How did postcolonial historians question European models of historical development?

Postcolonial historians have fundamentally challenged European models of historical development by critiquing the Enlightenment and its associated historiography, which often positioned non-European cultures on a linear scale of progress ranging from "primitive" to "civilized."12

Key aspects of this critique include:

• Rejection of Universalism: Theorists argue that European liberal and Marxist frameworks are inherently Eurocentric. They contend that these models use narratives of social development to justify the denial of rights to those deemed "backward" or "uncivilized," rather than offering neutral principles of justice.12
• Challenging Master Narratives: Many postcolonial and subaltern scholars reject the possibility of a single, overarching master narrative for world history, viewing such constructs as impositions of imperialist power.3
• Unmasking Power and Knowledge: Influenced by Michel Foucault, historians like Edward Said demonstrated how Western knowledge production—such as Orientalism—was shaped by political forces to justify imperialism and project a false sense of "otherness" onto non-European peoples.134
• Recovering Agency: Scholars seek to rescue the agency of subordinated groups, such as peasants or indigenous peoples, whose actions were often dismissed by European models as "prepolitical" or irrational because they did not conform to Western concepts of sovereignty or class.12

Ultimately, postcolonialism suggests that there are "multiple modernities" rather than a single European trajectory, and it emphasizes the need to understand history from diverse, non-European perspectives.15