Countering Colonization - by Carol Devens (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Countering Colonization: Native American Women and Great Lakes Missions, 1630-1900 delves into the complex interplay of gender, colonization, and resistance in Native American communities. This groundbreaking study seeks to shift Native American women from the margins of history to their rightful place as active participants in the narrative. Focusing on the missions in the Great Lakes region, the book explores how indigenous gender dynamics influenced responses to missionary endeavors and colonization. By examining Jesuit and Protestant missions over several centuries, it uncovers patterns of community unity, grudging accommodation, and gender-based division that highlight the nuanced effects of colonization.

Through meticulous analysis of historical records and missionary accounts, the book reveals how colonial systems disrupted Native American gender relations, particularly as missionaries introduced European patriarchal norms. These disruptions often caused deep rifts within communities, with men and women taking divergent paths toward either assimilation or resistance. The study argues that tensions between genders in Native communities were not inherent but were instead a direct consequence of colonization. This nuanced perspective reshapes our understanding of Native American social dynamics and provides critical insights into the enduring impact of colonial forces on indigenous cultures.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1992.