Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses

Chandra Talpade Mohanty’s 1988 essay “Under Western Eyes” is a foundational text in postcolonial and Third World feminist theory. Published in Feminist Review, it offers a powerful critique of Western feminist scholarship that analyzes women in the Global South, arguing that such work often reproduces colonial power relations and discourses.

The Problem of Western Feminist Representation

Mohanty identifies a fundamental problem in how Western feminist scholars represent Third World women:

• Homogenization: Treating diverse women across different cultures, economies, and political contexts as a single, uniform group
• Victimization: Consistently portraying Third World women as oppressed victims without agency or resistance
• Othering: Defining Third World women in opposition to an implied liberated Western woman

This approach, she argues, mirrors colonial discourses that justified imperial domination through claims of civilizing missions.

Analytical Framework: The “Third World Woman”

Mohanty demonstrates how Western feminist texts construct an analytical category she calls the “Third World Woman” characterized by:

• Sexual oppression: Reduced to victims of male violence and patriarchal family structures
• Economic dependency: Portrayed as economically marginalized without recognition of their productive labor
• Traditional constraint: Depicted as bound by religious and cultural traditions that Western women have supposedly transcended

This construction assumes a universal patriarchy while ignoring specific historical, cultural, and economic contexts.

Critique of Methodological Approaches

The essay critiques several methodological problems in Western feminist scholarship:

Universalist Assumptions: Applying Western categories and experiences as universal frameworks without considering cultural specificity.

Ahistorical Analysis: Failing to account for the specific historical processesincluding colonialism, imperialism, and capitalist developmentthat shape women’s experiences.

Lack of Self-Reflexivity: Western scholars failing to examine their own positionality and the power relations embedded in their research.

Discursive Colonization

Mohanty argues that Western feminist scholarship engages in a form of “discursive colonization” by:

• Appropriating and redefining Third World women’s struggles within Western theoretical frameworks
• Speaking for rather than with Third World women
• Reinforcing hierarchies between feminist scholars in different global locations

This process maintains epistemic inequality and undermines possibilities for genuine feminist solidarity.

Case Studies in Problematic Scholarship

The essay analyzes specific examples from feminist literature, including:

• Studies of female circumcision that focus solely on victimization without understanding cultural contexts or women’s own perspectives
• Research on veiling that interprets it only as oppression rather than recognizing its complex meanings and uses
• Economic analyses that ignore women’s productive contributions and focus only on their marginalization

Each case demonstrates how Western frameworks can distort understanding of Third World women’s realities.

Toward Decolonized Feminist Practice

Mohanty calls for alternative approaches to feminist scholarship and solidarity:

Contextual Analysis: Understanding women’s experiences within specific historical, cultural, and economic contexts rather than applying universal categories.

Recognition of Agency: Acknowledging Third World women’s resistance, activism, and strategic choices rather than viewing them only as victims.

Coalitional Politics: Building feminist solidarity based on shared political goals and mutual respect rather than assumed sisterhood or similarity of experience.

Self-Reflexive Methodology: Western scholars examining their own positioning and the power relations involved in their research.

Impact on Feminist Theory

The essay has profoundly influenced feminist scholarship by:

• Establishing the field of Third World feminist criticism
• Influencing the development of transnational feminist theory
• Contributing to critiques of white feminism and calls for more inclusive approaches
• Shaping methodological approaches in feminist research

It remains a crucial text for understanding power dynamics within feminist movements globally.

Contemporary Relevance

Mohanty’s critique continues to be relevant to:

• Contemporary debates about global feminism and women’s rights
• Development studies and international women’s programs
• Academic practices in women’s and gender studies
• Ongoing discussions about representation and voice in feminist activism

The essay’s insights inform current efforts to decolonize academic knowledge and build more equitable global feminist movements.

Conclusion

“Under Western Eyes” fundamentally challenged Western feminist scholarship to examine its own complicity in colonial power relations. Mohanty’s call for more contextual, self-reflexive, and coalitional approaches to feminist theory and practice continues to shape discussions about global feminism and the politics of knowledge production.

This summary was generated by Copilot based on Chandra Talpade Mohanty’s essay published in Feminist Review in 1988.