In the context of ‘colonialism’, ‘postcolonialism’, and ‘diaspora’,
‘translation’ as a metaphor is taken into account in this paper. Translation is
not new but to examine ‘colonialism’, ‘postcolonialism’, and ‘diaspora’ in terms
of translation looks a little new. Translation is a junction where two languages
and two cultures meet only to result in impurity, artificiality and
undecidability. Since translation involves social and power relations, it
underwent a chequered career. During ‘colonialism’, translation helped
colonizers consolidating colonial regime which turned traitor in
‘postcolonialism’ and diasporism. The base term for ‘colonialism’ is colony. If
translation is taken for granted in its etymological use (to carry across), a
colony means a second copy of the original located somewhere on the globe. And
therefore, ‘colonialism’ refers to the acts of settling down a colony elsewhere
on the map. Thus, both terms ‘translation’ and ‘colonialism’ involve the acts of
displacements and relocation. Colonizers, to ensure safety, and continuation of
their hegemonic rule over natives, invoked translation as a tool for seizing
power and pelf. Postcolonialism is mainly marked by its oppositional stance to
the self-centered homogeneous topology of ‘colonialism’. It employed mainly
‘mimicry’ and ‘hybridity’ as two avataras (incarnations) of translation to serve
the ‘postcolonial’ purposes of getting colonial ideology and belief fragmented,
fissured and flawed. Diaspora which deals with dispersed communities worldwide
examines translational and transnational nature of diasporics and diasporic
experiences. Culture and identity never remain constant. They always modify and
get modified in turn. The concept of ‘diaspora’ in all cases bears the sense of
translocation, displacement or de-territorialization. Hence, translation is an
apt metaphor for ‘colonialism’, ‘postcolonialism’ and ‘diaspora’. Search
13 November 2012
NOTICE: Mishra on ‘Colonialism, Postcolonialism, and Diaspora in Terms of Translation
In the context of ‘colonialism’, ‘postcolonialism’, and ‘diaspora’,
‘translation’ as a metaphor is taken into account in this paper. Translation is
not new but to examine ‘colonialism’, ‘postcolonialism’, and ‘diaspora’ in terms
of translation looks a little new. Translation is a junction where two languages
and two cultures meet only to result in impurity, artificiality and
undecidability. Since translation involves social and power relations, it
underwent a chequered career. During ‘colonialism’, translation helped
colonizers consolidating colonial regime which turned traitor in
‘postcolonialism’ and diasporism. The base term for ‘colonialism’ is colony. If
translation is taken for granted in its etymological use (to carry across), a
colony means a second copy of the original located somewhere on the globe. And
therefore, ‘colonialism’ refers to the acts of settling down a colony elsewhere
on the map. Thus, both terms ‘translation’ and ‘colonialism’ involve the acts of
displacements and relocation. Colonizers, to ensure safety, and continuation of
their hegemonic rule over natives, invoked translation as a tool for seizing
power and pelf. Postcolonialism is mainly marked by its oppositional stance to
the self-centered homogeneous topology of ‘colonialism’. It employed mainly
‘mimicry’ and ‘hybridity’ as two avataras (incarnations) of translation to serve
the ‘postcolonial’ purposes of getting colonial ideology and belief fragmented,
fissured and flawed. Diaspora which deals with dispersed communities worldwide
examines translational and transnational nature of diasporics and diasporic
experiences. Culture and identity never remain constant. They always modify and
get modified in turn. The concept of ‘diaspora’ in all cases bears the sense of
translocation, displacement or de-territorialization. Hence, translation is an
apt metaphor for ‘colonialism’, ‘postcolonialism’ and ‘diaspora’. 
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