A Social-psychological Understanding of Colonialism

Page: 283-287
Umesh L. Bharte (Department of Applied Psychology, University of Mumbai, Maharashtra)

A careful review of the contemporary literature on colonialism brings certain disciplines at the forefront, namely history, political science, sociology, and economics. Our aim here is not to undermine such scholarly attempts at unfolding the complex phenomenon of colonialism. However, we are here more concerned about the issues related to self and identity and their psychological consequences. Accordingly, we believe that European territorial expansion could also be looked upon from a perspective rooted in psychological science. In the same spirit, first, it is argued here that one should go beyond the reductionist terms like economic exploitation or political domination while conceptualizing colonialism. It may be interpreted in the light of a ‘psychological contract between the ruler and the ruled (Nandy, 1983)’. Second, social identity approach provides, as we believe, a promising theoretical alternatives so as to understand the colonial society, and its dynamism in the Indian context, in a different way.