liberation for these women. The term imperial feminism itself is a critique. In academia and discourse surrounding women's studies, the term is generally used to criticize Western feminism for perpetuating stereotypes about non-white, non-Western cultures and societies as 'barbaric', 'savage', or uniquely oppressive to women and for excluding marginalized, minority ethnic women from mainstream feminism.[2] Critics argue that such rhetoric downplays gender inequality and patriarchy in the Global North by emphasizing the need for intervention in the Global South. However, while academia concerning this phenomenon tends to focus on the intersection between Western feminism and imperialism, the phenomenon is not inherently exclusive to Western feminism; the same critique can be applied to any other states which use similar rhetoric.

The phenomenon of imperial feminism and its impact on women in the Global South is often underrepresented in feminist studies, which usually center around mainstream white feminism. Those with experiences different from mainstream feminism, such as women of color, Muslim women, and others impacted by the legacy of colonialism and imperialism in their countries, face exclusion and marginalization by the mainstream discourse. In response, postcolonial feminism developed in order to address these issues.

History

Colonial era

The ideology behind imperial feminism goes back to at least the 18th and 19th centuries when European colonialism was rapidly expanding throughout the world. Administrators of colonies in the Global South, who celebrated liberty and representative democracy back home, justified their imperial ventures and colonial expansions by claiming that Western civilization was superior to others and thus it was an acceptable, if not a moral decision, to conquer. John Stuart Mill's The Subjection of Women, an essay written in the 19th century advocating for equality between the sexes, demonstrates the contempt many Europeans held for non-Western civilizations.

...[T]he English are farther from a state of nature than any other modern people. They are, more than any other people, a product of civilization and discipline.[3]

As he lauds the superiority of the West in order to advocate for gender equality, Mill goes on to berate 'the Orient' and 'Hindoo' civilizations as regressive in this regard.

Edward Said characterizes this phenomenon as "Orientalism" and claims European scholarship, culture, and society have perpetuated stereotypes about non-Western civilizations' culture, practices, and society as morally depraved in order to establish their own superiority.[4] Among these practices, the subjugation of women was heavily criticized and exploited by colonial powers as a way to expand their empires. For example, British colonial rule in South Asia condemned cultural practices such as sati, child marriage, and purdah.[5] In Southwest Asia and North Africa, colonial rulers fixated on the veil as a symbol of oppression. Lord Cromer (Evelyn Baring), a colonial administrator in British-occupied Egypt, was known for his unveiling campaigns.[6] In the Philippines, Western powers were horrified by the social acceptance of women’s exposed breasts in public.[7] Europeans viewed these practices as backwards and demonstrative of a need for European enlightenment and saviorship, providing colonial powers with a segue into imposed colonial rule.

Some historians and critics point out that while upholders of imperial feminist ideology claim they intend to liberate and increase women’s rights, the expansion of empire actually takes priority. For example, Lord Cromer was a strong proponent of symbolic female liberation by campaigning against the veil, but his actual enacted policies did not benefit Egyptian women.[8] Additionally, in Britain, he headed the Men's League for Opposing Woman Suffrage. Another example is British colonial rule in South Asia. While British colonial administrators claimed to desire gender equality for Indian women, they often upheld and maintained institutions of patriarchy in order to continue their colonial rule.

21st century


After the September 11 attacks, America invaded Afghanistan. However, a lot of the rhetoric involved in justifying the military intervention focused on the plight of the Afghan women and the abuse they faced at the hands of the Taliban. Laura Bush, for example, made several radio addresses tying the U.S. military invasion to protecting Afghan women's rights. A couple months after the initial invasion, Laura Bush celebrated the U.S.'s apparent progress towards emancipating the women of Afghanistan:

"Because of our recent military gains, in much of Afghanistan women are no longer imprisoned in their homes. They can listen to music and teach their daughters without fear of punishment. Yet, the terrorists who helped rule that country now plot and plan in many countries, and they must be stopped. The fight against terrorism is also a fight for the rights and dignity of women."

However, critics are quick to point out that war and military intervention brought more political instability to the region and ended up killing many civilians, including women. Activist Malalai Joya is a outspoken critic of the U.S.'s misguided policies and its role in political instability to the region.

See also

References
  1. Gender, Sexuality, and Empire: Imperialist Feminism in Culture, retrieved 2020-08-11
  2. Amos, Valerie; Parmar, Pratibha (1984). "Challenging Imperial Feminism". Feminist Review (17): 3. doi:10.2307/1395006. ISSN 0141-7789.
  3. Mill, John Stuart (1970). The subjection of women. [New York]: Source Book Press. p. 146. ISBN 0-87681-068-7. OCLC 128491.
  4. Said, Edward W. (2014). Orientalism. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 1-322-17630-2. OCLC 892699230.
  5. "[PDF] Feminism, Imperialism and Orientalism: the challenge of the 'Indian woman' - Free Download PDF". nanopdf.com. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  6. Women rising : in and beyond the Arab Spring. Stephan, Rita,, Charrad, M. (Mounira),. New York. ISBN 978-1-4798-4664-1. OCLC 1120784076.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  7. Coloma, Roland Sintos (2012). "White gazes, brown breasts: imperial feminism and disciplining desires and bodies in colonial encounters". Paedagogica Historica. 48 (2): 243–261. doi:10.1080/00309230.2010.547511. ISSN 0030-9230.
  8. Abu-Lughod, Lila, author. Do Muslim women need saving?. ISBN 0-674-08826-3. OCLC 906121562.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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