Indigeneity and the British World

The study of the British World has been criticised in the past for ignoring power relationships, especially when it comes to those between Indigenous peoples and settler populations during and since the colonial period. This edited collection therefore aims to explore this subject from various perspectives. It adopts a broad historical and thematic focus. The chapters look at various countries, including Australia, Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the United States of America. The themes covered include treaties, constitutions, citizenship, and self-determination, resistance to colonial rule during empire, representation and the media, education reform and reconciliation, health and Indigenous resistance. The chapters collectively adopt an inter- and multidisciplinary approach to the subject. The contributors range from PhD students to senior academics and together represent the cutting-edge research taking place in these fields. In this fresh and intimate transnational collection, an impressive list of authors covers themes of respect, birthing, health, education, politics, music and, above all – empowerment – with subtlety and nuance. By interrogating histories of Indigenous resistance to colonial policies and actions, they address the urgent need to understand the troubled sovereignty of the British Crown.—Ann McGrath, Emeritus ProfessorDistinguished Professor Australian National UniversityWe can never fully understand settler colonialism by only looking at the territory and people who were once integrated into the British Empire. Likewise, we will never understand the British World outside of the context of the ongoing history of the Indigenous people who have not only survived but found new and innovative ways to remain distinct in the lands that colonists have now also come to their home. The editors and contributors to this collection speak historically to pressing contemporary issues. In doing so, they re-frame Indigeneity and colonialism in new and creative ways that university instructors, students, and Indigenous communities will find both provocative and empowering.—Keith Carlson, Professor Canada Research Chair in Indigenous and Community-Engaged HistoryUniversity of the Fraser ValleyThis is a timely and insightful exploration of expressions of Indigenous identity across different sites of social, cultural, and political resistance. Contributions grounded in specific, local circumstances create a deeply textured examination of Indigenous peoples’ experiences. The collection provides an important analysis of the legacy of colonialism in former British settler colonies and a powerful reminder of the spaces of Indigenous resistance. It takes us from confronting and challenging histories through to hopeful examples of Indigenous empowerment, reclamation, and self-determination. The depth of scholarship and the interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach to this collection suggest new and exciting ways of engaging with colonialism – past and present.—Carwyn Jones, Associate Professor FRSNZ, Director, Māori Laws and PhilosophyTe Wānanga o Raukawa and Honorary Adjunct Professor Māori Studies, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington