Zawiah Yahya

Zawiah Yahya is a distinguished scholar in postcolonial studies and critical theory. Until her retirement in 2004, she was a professor at the School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, where she also served as Head of Department and Dean. Educated in the British system, she earned her BA and MA in English literature from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Returning to Malaysia, she navigated the challenges of a shifting postcolonial landscape, where English was increasingly marginalized. Her doctoral research at the University of Nottingham solidified her academic mission, leading to influential works that critically examine colonialist discourse. Her seminal book, Resisting Colonialist Discourse (1994), marks a significant intellectual departure from her early academic foundations.