Civilized Colonialism:<i>Pocahontas</i>as Neocolonial Rhetoric

Abstract

AbstractThis essay argues that Disney's animated film Pocahontas is a neocolonialist text that rewrites the history of American colonial encounters with Native Americans, replacing the history of mass slaughter with a cute tale that functions to "civilize" and relegitimate colonialism. The essay demonstrates how the film's romantic narrative appropriates contemporary social issues of feminism, environmentalism, and human freedom in order to make racial domination appear innocent and pure. Additional informationNotes on contributorsDerek T. BuescherDerek T. Buescher (M.A., University of California, Davis, 1995) is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at the University of Utah; Kent A. Ono (Ph.D., University of Iowa, 1992) is Assistant Professor of American Studies and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Davis.Kent A. OnoDerek T. Buescher (M.A., University of California, Davis, 1995) is a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at the University of Utah; Kent A. Ono (Ph.D., University of Iowa, 1992) is Assistant Professor of American Studies and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Davis.