Pierre W. Orelus

Education Under Occupation: the Heavy Price of Living in a Neocolonized and Globalized World (Transgressions: Cultural Studies and Education) Pierre W. Orelus

In this book, the author critically analyzes the ongoing and wide-ranging effects of colonialism and globalization on the poor, especially on those living in the "Third World." The author's overarching argument is that colonization was not merely about the conquest of foreign lands, but it was also about the ideological monitoring of the colonized's mind, often maintained through western hegemonic texts and institutional apparatus, such as schools and churches. Analyzing and situating colonialism in the context of western neo-liberal policy of occupation and economic, political, and ideological dominations, the author thus demonstrates how, through schools and the mass corporate media, neocolonized and occupied subjects have been mis-educated to internalize and reproduce old western values, beliefs, and norms at the expense of their own. The voices of those brutalized by the twin iniquities of neocolonialism and imperialism have for too long been silenced. In this personal narrative, Pierre Orelus, a Haitian immigrant and educator, shares his reflections, hopes, and dreams for the future. It is time for a voice such as Pierre's to be heard by teachers, teacher educators, and others concerned with social justice. Sonia Nieto Professor (Emeritus), University of Massachusetts-Amherst Interweaving the perspectives of subject and critical observer, Pierre Orelus reveals multiple dimensions of the material and psychological devastation left in the wake of Western imperial conquest. His ruminations focus on his native Haiti, once the world's richest colony, severely punished for daring to become the first free country of free men in the hemisphere, now its most deeply impoverished and brutalized society. But his thoughts and their implications reach well beyond, yielding valuable insight into the pain and suffering of the traditional victims, and their resilience and hope. Noam Chomsky Institute Professor & Professor of Linguistics (Emeritus), MIT In this age of the corporate university where academic trends shift as fast as youth fashion, it's a breath of fresh air to have a book like "Education Under Occupation - The Heavy Price of Living in a Neocolonized and Globalized World" that fearlessly grounds itself in a vast history of anti-colonial theory and research while expanding these horizons with a cutting critique of neoliberalism's imperialist agenda. Orelus' book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the dark side of globalization. Pepi Leistyna Associate Professor Applied Linguistics Graduate Studies UMass Boston This is a genuine and refreshing contribution to post-colonial and neo-colonial studies. Readers will receive a unique opportunity to rethink and rewrite history, where colonizers can pay much owned restitution and colonized can reclaim lost resources and overcome ideological domination. Cesar Augusto Rossatto, The University of Texas at El Paso