ABSTRACT
Researchers in Asia, Africa and other parts of the world that experienced prolonged periods of colonial rule by European powers may adopt divergent intellectual positions regarding the nature and extent of the contribution made by the colonizing powers to the study of the historical past and cultural heritage of their respective colonies. Perceptions of this contribution will have to take into account a variety of factors such as the nature of the colonialism practised in a given region, the ultimate motives and interests the colonial rulers had in mind while initiating studies of the region’s past, the world-view of those who actually conducted the studies and, of course, the time-depth and character of the past available for study. Moreover, evaluations of the role played by Europeans, far from remaining static, will undergo periodic revisions resulting from changes experienced in academic perspectives in general, and even changes in the world order from time to time.
