What is Settler Colonialism?| Postcolonial Concepts| Postcolonialism| Postcolonial Theory

Dr. Masood Raja

25 Aug 202008:54

Summary

TLDRIn this video, Masood Raja explains the concept of settler colonialism, contrasting it with occupational colonialism. Settler colonialism involves European settlers taking over lands, often eliminating or isolating native populations, and establishing their own cultures and control systems. Examples include Algeria, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. The video discusses the importance of distinguishing between settler and occupational colonialism in postcolonial studies, emphasizing the different perspectives and power dynamics in literature from these regions. It also touches on contemporary issues related to settler colonialism, such as land ownership and cultural impacts in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Takeaways

🌟 The term 'settler colonialism' is used in contrast to 'occupational colonialism', highlighting a different approach where settlers establish control over a territory and its resources.
🏰 Occupational colonialism is characterized by invasion, resource appropriation, and eventual withdrawal post-decolonization, as seen in countries like India, Kenya, and Nigeria.
🛡 Settler colonialism involves the establishment of European settlers who either destroy or overpower native cultures and develop distinct strategies for control and survival.
📚 Albert Memmi's 'The Colonizer and the Colonized' discusses the loyalty of the settlers to the European mother country, rather than to the native cultures they inhabit.
🌍 Examples of settler colonialism include Algeria, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada, where settlers established themselves and often isolated or decimated the native populations.
📖 The distinction between settler and occupational colonialism is crucial in postcolonial studies to understand the power dynamics in literary production from formerly colonized countries.
🤔 Early post-colonial theorists, like Bill Ashcroft, often conflated literature from settler colonies with postcolonial literature, not recognizing the settler's dominant perspective.
🔍 Contemporary postcolonial studies emphasize the difference, acknowledging that literature from settler colonies may not be postcolonial due to its origins from a dominant group.
🌱 The study of settler colonialism extends to current issues, such as the occupation of Palestinian lands by Israeli settlers and the impact on native American populations in the United States.
🌐 Applying the concept of settler colonialism within post-colonies like India reveals internal divisions and power dynamics between dominant groups and marginalized communities.
💡 Settler colonialism is a distinct historical phenomenon where European settlers captured territory, developed subcultures, and became dominant groups, impacting current global and national orders.

Q & A

What is the term 'settler colonialism' used in opposition to?
-The term 'settler colonialism' is used in opposition to a different form of colonialism, such as occupational or canal colonialism.
What is the primary distinction between occupational colonialism and settler colonialism?
-Occupational colonialism involves invasion, resource appropriation, and eventual departure after decolonization, whereas settler colonialism involves taking over land, overpowering or destroying native cultures, and settling in the territory.
According to Albert Memmi in his book 'The Colonizer and the Colonized', what is the typical loyalty of the colonizers?
-In Memmi's view, the colonizers' loyalties are usually always with the European mother country and never really transform into loyalties for the native cultures.
Can you provide an example of a settler colony where the settlers were eventually ousted?
-Algeria is a notable example where French settlers claimed to be Algerian but were eventually ousted.
What are some other examples of settler colonialism mentioned in the script?
-Other examples include Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada, where European settlers established themselves and often isolated or wiped out the native populations.
Why is the distinction between settler colonialism and occupational colonialism important in postcolonial studies?
-The distinction is important because it allows for a more nuanced understanding of literary production from formerly colonized countries, preventing the conflation of literature produced by European settlers with postcolonial literature.
What is the issue with early theorists of post-colonial studies like Bill Ashcroft in their book 'The Empire Writes Back'?
-Early theorists like Ashcroft did not make the clear distinction between settler and occupational colonialism, leading to the inclusion of Canadian, American, Australian, and New Zealand literature in the postcolonial canon without considering their settler origins.
How can the concept of settler colonialism be applied to the study of the occupation of Palestinian lands by Israeli settlers?
-Settler colonialism can be used to analyze the power dynamics and the impact on the native population, as well as the current political implications of such occupations.
What role does settler colonialism play in the politics and culture of countries like India and Pakistan?
-In countries like India and Pakistan, settler colonialism can be seen in the dominance of certain groups over others, such as the rights of Adivasis and Dalits in India, and the influence of Punjabi settlers in smaller provinces of Pakistan.
Why is the example of Zimbabwe significant in the context of settler colonialism?
-Zimbabwe's attempt to redistribute land and the subsequent economic isolation and uproar from Europe illustrate the challenges faced by countries trying to undo the privileges of settler colonists and redistribute land equitably.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Settler Colonialism

Masood Raja introduces the concept of settler colonialism in opposition to other forms of colonialism, such as occupational colonialism. He explains that occupational colonialism involves invasion, resource appropriation, and eventual withdrawal post-decolonization, as seen in countries like India, Kenya, or Nigeria. In contrast, settler colonialism is characterized by the establishment of European settlers who either destroy or overpower native cultures and develop distinct strategies for control and survival. The video references Albert Memmi's 'The Colonizer and the Colonized' to emphasize the loyalty of settlers to their European mother countries. Examples of settler colonialism include Algeria, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada, where settlers established their own cultures often at the expense of native populations.

05:00

🌏 Contemporary Issues and Examples of Settler Colonialism

This paragraph delves into the contemporary relevance of settler colonialism, highlighting its distinction from occupational colonialism in postcolonial studies. It critiques early theorists for not making this distinction, leading to an inaccurate inclusion of settler-produced literature as postcolonial. The paragraph also discusses the application of settler colonialism in analyzing current power dynamics, such as the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and the impact on Native American cultures and lands in the United States. Furthermore, it examines internal colonialism within post-colonial countries, like India, where dominant groups' relationships with adivasis and dalits reflect colonial divides. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding settler colonialism in postcolonial studies to avoid conflating settler-produced literature with that of formerly colonized nations.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Settler Colonialism

Settler colonialism refers to a form of colonialism where European settlers took over a land, often overpowering or destroying the native cultures, and established their own societies within the territory. This concept is central to the video's theme, as it differentiates between different types of colonialism and their impacts on the colonized regions. The script discusses settler colonialism in the context of countries like Algeria, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada, where settlers established themselves and developed distinct cultures, often isolating or wiping out the native populations.

💡Occupational Colonialism

Occupational colonialism, also known as invasive colonialism, is the type where Europeans invaded a country, such as India, Kenya, or Nigeria, took control of its resources, and then left after decolonization. It is contrasted with settler colonialism in the video, highlighting the temporary nature of control and the eventual departure of the colonizers, as opposed to the permanent settlement and establishment of new societies by settlers.

💡Decolonization

Decolonization is the process by which colonized countries gain independence from their colonial rulers. In the context of the video, it is mentioned in relation to occupational colonialism, where the colonizers left after the process of decolonization, unlike in settler colonialism where the settlers stayed and integrated into the territory.

💡Albert Memmi

Albert Memmi is a Tunisian Jewish author known for his work on the psychological and social effects of colonization. His book 'The Colonizer and the Colonized' is referenced in the video as a seminal work that discusses the loyalties of the colonizers, which are usually with the European mother country rather than with the native cultures they colonize.

💡Postcolonial Studies

Postcolonial studies is an academic field that examines the cultural and political effects of colonialism and the subsequent responses of formerly colonized countries. The video emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between settler and occupational colonialism within postcolonial studies to better understand and interpret the literature and power dynamics from these regions.

💡Adivasis and Dalits

Adivasis and Dalits are two marginalized groups in India, often referred to as the indigenous people and the 'untouchables' respectively. The video script uses these terms to illustrate how the concept of settler colonialism can be applied within post-colonial countries, discussing the divide and the rights of these groups in relation to dominant groups.

💡Apartheid

Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa, implemented by European settlers to maintain their dominance over the majority black population. The video mentions apartheid as an example of settler colonialism's legacy, even after its formal defeat, in the continued control of resources by the settlers.

💡Zimbabwe Land Reform

The Zimbabwe Land Reform refers to the government's efforts to redistribute land from white settlers to black citizens, which faced significant international backlash and economic isolation. The video uses this example to discuss the challenges of undoing the privileges of settler colonists and the economic repercussions of such efforts.

💡Europeanized Nation

A Europeanized nation, as mentioned in the video, is a country that was a settler colony and has since developed a strong European cultural influence. The script argues that literature from such nations may not be accurately classified as postcolonial literature, as it often reflects a dominant, rather than a colonized, perspective.

💡The Empire Writes Back

The Empire Writes Back is a 1989 book by Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin, which is a foundational text in postcolonial studies. The video script critiques the book for not making a clear distinction between settler and occupational colonialism, leading to an inaccurate inclusion of certain literatures in the postcolonial canon.

💡Palestinian Occupation

The Palestinian Occupation refers to the ongoing situation where Israeli settlers have established control over Palestinian lands. The video script mentions this as an example of contemporary settler colonialism, examining the power dynamics and politics involved in this conflict.

Highlights

Settler colonialism is defined in opposition to occupational colonialism.

Occupational colonialism involves invasion, resource appropriation, and eventual departure after decolonization.

Settler colonialism features European settlers overpowering or destroying native cultures and establishing their own territories.

Albert Memmi's 'The Colonizer and the Colonized' discusses the loyalties of settlers to the European mother country over native cultures.

Algeria is an example of settler colonialism where French settlers claimed to be Algerian but did not assimilate with the Arab population.

Australia, New Zealand, United States, and Canada are all examples of settler colonies.

Settler colonialism is distinct from occupational colonialism in postcolonial studies, affecting the interpretation of literature.

Early postcolonial theorists like Bill Ashcroft did not make the distinction between settler and occupational colonialism.

Contemporary postcolonial studies differentiate settler colonies as having a dominant Europeanized perspective in their literature.

Settler colonialism studies have expanded to include the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

Settler colonialism can be applied to understand the experiences of Native Americans and the impact of settler activities on their lands and cultures.

In India, settler colonialism concepts can be used to analyze the divide between dominant groups and marginalized communities like Adivasis and Dalits.

Settler colonialism plays a role in the politics and culture of Pakistan, particularly in the context of smaller provinces and Punjabi settlers.

In South Africa, settler colonialism is evident in the post-apartheid world where resources are still owned by the settlers.

Zimbabwe's attempt to redistribute land and the subsequent European backlash is an example of the challenges faced in addressing settler colonialism.

Settler colonialism is a critical concept for understanding power dynamics, land ownership, and cultural impacts in various historical and contemporary contexts.