Culture and Imperialism Summary ‘Supersurnmary, a modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes offers high-quality study guides that feature detaled chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Ths one-page guide includes a plot summary and bref analysis of Culture and imperialism by Edward Said cuture and imperialism. writen by Edward Said and published in 1993's a collection of essays examining te certures-od relationship beween imperialism and culture Said wrote Culture and imperitismas an effort to continue the scholarship of his previous, popular work, rientalism. which released in 1878, When asked to compare the two, Said shared that Culture and Imperiafism derives, ‘a more general pattern of relationship between the madern metropolitan west andits overseas ‘ertores”cufture and imperaism was welL-receive, being widely regarded and referenced as a success by scholars Few critical comments were offered in response, ‘mostly evolving around his attack on Westerners, evoking guilt and his lecture and someoet informal tone in these writings. ‘Thetis thought tobe a response to other works preceding the publshing of his own. such as Culture and anarchy 1867) by Matthew Arnold, and Culture and Society (1958) by Raymond waliams. tis evident that Sal's work Joins an ongoing conversation and cscourse surrounding ideas of how history, psychology philosophy, and the literary ars correlate with ane another. Said was considered a towering figure fr his studies and his contributions to scholarly discourse ‘The introduction tothe work acts as 2 dlscussion of Sal's overall exploration of the connection between the Iteratue ofimperialst and colonialist cultures. aids _academic argument finds is entryway throuh his contemplation ofthe connection between the growing countries of France and Britain and the iteraty canon, He uses Robinson Crusoeas a famous trary example on narratives which demanstrate the ideas of foreign occupation, acquired dominion, and erasure of @ native narrative entrey. Said defines imperialism asthe practice. the theory, and the atttudes ofa dominating metropolitan center ruling dlstant territory.” Wale Said doesnot offer a {definition forthe work's accompanying concept. culture, he does assert tht imperialism should certainly bea key component tts conceptualization in historical and rmadern contexts, Sai offers straightforward definition where he is able, and dicusses the difcuty of defining atopic as broad as culture" However, this does not weaken his argument of thelr connection, rather. the definition of-Imperialism broadens his argument in a way that sets the stage for hs conclusion, ‘These growing nations. or “empires” Sad argues cuturally prepare for their dominating role over anather society, His analysis posts thatthe relationhip between culture and imperialism s interdependent. one arising from the other asa form of control. Therefore. the establishment and development of imperialist ideas and colonia cultures arises from the dynamic between rulers and the ruled. The idea of “empire” is crudl to the sustainability of this power structure and those in postlons ‘of power have the advantagzous and seemingly exclusive cantral over narrative-a form of artistic and ideological control leading ta the censorship and selective historical memory. ‘These essays use a iterary lens, decussng classical rlctic narrative ftion works an authors such a ane Austen anc Rudyard Kipling inorder to consider the cultural Impact of imperialism and colonialism, He explains his scholarly approach. nating that his dlscussion seeks to expose and inform readers rather than crtcze or condemn ‘these works or ther authors for perpetuating imperialist ideas, Instead, Said aims te acthely acknowledge the imperialist and colonialist ideas embedded within these works asa means af demonstrating how that cultural climate operated and evolved, thus enabling @ deeper understanding of both history anditerature. Hes carefulto consider that these authors were merely portraying the values ang opinions of the time period rather than making ny political argument. Sid offers a unique view of these cultural preparations of empires, focusing on post World War il British fiction writers ofthe nineteenth anc! twentieth centuries. As the political positon and cultural climate towards these ideas shifts, especially in England and France. he argues that there are nticeable shifts n the subject matter, tones ‘and aesthetic inthe body of the modern realistic fiction novels writen during these periods. The Itereture ofthese places and times act as footsteps, each contrbuting ‘ther print. Thus, the works which Said examines serve as evidence encapsulating Sais argument that empires prepare for acolonialst culture through their adoption of Imperialist Ideas ‘Though the imperialiem era eflectively ended folowing the Second Worl! War as colonized peaples achieved independence Sid offers the idea that imperial ie 2 cultural force as much as its one of mitant oppression Cultural control. Said explains. s another form of domination. Ths Isa more subtle malcious force which can be ‘considered in a moder context where imperialism is conceived only in terms of our historical memory. Although this force of influences nt as easly detected, and not 2 tangible or opposable as miltary force. itis a central component ofthe connection between culture an! imperialism, and therefore must belong tothe ongoing conversation and scholarly discourse, with this final thought Said invites future scholars to follow in his footsteps. asserting is views as simultaneously foundational. conclusive and introductory,