Abstract:
Both ‘tradition’ as well as ‘modernity’ have been differently phrased and discussed; predominantly in
the realms of philosophy, anthropology, archeology, sciences, aesthetics, sociology, political, and
cultural discourses. Marxists view globalization as a new phase of capitalism and conclude debates
about the relationship between modern capitalism, imperialism and globalization dating back to
Lenin. However, imperialism, later has assumed a soft and indirect approach of economic and
ideological influence than that of the direct colonial rule. Place of bullets is now given to thoughts.
Extensive capitalistic exploitation is masked by the decorations of postmodern social institutions,
information society for example.
Academic imperialism as an academic discourse, describes how the ‘institution’ of education is being
abused by imperial powers to sustain the exploitation and escape from its certain death. It can also be
defined as the newest addition to the list of disciplines that are discussed in postcolonial scholarship.
The notion of academic imperialism, first attempts to denote the influences of imperialism on
education, and secondly, how it is being used to perpetuate imperialism.
This paper examines how the manifestation of academic imperialism, in largely postcolonial contexts,
has depreciated non western doctrines, philosophies and use the conquest of intellectual sphere for the
imperial project. It places the European enlightenment project at the center, which is considered to be
the foundation for most of the modern western theories and so-called academic progression. This
paper critically interrogates the progression of academic imperialism through western scholasticism,
impact on academics, theoretical invasion, issues on anthropology, the notion of education industry,
lack of reflexive and plural cognition, linguistic imperialism, and finally the destiny of academic
research.
Towards the conclusion, the paper stresses that academic imperialism should be critically examined
and subversively resisted. It also emphasizes importance of subscribing critical postcolonial
scholarship in order to get rid of this intellectual domination
