Decolonizing the City: Unmasking Violence and Exclusion in Katherine Mansfield's Short Stories

Abstract Katherine Mansfield, a prominent modernist writer from New Zealand, is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the short story genre. Her stories often explore themes of identity, alienation, and belonging in the context of colonialism and its aftermath. Katherine Mansfield's modernist short stories also weave a tapestry of urban alienation, where characters grapple with the dissonance between individual identity and the anonymity of the modern city. This research paper explores into the underbelly of Katherine Mansfield's urban landscapes, exposing the insidious webs of violence and exclusion woven into the fabric of colonial modernity. Moving beyond the idyllic portrayals often associated with Mansfield's work, the paper argues that her seemingly mundane cityscapes pulsate with a suppressed colonial tension. Through close textual analysis of key short stories set in London and Wellington, the paper unmasks the subtle yet potent ways in which power imbalances and structures of oppression permeate the urban experience. Mansfield's keen eye for detail reveals the dehumanizing effects of colonial hierarchies in the city. The paper examines how she portrays the city as a site of alienation and fragmentation, where individuals, particularly women and colonized subjects, are rendered invisible or subjected to microaggressions that chip away at their sense of self. Through nuanced character studies and evocative descriptions of urban spaces, Mansfield exposes the psychological and emotional toll of navigating a world shaped by colonial exploitation. Furthermore, the paper explores how Mansfield's narratives subtly critique the myth of the cosmopolitan city as a space of tolerance and inclusivity. By highlighting the experiences of marginalized groups like immigrants and colonized subjects, the paper demonstrates how the city often functions as a microcosm of colonial power dynamics, reinforcing existing hierarchies and perpetuating cycles of exclusion. Ultimately, "Decolonizing the City" argues that Katherine Mansfield's urban narratives offer a powerful critique of colonial modernity. By exposing the violence and exclusion embedded within seemingly ordinary cityscapes, Mansfield compels us to confront the dark side of the urban experience and reimagine the city as a space of equitable belonging. Keywords: Colonialism, urbanity, violence, exclusion, short stories, postcolonial studies, gender, race, class