Human Geography 103: Colonialism Week 4

Flashcards covering essential vocabulary and concepts in the study of Colonialism, as discussed in Human Geography 103.

Colonialism

An enduring relationship of domination and mode of dispossession between an indigenous majority and colonizers, characterized by superiority, power, coercion, persuasion, conflict, and collaboration.

Domination

A question of power regarding who has control over land and the events that occur on it.

Dispossession

The act of removing something from someone, such as relationships, culture, or land.

Survivance

An active sense of presence and continuance of native stories, representing Indigenous survival against colonization.

Settler Colonialism

A land-centered project aiming to eliminate Indigenous societies through permanent settlement.

Cultural Erasure

The process of replacing Indigenous inhabitants and severing their social relationships, often tied to assimilation practices.

Thingification

The process of dehumanizing the colonized, turning them into commodities and objects for exploitation.

Boomerang Effect

The phenomenon where the violence of colonialism is turned inwards, affecting the colonizers' morality and humanity.

Aimé Césaire

A French poet and politician who critiqued colonialism and coined the term négritude, highlighting its dehumanizing effects.

Indigenous Boarding Schools

Institutions aimed at assimilating Indigenous children by forbidding native languages and imposing non-native cultural norms.