DOCSLIB.ORG

Anthropology and Colonialism Author(S): Diane Lewis Reviewed Work(S): Source: Current Anthropology, Vol

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Anthropology and Colonialism Author(S): Diane Lewis Reviewed Work(S): Source: Current Anthropology, Vol Anthropology and Colonialism Author(s): Diane Lewis Reviewed work(s): Source: Current Anthropology, Vol. 14, No. 5 (Dec., 1973), pp. 581-602 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2741037 . Accessed: 01/08/2012 20:25 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The University of Chicago Press and Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Current Anthropology. http://www.jstor.org CURRENTANTHROPOLOGY Vol. 14, No. 5, December1973 ) 1973 by The Wenner-GrenFoundation for AnthropologicalResearch Anthropologyand Colonialism byDiane Lewis INTRODUCTION Association(1969) and the publicationof articles whichexplore the social and moral responsibilities ANTHROPOLOGY iS in a stateof crisis.This is demon- ofthe anthropologist (e.g., Diamond 1966; Berreman strated,in the field and in the classroom,by the 1968,1970; Gough 1968;Jorgensen 1971) are recent markedestrangement between anthropologists and attemptsto definethe problem. thenonwhite people theyhave traditionallystudied.' It is significantthat thiscritical self-examination The prospectivefieldworker, for example, may find among anthropologistshas appeared concomitantly that he is banned by the governmentor rejected withthe growingself-awareness of nonwhitepeople. by the intellectualsof the countryhe seeksto enter; The two are not unrelated,and both should be or he may be forcedto pose as an economistor broughtto bearon an attemptto analyzethe current sociologistin order to gain acceptance.Frequently crisis.This paper attemptsto pull togetherinsights he encountersresentment from the group he has gainedfrom the fermentof criticismemerging from chosento study.A willingnessto toleratethe anthro- both sources.Since it examinesanthropology from pologisthas been replacedby outrightdistrust and the viewpointof Third Worldpeople, the emphasis suspicion.Finally, when the fieldworker returns home is necessarilyon those negativelyviewed aspects of to writeand lectureabout "his" people, he is increas- thediscipline which will provide a betterunderstand- inglyconfronted by representatives of thegroup who ing of the currentbehavior and attitudesof many challengethe validityof his findings. nonwhitepeople towardanthropologists. This is not Disillusionmentwith the disciplinefrom outside to deny the positivecontributions of anthropology is paralleledby growingcriticism from within. Most nor to implyeither that anthropologycan be ex- ofthis criticism, appearing increasingly in theUnited plainedonly in theseterms or thatthe situationand Statessince the second half of the 1960s,has focused consciousmotives of all anthropologistsparallel those on the failureof anthropologiststo come to terms describedhere. Similarly,since anthropology,until withand acceptresponsibility for the politicalimpli- recentdecades, has had a unique developmentand cationsof theirwork. The establishmentof a Com- impacton thenon-Western world, it has been singled mitteeon Ethicsby the AmericanAnthropological out from the other social sciences for discussion. Nevertheless,it should be kept in mind that many of thecriticisms stated here apply as wellto theother social sciences.Thus, thispaper focuseson anthro- pology,rather than the social sciencesin general, DIANE LEWIS is Professorof Anthropologyat San Francisco and it purposelyhighlights those factors in thedevel- State College and VisitingProfessor of Anthropologyfor opmentof thediscipline which now alienate anthro- 1972-73 at the Universityof Californiaat Santa Cruz. Born pologistsfrom their subject matter and whichin the in 1931, she was educatedat the Universityof Californiaat Los Angeles(B.A., 1952;M.A., 1954)and at CornellUniversity past unquestionablyaffected their work. (Ph.D., 1962). She has taughtat the Universityof California The paper considersthe traditionalrelationship at Santa Barbara(1961) and at the Universityof California at Riverside(1961-62). She has done fieldworkin Malaysia betweenanthropology and itsnonwhite subject mat- and Indonesiaand in a blackcommunity in theSan Francisco ter.It exploressome of the historicalconditions and Bay area and recentlyspent a sabbaticalleave in traveland assumptionsupon whichthis relationship was based studyin East Africa.Her researchinterests are sociocultural change,urban anthropology, comparative family and kinship and examinestheir effect on theoryand methodin systems,sex roledifferentiation, effect of biason researchand anthropology.Finally, it suggestsan alternativeto teaching,and Afro-Americancultures. Her article"Inas: A the presentapproach as a means of establishinga Studyof Local History"appeared in theJournal of the Malaysian Branchof the Royal Asiatic Society 33. viablesocial science. The presentpaper, submitted in finalform 17 iv 72, was sent for commentto 50 scholars,of whom the following responded:Xavier Alb6, Gerald Berthoud, David Brokensha, EdwardM. Bruner,Richard Frucht, Helmuth Fuchs, Gutorm Gjessin*,Jitka Junkova, Gilbert Kushner, Khalil Nakhleh, Xto *. Okojie,Maxwell Owusu, Roman Raczynski, Hubert Reyn- 'This estrangementhas also been dramaticallyportrayed for olds,Takao Sofue,Milan Stuchlik, Arthur J. Vidich, and Renate the past three years at the annual AmericanAnthropological von Gizycki.Their commentsare printedafter the textand Associationmeetings, in the varioussymposia and panelson the are followedby a replyfrom the author. topic organized by nonwhiteanthropologists. Vol. 14 * No. 5 December1973 581 THE ROLE OF ANTHROPOLOGY IN THE Sinceanthropology emerged along with the expan- WEST sionof Europeand thecolonization of thenon-West- ern world,anthropologists found themselves partici- relation- A long-rangegoal of anthropologywas thediscovery pantsin thecolonial system which organized of generallaws and propositionsabout the nature shipsbetween Westerners and non-Westerners.It is, of mankind.The circumstancesof itsfounding, that perhaps,more than a coincidencethat a method- is, Westernexpansion and thediscovery of the non- ologicalstance, that of the outsider,and a method- ologicalapproach, "objectivity," developed which in Westernworld, meant that these laws and proposi- been influencedby, and in of the retrospectseem to have tions were based on a close study newly turn to have supported,the colonial system.This discovered"primitives." However, an immediateand practicalpurpose of anthropologywas to fillin the pointof view,based on theanalysis of anthropology's role in the West,deserves elaboration, for it throws gaps of Westernman's knowledgeabout himself (Diamond 1964:432; Worsley1964:11; fora parallel considerablelight on the currentdistrust of anthro- people. pointof view,see Jones1970:256). pologistsamong non-Western Given the significanceof anthropologyas a tool in Westernman's search for self-understanding,it THE COLONIAL CONTEXT OF FIELDWORK wasan importantmethodological assumption that the studyof the"primitive" or non-Westernworld could The historicalsetting of anthropology has been vividly takeplace onlyfrom the vantagepoint of the West- described(Levi-Strauss 1966:126) as erner or outsider. Anthropology,as Levi-Strauss (1966:126) puts it,"is the scienceof cultureas seen ... theoutcome of a historicalprocess which has made fromthe outside." Diamond (1964:433, my emphasis) thelarger part of mankindsubservient tothe other, and describesthe anthropological process as one whereby duringwhich millions of innocent human beings have had "zwesnap the portrait. it is onlya representative theirresources plundered and their institutions and beliefs of our civilizationwho can, in adequate detail,docu- destroyed,whilst they themselves were ruthlessly killed, mentthe difference,and helpcreate an idea of the throwninto bondage, and contaminatedby diseases they primitivewhich would not ordinarilybe constructed wereunable to resist. by primitivesthemselves." Thus, if the nativeswere to studythemselves, they were said to produce his- This "era ofviolence" produced a socialsystem which tory or philology,not anthropology(Levi-Strauss had a pervasiveeffect on the relationshipbetween 1966:126).The questionsasked, the problems posed, the anthropologistand the people he studied. and theconstruct of the"primitive" formulated tend- Whetherhe played the role of detached observer ed to reflectinterests external to the groupsstudied. (theoreticalanthropologist) or thatof liaisonbetween This was, in a mannerto be explained below, as thedominant European and subjectnonwhite groups trueof appliedas of "pure"anthropology. (appliedanthropologist), the roleswere significantly Sincethe anthropologist worked amid the profound affectedby his membershipin thedominant group. economicand politicalchanges which accompanied The anthropologist,like the other Europeans in the confrontationbetween the Westand the restof a colony,occupied a positionof economic,political, the world, he was often called upon to provide and psychologicalsuperiority vis-a-vis the subject informationand advice to
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Colony and Empire, Colonialism and Imperialism: a Meaningful Distinction?
    Comparative Studies in Society and History 2021;63(2):280–309. 0010-4175/21 © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Society for the Comparative Study of Society and History doi:10.1017/S0010417521000050 Colony and Empire, Colonialism and Imperialism: A Meaningful Distinction? KRISHAN KUMAR University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA It is a mistaken notion that planting of colonies and extending of Empire are necessarily one and the same thing. ———Major John Cartwright, Ten Letters to the Public Advertiser, 20 March–14 April 1774 (in Koebner 1961: 200). There are two ways to conquer a country; the first is to subordinate the inhabitants and govern them directly or indirectly.… The second is to replace the former inhabitants with the conquering race. ———Alexis de Tocqueville (2001[1841]: 61). One can instinctively think of neo-colonialism but there is no such thing as neo-settler colonialism. ———Lorenzo Veracini (2010: 100). WHAT’ S IN A NAME? It is rare in popular usage to distinguish between imperialism and colonialism. They are treated for most intents and purposes as synonyms. The same is true of many scholarly accounts, which move freely between imperialism and colonialism without apparently feeling any discomfort or need to explain themselves. So, for instance, Dane Kennedy defines colonialism as “the imposition by foreign power of direct rule over another people” (2016: 1), which for most people would do very well as a definition of empire, or imperialism. Moreover, he comments that “decolonization did not necessarily Acknowledgments: This paper is a much-revised version of a presentation given many years ago at a seminar on empires organized by Patricia Crone, at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.
    [Show full text]
  • Christian Missionary Activities in Africa Revisite
    Obiora Ike Current debates about Colonialism, Slavery and Black Lives Matter: Christian Missionary Activities in Africa revisited "The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision; it is a silent acquiescence to evil.” ( Ven Fulton J. Sheen (1895 -1979, American Bishop of The Catholic Church) 1. The recent trigger for the debates on recalling past history – On May 25 2020, the brutal and outrageous murder of a black American citizen under the hands of the United States of America white police officer Derek Chauvin who pinned the life out of him spread virally on video recording. Seemingly protected by State power, under socially tolerated traditions and legal institutions over centuries, these historically atrocious and racially based injustices have continued unabated in that country, and as is widely known, in many other parts of the world. The #BlackLivesMatter 2020 protests forced governments and other entities across the world to reckon with oppressive histories including slavery, colonialism and racism. It emboldened activists globally and boosted a new sense of humanity, solidarity and empathy and thus galvanized a new awakening of people to stand up everywhere with moral courage and demand that they “want to breathe”. The last words of George Floyd “I can’t breath” implies a re-visit of the many dark shades of human history, especially the chapters covering slavery, colonialism and racism which calls for the purification of memories in the present through recalling the horrible injustices of the past. To understand the political, cultural, economic and social tempers we see on streets happening in every continent, drawing crowds of inter-generational, inter- racial, inter-religious and multicultural activists globally it is necessary to have some knowledge of the preceding period in order to correct them.
    [Show full text]
  • Stear Dissertation COGA Submission 26 May 2015
    BEYOND THE FIFTH SUN: NAHUA TELEOLOGIES IN THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES By ©Copyright 2015 Ezekiel G. Stear Submitted to the graduate degree program in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ________________________________ Chairperson, Santa Arias ________________________________ Verónica Garibotto ________________________________ Patricia Manning ________________________________ Rocío Cortés ________________________________ Robert C. Schwaller Date Defended: May 6, 2015! ii The Dissertation Committee for Ezekiel G. Stear certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: BEYOND THE FIFTH SUN: NAHUA TELEOLOGIES IN THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES ________________________________ Chairperson, Santa Arias Date approved: May 6, 2015 iii Abstract After the surrender of Mexico-Tenochtitlan to Hernán Cortés and his native allies in 1521, the lived experiences of the Mexicas and other Nahuatl-speaking peoples in the valley of Mexico shifted radically. Indigenous elites during this new colonial period faced the disappearance of their ancestral knowledge, along with the imposition of Christianity and Spanish rule. Through appropriations of linear writing and collaborative intellectual projects, the native population, in particular the noble elite sought to understand their past, interpret their present, and shape their future. Nahua traditions emphasized balanced living. Yet how one could live out that balance in unknown times ahead became a topic of ongoing discussion in Nahua intellectual communities, and a question that resounds in the texts they produced. Writing at the intersections of Nahua studies, literary and cultural history, and critical theory, in this dissertation I investigate how indigenous intellectuals in Mexico-Tenochtitlan envisioned their future as part of their re-evaluations of the past.
    [Show full text]
  • Sabiha Gökçen's 80-Year-Old Secret‖: Kemalist Nation
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO ―Sabiha Gökçen‘s 80-Year-Old Secret‖: Kemalist Nation Formation and the Ottoman Armenians A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Communication by Fatma Ulgen Committee in charge: Professor Robert Horwitz, Chair Professor Ivan Evans Professor Gary Fields Professor Daniel Hallin Professor Hasan Kayalı Copyright Fatma Ulgen, 2010 All rights reserved. The dissertation of Fatma Ulgen is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Chair University of California, San Diego 2010 iii DEDICATION For my mother and father, without whom there would be no life, no love, no light, and for Hrant Dink (15 September 1954 - 19 January 2007 iv EPIGRAPH ―In the summertime, we would go on the roof…Sit there and look at the stars…You could reach the stars there…Over here, you can‘t.‖ Haydanus Peterson, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, reminiscing about the old country [Moush, Turkey] in Fresno, California 72 years later. Courtesy of the Zoryan Institute Oral History Archive v TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature Page……………………………………………………………....
    [Show full text]
  • Download Ethnic Nationalism and Separatism
    Journal of Peace, Conflict and Development www.peacestudiesjournal.org.uk Issue 16, November 2010 Ethnic Nationalism and Separatism in West Papua, Indonesia Julius Cesar I. Trajano* Abstract This paper examines the political and socioeconomic causes of ethnic secessionism and conflicts in West Papua. It argues that a number of political and socioeconomic factors compelled the West Papuans to launch their armed struggles for self-determination and strengthened their ethnic nationalist sentiment. It attempts to analyze and explicate the relationship between the political and socioeconomic problems besetting West Papua and ethnic secessionism in that province. Lack of basic and social services, exploitation of their natural resources, weakening of local institutions, erosion of traditional culture and norms, uneven distribution of wealth, military atrocities, and discrimination, among others, have compelled the West Papuans to conduct anti-Indonesia, separatist activities and have reinforced their ethnic nationalist claims. Political and socioeconomic problems are among the sources of discontent and distrust that gave birth to the current rebellion in West Papua. Despite its abundant natural resources, West Papua is among the poorest provinces in the country. Widespread poverty and starvation in West Papua have been caused by the exploitative activities of transnational corporations as well as by the Indonesian central government. The policies of the Indonesian government give rise to appalling socioeconomic realities in that region. Horrendous political and socioeconomic realities in their homeland have compelled the West Papuans to secede from the Indonesian unitary state. Ethnic nationalism has prompted them to defend their political and socioeconomic rights. In some multiethnic states such as Indonesia, ethnic nationalism is the response of ethnic groups to situations of ethnic-structural inequality and uneven development.
    [Show full text]
  • UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Re
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Re-conceptualizing Taiwan: Settler Colonial Criticism and Cultural Production A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures by Lin-chin Tsai 2019 © Copyright by Lin-chin Tsai 2019 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Re-conceptualizing Taiwan: Settler Colonial Criticism and Cultural Production by Lin-chin Tsai Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures University of California, Los Angeles, 2019 Professor Shu-mei Shih, Chair This dissertation examines a diverse body of postwar cultural production in Taiwan (1945 to the present), including literary, cinematic, and other forms of media texts, through the lens of settler colonial criticism. Taiwan, an island whose indigenous inhabitants are Austronesian, has been a de facto settler colony due to large-scale Han migration from China to Taiwan beginning in the seventeenth century. However, the prevailing discourse in Taiwan, particularly in the field of Taiwan literature studies, has been “postcolonial,” articulating Taiwan either in terms of the end of the Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945) or the lifting of the Martial Law (1949-87), neither of which acknowledges the continued colonization of indigenous peoples. Furthermore, Taiwan has long been excluded from the global arena of settler colonial studies. Owing to the twofold invisibility of Taiwan as a settler colony in both local and global contexts, I employ the analytical ii framework of settler colonialism—a specific colonial formation whereby settlers displace the indigenous residents and take over the land—so as to address the discursive limits and academic blind spots described above.
    [Show full text]
  • Investigating the Extent of “Internal Colonialism,” Or State Penetration, of Inner Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang by the Nationalist Government of China (1912 – 1949)
    Investigating the extent of “internal colonialism,” or state penetration, of Inner Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang by the Nationalist government of China (1912 – 1949) Dr. CHUNG Chien-peng Professor Department of Political Science Lingnan University, Hong Kong 鍾健平 嶺南大學(香港) 政治系 [email protected] Working Paper Center for Chinese Studies (Taiwan) 2018 Visiting Scholar 1 1. Introduction For half a century before the end of the Qing (清清清) dynasty, the revitalization of national strength and search for unity had already become the underlying theme of Chinese politics and governance. Persisting in this quest, a fundamental goal of the Chinese revolutions of 1911 and 1949 was to restore a China that was semi-colonized, warlord-ridden, socially unstable and torn by war against Japan and a civil war to its former greatness. Under these circumstances, as detailed in this paper, separatist attempts by regional authorities and ethnic minority (((少少少数少数数数民族民族))) groups were perceived by Chinese nationalists as an existential threat to the Chinese nation-state, especially if the involvement of foreign governments was suspected, or discovered. In response, the Republic of China (中華民國) authorities under the Zhongguo Kuomintang (中國國民黨) or Chinese Nationalist Party tried to device ways to extend central government rule over the resident ethnic minorities at the frontier, and at the same time, played against local warlords who took on the role of agents of Han-Chinese civilization and development in asserting their control and spreading their influence on the fringe communities. 2. The Frontier and National Question in Republican China While ethnic nationalism (民族主義) for the Han-Chinese (漢族) meant the overthrow of the Manchu Qing (滿滿滿清滿清清清) dynasty, for some of the empire’s non-Han (非漢族) ethnic groups, it meant separation from China.
    [Show full text]
  • Westminsterresearch Colonization with Chinese Characteristics
    WestminsterResearch http://www.westminster.ac.uk/westminsterresearch Colonization with Chinese Characteristics: Politics of (In)Security in Xinjiang and Tibet Anand, D. This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Central Asian Survey, 38 (1), pp. 1-19. The final definitive version is available online: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02634937.2018.1534801 © 2018 Taylor & Francis The WestminsterResearch online digital archive at the University of Westminster aims to make the research output of the University available to a wider audience. Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the authors and/or copyright owners. Whilst further distribution of specific materials from within this archive is forbidden, you may freely distribute the URL of WestminsterResearch: ((http://westminsterresearch.wmin.ac.uk/). In case of abuse or copyright appearing without permission e-mail [email protected] 1 Colonisation with Chinese Characteristics: Politics of (In)Security in Xinjiang and Tibet1 Dibyesh Anand2 China as a victim rather than a proponent of modern colonialism is an essential myth that animates Chinese nationalism. The Chinese statist project of occupying, minoritising and securitising different ethno-national peoples of Central Asia such as Uyghurs and Tibetans, with their own claims to homelands, is a colonial project. Focusing on China’s securitised and militarised rule in Xinjiang and Tibet, the article will argue that the most appropriate lens through which this can be understood is neither nation-building, nor internal colonialism but modern colonialism. It argues that the representation of Uyghurs and Tibetans as sources of insecurity not only legitimises state violence as a securitising practice but also serves contemporary Chinese colonial goals.
    [Show full text]
  • Internal Colonialism and Humanitarian Intervention M
    INTERNAL COLONIALISM AND HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION M. Sornarajah* I. INTRODUCTION International lawyers generally agree that if a right of self- determination exists in international law,' it is exhausted once the process of decolonization ends." The basic argument for this view relates to international security: to preserve the stability engen- dered by an international order based on a system of states, self- determination must not be extended beyond the context of de- colonization to include a right of secession to minority groups. It is argued that the continued existence of the principle would legiti- mize the right of secession. As a result, states with a plurality of ethnic groups would be subject to the constant threat of secession. Because claims to secession often are asserted violently, other states might be tempted to intervene militarily to enhance their influence. The fear that internal strife may be an avenue by which major powers spread their influence or weaken their enemies is a real one. The promotion of a separate Baluchistan in Pakistan, or a Kurdistan in Iran, would have serious effects on those states and on their regions. Another reason for denying the right of self- determination following decolonization is that the concept of state sovereignty would be weakened. This concept reflects the posi- tivist notion that only states are subject to international law and *LL.B. (Ceylon), LL.M. (Yale), Ph.D. (London); Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Tasmania, Australia. ' Some lawyers doubt the existence of the right. See Green, Self-Determinationand the Settlement of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 65 AM. Soc'Y INT'L L.
    [Show full text]
  • Evidence from India with Special Reference to the Hos of Jharkhand
    Ghent University Faculty of Political and Social Sciences Department of Conflict and Development Studies Academic Year 2013-2014 Colonialism and Racism Uninterrupted: Evidence from India with Special Reference to the Hos of Jharkhand Antony Puthumattathil A dissertation presented in fulfilment of the requirement for a Ph.D. degree in political and social sciences, option Political Science Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Koen Vlassenroot Co-Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Anne Walraet 2 Contents Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………………….5 List of tables, figures, pictures and maps 7 List of Abbreviations 8 Maps 10 Prologue 15 Kolhan, the land of Hos, the nation-state and Adivasi resistance ……………….15 1. General Introduction 25 Chapters and themes 32 Jean-Paul Sartre: colonialism as a system, and its relevance ……………………36 Racism 38 Structural, cultural and symbolic violence: oppressive exploitation, discrimination and their often unintelligible reproductive logic ………………………………...40 Adivasis being enmeshed within (‘mainstream’) colonial civic order 45 ‘Indian elitism’ thrives on the popular Indian fatalism 47 Methodology 49 Fieldwork, sources and methods of data collection …………………………..53 Geographical area …………………………………………………………….53 Profiles of selected study villages …………………………………………….54 Fieldwork, and methods of data collection 59 2. Adivasis as State fleeing and challenging People: A Genealogy of Ideas and Practices underpinning the Politics and State in India 64 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………...65 Mainstream versus margins ……………………………………………………..71 State formation theories and the origins of the ancient Indian state …………….72 Pre-British colonial Statecraft: colonialism and racism as praxis and process …75 Adivasi social formations as those who escaped ancient Indian statecraft ……..78 The shape of the beast 82 Alternative imaginations: special reference to Kolarian (Munda) Adivasi groups 85 History of State formation in Chotanagpur ……………………………………...87 The beast among the Hos, in Hodisum, the Ho ‘country’ 93 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………95 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Settler Colonialism As Structure
    SREXXX10.1177/2332649214560440Sociology of Race and EthnicityGlenn 560440research-article2014 Current (and Future) Theoretical Debates in Sociology of Race and Ethnicity Sociology of Race and Ethnicity 2015, Vol. 1(1) 54 –74 Settler Colonialism as © American Sociological Association 2014 DOI: 10.1177/2332649214560440 Structure: A Framework for sre.sagepub.com Comparative Studies of U.S. Race and Gender Formation Evelyn Nakano Glenn1 Abstract Understanding settler colonialism as an ongoing structure rather than a past historical event serves as the basis for an historically grounded and inclusive analysis of U.S. race and gender formation. The settler goal of seizing and establishing property rights over land and resources required the removal of indigenes, which was accomplished by various forms of direct and indirect violence, including militarized genocide. Settlers sought to control space, resources, and people not only by occupying land but also by establishing an exclusionary private property regime and coercive labor systems, including chattel slavery to work the land, extract resources, and build infrastructure. I examine the various ways in which the development of a white settler U.S. state and political economy shaped the race and gender formation of whites, Native Americans, African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Chinese Americans. Keywords settler colonialism, decolonization, race, gender, genocide, white supremacy In this article I argue for the necessity of a settler to fight racial injustice. Equally, I wish to avoid colonialism framework for an historically grounded seeing racisms affecting various groups as com- and inclusive analysis of U.S. race and gender for- pletely separate and unrelated. Rather, I endeavor mation. A settler colonialism framework can to uncover some of the articulations among differ- encompass the specificities of racisms and sexisms ent racisms that would suggest more effective affecting different racialized groups—especially bases for cross-group alliances.
    [Show full text]
  • Neo-Colonialism, Same Old Racism
    Neo-Colonialism, Same Old Racism: A Critical Analysis of the United States' Shift toward Colorblindness as a Tool for the Protection of the American Colonial Empire and White Supremacy Marissa Jackson* INTRODUCTION "But once we have taken note of the situation, once we have understood it, we consider the job done. How can we possibly not hear that voice again tumbling down the steps of History: It's no longer a question of knowing the world, but of transforming it." In the 1950s, Franz Fanon boldly asserted: "There is a fact: White men consider themselves superior to black men." 2 Over five decades later, a majority of white Americans would deny this,3 but such heartfelt denials are often betrayed by social realities.4 The difficulties many African Americans * Student, Columbia Law School and London School of Economics and Political Science. Immeasurable thanks to Professor Patricia Williams for her guidance and advice; my intellectual role models, Professors Barnor Hesse and Richard Iton for their inspiration, constant tutelage, and encouragement; my parents , siblings and friends for their love, patience, prayers and willingness to proofread during more than a year of random hiatuses and melodramatic tantrums; to Tiffane Cochran and LaRue Robinson for always sending me great and relevant news articles; and to Uzoma Nkwonta for not only helping me edit this work despite his busy appellate clerk schedule, but for also telling me to "get over it, quickly" when the going got tough. 1. FRANZ FANON, BLACK SKIN, WHITE MASKS 17 (Richard Philcox, trans., Grove Press, rev. ed. 2008) (1952). 2.
    [Show full text]