Reconciliation and Colonial Power

Damien Short, Senior Lecturer in Human Rights Convenor, MA Understanding and Securing Human Rights Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, UK

• Reconciliation and Colonial Power

'In this major contribution to the emerging field of the sociology of rights, Damien Short offers a concise but comprehensive criticism of the impact of colonialism on the spirit of the Aboriginal people, reaching out to draw valuable comparisons with other colonial realities in Canada, New Zealand and the US. A remarkable and compassionate achievement in historical and political sociology, Reconciliation and Colonial Power is a substantial contribution to our understanding of the roots of contemporary injustice and the failure of legal interventions to produce significant political change.' Bryan S. Turner, National University of Singapore 'Reconciliation and Colonial Power is an excellent piece of work. It's radically truthful and cuts to the heart of the problem from an indigenous perspective, and that of a settler with open eyes and honest conscience. Damien Short draws on a wide range of primary and secondary sources to support his argument that Australia's reconciliation process was fundamentally flawed. He provides a much needed critique of the process and in the final chapter he sets out his own vision for decolonization and justice.' Taiaiake Alfred, University of Victoria, Canada 'An incisive and important account of recent Australian efforts to achieve reconciliation with indigenous peoples in that country. One of the great merits of this book is that the author has listened to aboriginal people and their evaluation of the reconciliation process. His analysis demonstrates why reconciliation cannot be achieved without attending to historical and continuing injustice.' Peter H. Russell, University of Toronto, Canada 'Damien Short provides a highly informative account of the emergence, unfolding and eventual failure of the official Australian reconciliation process between 1991 and 2001, with particular emphasis on the fate of native title after Mabo and Wik and the impact of the Stolen Generations Report. This book is a powerful indictment of Australia's ongoing inability to 'decolonise' its constitution and basic social structure.' Professor Paul Patton, University of New South Wales, Australia 'This book works best not as 'sociology' but as a political narrative framed by a normative political theory...' Anthropological Forum