Cultural Imperialism and the Image of India in British and Indian Cinema

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE Cultural Imperialism As a Postcolonial Concept

CHAPTER TWO British Cinema The subordinate representation of India

19th Century Description of Subordination

Continuation of the Imperial Attitude

21st Century Representations of Subordination

Representation of Education and Culture

Representation of the Indian Woman

Cultural Imperialism in Contemporary British Cinema

CHAPTER THREE Indian Cinema: Alienation From one’s identity

Sustaining the Imperial Attitude

Representation of Annihilation in Swades

Representations of National Culture

Cultural Imperialism in Contemporary Indian Cinema

CONCLUSION

Objectives and Research Themes

This dissertation examines the persistent presence of cultural imperialism in 21st-century cinema, specifically exploring how films portray India through the lens of postcolonial theory by analyzing both British and Indian perspectives.

• The theoretical foundation of postcolonialism and cultural imperialism
• Subordinate representations of India in British contemporary film
• The dynamics of self-alienation and the "cultural bomb" in Indian cinema
• The juxtaposition of national identity and colonial legacies
• A comparative analysis of the films Slumdog Millionaire and Swades

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

INTRODUCTION: Outlines the conceptual framework of imperialism and postcolonial theory, establishing the necessity of analyzing both the colonizer's perspective and the self-perception of the colonized.

CHAPTER ONE Cultural Imperialism As a Postcolonial Concept: Defines cultural imperialism as a constructed attitude formed by colonial legacies that persist in shaping the contemporary relationship between the West and the "other."

CHAPTER TWO British Cinema The subordinate representation of India: Investigates the British perspective in Slumdog Millionaire, arguing that the film perpetuates imperial attitudes through depictions of poverty, violence, and the need for external aid.

CHAPTER THREE Indian Cinema: Alienation From one’s identity: Analyzes the Indian film Swades, exploring how it simultaneously showcases national culture while sustaining colonial alienation, as defined by Ngugi wa Thiong'o's "cultural bomb."

CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, asserting that cultural imperialism remains a potent force in 21st-century film through the dual mechanisms of subordination and self-alienation.

Keywords

Cultural imperialism, Postcolonial theory, Slumdog Millionaire, Swades, Indian cinema, British cinema, Subordination, Alienation, Cultural bomb, National culture, Representation, Identity, Edward W. Said, Gayatri Spivak, Frantz Fanon

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this research?

The dissertation examines how cultural imperialism persists in 21st-century films about India, specifically through a comparative analysis of British and Indian perspectives.

Which films serve as the primary case studies?

The study evaluates the 2008 British film "Slumdog Millionaire" directed by Danny Boyle and the 2004 Indian film "Swades" directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.

What is the core research question?

The research asks: How can cultural imperialism be perceived within contemporary films on India?

What methodology is employed to analyze these films?

The work utilizes postcolonial theory, drawing upon the frameworks of Edward W. Said, Gayatri Spivak, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, and Frantz Fanon to analyze representation, subordination, and alienation.

How is cultural imperialism defined in this work?

It is defined as a constructed imperial attitude or a compilation of rhetoric that maintains Western hegemony long after the formal end of colonization.

Which themes characterize this dissertation?

Central themes include the subordinate representation of the "other," the "cultural bomb" theory of self-annihilation, the role of national culture, and the paternalistic narrative of Western intervention.

Why does the author argue that studying only one perspective is insufficient?

The author uses a "pie" analogy to argue that viewing the issue only from the British or only from the Indian perspective leads to an incomplete understanding of how the imperial attitude is sustained.

What specific role does the Indian woman play in this analysis?

The analysis compares the representation of women as "mute subalterns" in British film against the portrayal of powerful, culturally active female figures in Indian cinema.