Rethinking Colonialism - by Craig N Cipolla & Katherine Howlett Hayes (Paperback)

About the Book

Inciting a critical examination of the lasting consequences of ancient and modern colonialism on descendant communities, this wide-ranging volume includes essays on Roman Britain, slavery in Brazil, and contemporary Native Americans.

Book Synopsis

Historical archaeology studies once relied upon a binary view of colonialism: colonizers and colonized, the colonial period and the postcolonial period. The contributors to this volume scrutinize imperialism and expansionism through an alternative lens that rejects simple dualities and explores the variously gendered, racialized, and occupied peoples of a multitude of faiths, desires, associations, and constraints. Colonialism is not a phase in the chronology of a people but a continuous phenomenon that spans the Old and New Worlds. Most important, the contributors argue that its impacts--and, in some instances, even the same processes set in place by the likes of Columbus--are ongoing. Inciting a critical examination of the lasting consequences of ancient and modern colonialism on descendant communities, this wide-ranging volume includes essays on Roman Britain, slavery in Brazil, and contemporary Native Americans. In its efforts to define the scope of colonialism and the comparability of its features, this collection challenges the field to go beyond familiar geographical and historical boundaries and draws attention to unfolding colonial futures.

Review Quotes

"An intriguing compilation of case studies in the comparative archaeology of colonialism, distinguishing it from other volumes in its consideration of the consequences of colonialism on the contemporary present and future. . . . Highly recommended."--Choice "Successfully contributes to the understanding of colonialism and forcefully argues for a comparative approach to its study. . . . Provides case studies that stimulate thoughtful consideration of colonialism and its impacts in both the past and present."--Midcontinental Journal of Archaeology