Seventeenth Annual
C of I   S T U D E N T   R E S E A R C H
C O N F E R E N C E
Saturday April 30, 2022
  Greetings Event Schedule Presentations Contributors Past Events

Clone Wars as Colonial Critique: Comparing Representations of Colonial Imperialism in Star Wars: The Clone Wars

AUTHOR: Abby Cheng
FACULTY: Diane Raptosh
DEPARTMENT: English

ABSTRACT

Rooted in postcolonial theory and informed by thinkers including Edward Said and Kimberly Crenshaw, this literature analysis paper explores representations of colonial imperialism in the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2020). In particular, it compares methods of colonization as enacted by "the bad guys" and "the good guys." "The bad guys," in the context of this medium, are identified as the Separatist Alliance, or the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and the Sith. "The good guys" are identified as the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order. The researcher has identified 72 key episodes that explore colonial themes including the dehumanization of soldiers (clones), orientalism and galactic xenophobia, "just" occupation in the name of protection or savior complex, policy brutality and state-sanctioned torture, accusations of "terrorism" as a catalyst for expedited war, and sex as an imperial tool for manipulating colonized cultures. This paper asserts that these examples of colonial tactics are represented as appalling when committed by "the bad guys," while as necessary when committed by "the good guys." It further asserts that this difference in depiction serves as a critique on the part of The Clone Wars creators of the hypocritical American tendency to overlook its own imperialist actions while chastising others'. In summation, it claims that the animated series offers a potent and viable critique of the contemporary American sociopolitical sphere.

47 temp
 

The College of Idaho     2112 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID  8360     USA 208-459-5011    800-2C-IDAHO