In Unsettling Settler Societies introduction, the authors write about how these settler societies are just European colonies.
"If we define 'settler societies' as societies in which Europeans have settled, where their descendants have remained politically dominant over indigenous peoples, and where a heterogeneous society has developed in class, ethnic and racial terms, then it becomes clear that the 'settler societies' must be seen as falling along a continuum rather than within clear and fixed boundaries"
I found that quote interesting because it basically stated that Europeans establish their settler societies and have their descendants continue and enforce the political power/laws over any minority or native peoples. They were able to create their own classes, based on the European class.
When they colonize their "new land", they start their history on that day, denying indigenous population's history. The pre-history is considered irrelevant and boundaries are established between native history and history. These settlers also bring with them the European classifications: merchants, laborers, slaves, etc. Along with those they have a class/race hierarchy. Settler societies are like mini-European states. It is like being able to view the "exoticism" of another country in the comforts of your own home. They would also establish political power, which had the power to rule over native people, who knew little to nothing about the European political power. The authors use the word "internal colonialism" to describe the political and economic restraints used on racial/ethnic minorities and indigenous people within these settler societies. European settlers were able to exploit and rule over new lands. This book was interesting because it explained how these settler societies were established and into how they saw the minorities and indigenous people.
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"If we define settler societies as societies in which Europeans have settled, where their descendants have remained politically dominant over indigenous peoples and where a heterogeneous society has developed in class, ethnic and racial terms, then it becomes clear that the settler societies must be seen as falling along a continuum rather than within clear and fixed boundaries." – (P. 3)
In Unsettling Settler Societies the authors write about how settler societies are just European colonies. He explains that settler societies are those locations where Europeans have settled and become politically dominant over indigenous people. I found this quote to be interesting because it stated that Europeans establish their settler societies and have their descendants continue and enforce the political power and laws over any minority or native peoples. They were able to create their own classes, based on the European class. When they colonize their new land, they start their history on that day, denying indigenous population's history. The pre-history is considered irrelevant and boundaries are established between native history. These settlers also bring with them the European classifications of merchants, slaves, laborers, etc. Along with those they have a class and race hierarchy.
Settler societies are like mini-European states. It’s like the European states are able to view the exoticism of another country in the comforts of their own home. They would also establish political power, which had the power to rule over native people, who knew little to nothing about the European political power. From 1780 to 1930 the number of English speakers changed from twelve million to two hundred million. This is partly because the economic transformation going on in America and the settler revolution which lead to the explosive settlement of the American West.
The authors of Unsettling Settler Societies use the phrase internal colonialism to describe the political and economic restraints used on racial and ethnic minorities and indigenous people within these settler societies. European settlers were able to exploit and rule over new lands. A revolutionary upward shift in attitudes to emigration, the emergence of a settler boom mentality and a late flowering of non-industrial technologies were on settler frontiers. This revolution combined with the Industrial Revolution transformed the settlements into something explosive and capable of creating great cities like Chicago and Melbourne and large socio-economies in a single generation. He also reveals the importance of the colonies vast landmass to Britain's industrial development and analyses and the critical role played by London and New York in developing their respective empires. I found this reading to be interesting because it explained on how these settler societies were established and how they saw the minorities and indigenous people.
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