BEHOLD THE SHAPE-SHIFTING DANCE OF COLONIZATION

By CHANDRAKANT SHAH, MD

Are the former colonizers being colonized? Let’s take a look.

For centuries, in the annals of history, colonization has typically been associated with the expansion of European powers into distant lands, shaping cultures, economies, and demographics.

European empires expanded to take over the Middle East, southeast and far east Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific islands as well as the continents of South and North America. The dominant colonizers were the United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain and France. In the early twentieth century, it was bragged that the sun never sets on the British Empire!

However, in the contemporary world a new and fascinating phenomenon has emerged: reverse colonization. This refers to the process in which a colonized or previously colonized nation or group exerts cultural, economic, or political influence on the colonizing or formerly colonizing nation or group. This term refers to the influx of “foreigners” (typically, coloured peoples) into historically European, white-dominant nations, fundamentally altering their demography, social fabric and cultural landscape. This is manifest in several ways, such as through the spread of languages, cultures, or a shift in economic power due to the influx of formerly colonized peoples to the colonizer nation state. Reverse colonization is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that is often studied within the broader context of post-colonialism and globalization.

Today, there are several paths of migration to other countries, based on economic/employment class, uniting family (for parents/grandparents), studying leading to settlement or humanitarian grounds (asylum seekers/refugees).

Due to the availability of safer birth control and liberalized abortion laws, population growth in many Western nations has declined and as a result, the proportion of people over 65 has increased. Social programs sustained by the government offering various medical and social benefits and services for the elderly such as guaranteed annual income etc., need a larger base of individuals paying the taxes, which has shrunk in most Western nations. There is also a shortage of trained professionals, trades persons, domestic workers and farmhands in these countries to sustain their living standards. Realizing these facts, many Western nations have started to accept individuals from their former colonized countries as immigrants if they meet several requirements. While many of these countries would have preferred to have immigrants from European countries as their first choice, due to demographic decline and increasing prosperity in their own Western home countries, that pool of prospective immigrants has shrunk, and the nation states have had to adapt their immigration policies to attract immigrant classes they need most. Thus Canada continues to realign its immigration policies regularly to bring in increasingly larger number of immigrants for areas most suited to its needs.

On the other hand, over the last seventy years, while many previously colonized nations have become independent nations, some still have underdeveloped economies, poor infrastructure and a relatively large segment of the population which is young, unemployed or underemployed. With the trend towards globalization, increased ease of travel and use of social media, individuals in these countries are influenced by and aspire to enjoy the opportunities and lifestyles offered by other countries.

Due to war, political conflicts, persecutions of minorities and climate change, individuals from these previously colonized countries are forced, or seek to flee their countries and seek asylum where they consider they could lead a safer and better life. Recent events in Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, Palestine, South and Central America and sub-Saharan countries in Africa are some of the examples of why people seek refuge. Also, many who want a better economic future but perceive their chance of being accepted as immigrants as minimal, flee their countries, even risking their lives and travelling to faraway places in the hope of being accepted as a refugee. These are often called ‘economic refugees’.

To comprehend the magnitude of this shift, let’s examine some demographic statistics across several prominent Western nations. 

In the UK, according to recent census data, ethnic minorities constitute around 14 per cent of the UK’s population.

In the United States, nonwhite populations, including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and others, comprise approximately 40 per cent of the total population.

In Canada, Indigenous peoples and visible minorities constitute over 22 per cent of the population.

In France, estimates suggest that individuals of immigrant origin or belonging to ethnic minorities make up roughly 20 per cent of the population.

In Germany, with a significant immigrant population, particularly from Turkey and Syria, the percentage of nonwhite residents stands at around 25 per cent.

Though historically less diverse, Italy has seen a gradual rise in its immigrant population, currently comprising about 10 per cent of the total populace.

In all these nations projections indicate a steady increase in immigration numbers over the coming decades.

The influx of nonwhite populations has profound implications across various spheres within these nations:

Reverse colonization brings a diverse array of languages, cuisines, traditions, and perspectives, enriching the cultural tapestry of host countries.

The words samosa, butter chicken, pakora and naan have become household names and are available in local grocery stores.

When we talk about entertainment and music we hear such names as bhangra, Bollywood movies or classical Indian ragas. Many universities have courses or divisions on Jainism, Indian philosophy, and Sharia law.

In Ontario, the month of May is celebrated as Asian Heritage Month and Vaisakhi is celebrated with processions and gatherings in city squares. Navaratri and Diwali are celebrated in public spaces including in the White House in the US and the Prime Minister’s main residence in the UK (or was, until very recently!). Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples, gurdwaras and mosques are springing up all over Canada, UK, USA and Europe. The ancient practice of yoga and meditation is adopted by a large segment of the population. These are only a few examples that illustrate the pervasiveness of previously colonized countries in the colonizers’ homeland.

While in the early phase, many of the previous colonizers had difficulty in accepting these new perspectives, they are adapting, assimilating and accepting this new reality. But right-wing extremist political parties in European nations and groups such as White supremacists and neo-Nazis are fighting this invasion and imposition of alien cultures. The UK was planning to relocate refugees to faraway places like Rwanda to ease the burden on their society and others have created physical barriers to protect the homogeneity of their race.

The colonizers were not prepared for such an influx. More efforts are needed for learning to live in harmony and peace and will prevail only when we all accept each other’s cultural norms and adopt the age-old Indian belief of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (all the world is my family), or the Indigenous expression “all my relations”.

Immigrant populations contribute significantly to the economy through labour force participation, entrepreneurship, and consumer spending, driving innovation and growth. Success stories of these reverse colonizers are abundant. The CEOs of billion-dollar corporations such as Sundar Pichai (Alphabet); Satya Nadella (Microsoft); Neal Mohan (YouTube); Ajay Banga (World Bank); Nikesh Arora (Palo Alto), to name a few, are all South Asians.

While diversity is a strength, it also poses challenges in terms of social cohesion and integration, necessitating inclusive policies and intercultural dialogue. The term diversity, equity and inclusiveness (DEI) has become the new normal in almost every institution, business corporation and for-profit and nonprofit organization to accommodate burgeoning visible minorities and other marginalized groups. There are struggles to achieve such equity and social justice; however, changes are possible. On two occasions, with the help of others, I was able to influence changes in the hiring practices of the two largest institutions (the University of Toronto and Canadian Blood Services) with a budget of one billion dollars a year.

The presence of sizable immigrant communities has prompted shifts in political dynamics, with issues of immigration, multiculturalism, and identity increasingly shaping electoral discourse.

Again, it is heartening to see Barack Obama (Nigerian father), vice president Kamala Harris (Jamaican and Indian heritage), former prime minister of the UK Rishi Sunak, mayor of London Sadiq Khan and in Canada NDP leaders Jagmeet Singh, Ujjal Dosanjh as a former premier of BC, and Chinese and South Asian mayors of Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. Reverse colonization causes host nations to reassess their national identities, fostering a more pluralistic understanding of citizenship and belonging.

Reverse colonization represents a paradigm shift in global demographics, highlighting the interconnectedness of nations and the fluidity of population movements in the modern era. Embracing this diversity while addressing its attendant challenges is essential for building inclusive societies and navigating the complexities of a rapidly evolving world.

We live in a wonderful country that celebrates its multicultural mosaic and iconic immigrants not as tokenism, but because they influence change.

Past governors generals of Canada – Michaëlle Jean (Haitian), Adrienne Clarkson (Hong Kong born); academics like president and vice chancellor Deep Saini (McGill), Vivek Goel (Waterloo) and the many leading politicians and professions across all fields – corporate, medicine, law, finance, engineering, arts and literature etc., are continuing to shape our collective thinking and policies.

One frequently hears, “Where are you from?” or “Am I Canadian?” In a world that is increasingly getting more polarized by building up the “us” versus “them” narrative, some might feel offended that they are being marginalized.

However, I feel the query offers me an opening to engage with the inquirer and tell them about myself and help answer their genuine curiosity or unconscious bias.

Each of us is like a bowl of soup in which many ingredients come together and help create a unique flavour.

Acknowledgement: I’d like to thank my friend Pankaj Mehra for his inputs while writing this article.