A powerful and thought-provoking new interpretation of twentieth-century imperialism, this incisive text shows the effect settler communities have had on landholding policies, laws and race relations in colonized territories across the globe.
Postcolonial states and metropolitan societies still grapple today with the divisive and difficult legacies unleashed by settler colonialism.
Whether they were settled for trade or geopolitical reasons, these settler communities had in common their shaping of landholding, laws, and race relations in colonies throughout the world. By looking at the detail of settlements in the twentieth century--from European colonial projects in Africa and expansionist efforts by the Japanese in Korea and Manchuria, to the Germans in Poland and the historical trajectories of Israel/Palestine and South Africa--and analyzing the dynamics set in motion by these settlers, the contributors to this volume establish points of comparison to offer a new framework for understanding the character and fate of twentieth-century empires.
"Elkins and Pedersen have assembled an admirable collection of studies by specialists in their respective fields. Settler Colonialism in the Twentieth Century is an invaluable addition to the growing literature on global migration, decolonization, and interracial relations
." -- Akira Iriye, Professor of History, Harvard University and author of
Global Community: The Role of International Organizations in the Making of the Contemporary World
