Author

Global Dystopias and Colonial Continuities: Reimagining Resistance and Unveiling Neocolonial Structures through Cross-Cultural Analysis of Animated Short Films

Introduction

Global dystopias and colonial continuities: reimagining resistance and unveiling neocolonial structures through cross-cultural analysis of animated short films. Explore neocolonialism in global dystopian animated short films. Cross-cultural analysis unveils colonial legacies, systemic destabilization, and critiques of oppression in postcolonial societies.

Abstract

This article aims to examine neocolonialism in dystopian animated short films from multiple countries, highlighting its entrenchment within a colonial matrix of hierarchization and systemic destabilization through the continued perpetuation of colonial legacies. The study employs a descriptive, cross-cultural qualitative analysis of ten selected dystopian animated short films, namely Swipe, Shehr e Tabassum, What is Your Brown Number?, Living in a Masked Society, Children, Urbance, Model Citizen, Being Pretty, Avarya, and No Monsters, produced between 2010 and 2022. The findings posit that these films reveal and critique the persistent inequalities and systemic destabilization affecting non-Western states in a postcolonial context. They expose how dystopian fiction, through futuristic imaginaries, critiques forms of domination and oppression still exercised on formerly colonized societies, including totalitarianism, racism, and social subjection. These insights can guide policymakers and cultural institutions in acknowledging and addressing the lingering neocolonial hierarchies embedded in global cultural production, as well as in promoting narratives that resist such hegemonic frameworks.

Review

This article presents a highly timely and compelling examination of neocolonialism within the vibrant and often overlooked genre of dystopian animated short films. By engaging with a diverse array of cross-cultural productions, the study adeptly positions itself at the intersection of postcolonial theory, film studies, and cultural analysis. The chosen focus on animated shorts as a medium to expose the "colonial matrix of hierarchization and systemic destabilization" is particularly innovative, promising fresh insights into how global power dynamics and historical legacies are perpetuated and challenged through contemporary artistic expression. The article's aim to "reimagine resistance" and "unveil neocolonial structures" through this unique lens is both ambitious and critically relevant in today's increasingly interconnected yet unequal world. The methodology, employing a descriptive, cross-cultural qualitative analysis of ten selected dystopian animated short films produced between 2010 and 2022, offers a focused yet broad enough scope to draw meaningful conclusions. The specific selection of films like *Swipe*, *Shehr e Tabassum*, and *What is Your Brown Number?* indicates a deliberate effort to include works that directly engage with themes of inequality and societal critique from varied cultural perspectives. The findings underscore the article's central thesis, revealing how these futuristic imaginaries serve as potent platforms to critique persistent inequalities, systemic destabilization in non-Western states, and ongoing forms of domination such as totalitarianism, racism, and social subjection. This analytical approach effectively bridges the gap between speculative fiction and the tangible realities of neocolonial oppression. Ultimately, this article makes a significant contribution to understanding the nuanced ways in which global power structures are critiqued and challenged through popular cultural forms. Its insights extend beyond academic discourse, providing a valuable framework for "policymakers and cultural institutions" to recognize and address "lingering neocolonial hierarchies embedded in global cultural production." By highlighting the potential of such narratives to "resist hegemonic frameworks," the research offers a powerful call to action for fostering more equitable and inclusive cultural landscapes. This work is poised to stimulate further interdisciplinary dialogue and encourage the promotion of narratives that actively challenge and dismantle contemporary manifestations of colonial legacies.

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