Settler Colonialism: Resources

lol

Funny, just before I saw this I'd pm'd the following to somebody else from that Israel thread -

Regarding settler-colonialism: that fact that there's no Mother Country doesn't make it any more heinous in itself - but I would say its genocidal implications do. If the colonial project is not simply "extract wealth for the homeland" but rather "build a new society for our people," then mass relocation and ultimately extermination of natives is the logical ending point. The bloody histories of the US and Canada certainly support that claim.
Of course settler states aren't the only states to have committed genocide, but I think their stunningly consistent record means it's worth distinguishing them from other states.

edit - Drak, I don't agree that the folks you've been flame-warring with are Zionists, and I definitely don't agree that anti-semitism is not a contemporary problem. But I absolutely agree there's a lack of understanding of settler-colonialism here.

That's my point - that's what distinguishes "colonialism" from "settler-colonialism." The former's goal is to extract wealth from the colonized and send it back home; the latter's goal is to seize land and build a new homeland for the colonists.

No, it wasn't. I'm saying exactly the opposite. The fact that there's no "mother country" is why the US, Israel, etc are so genocidal. Killing off or displacing the natives en masse is a fundamental part of their agenda.

I've read your posts about anti-Semitism. I agree that witchhunts for anti-Semites is a common tactic that Zionists use; it's how they try to blur the line between Judaism and Zionism ("anyone critical of Israel must hate all Jews").
But I strongly disagree that anti-Semitism only exists in a few local contexts. I've been involved with anti-racist organizing for about 8 years, and I see it all the time. Fascist movements are on the upswing in many countries, and blaming a Jewish conspiracy for everything is still a basic part of their ideology. White nationalists in the US love to talk about the "Zionist Occupation Government".

Actually, I think one reason for the harsh reactions you're getting on libcom is just how similar certain strongly-worded criticisms of Israel can sound to neofascist propaganda. I don't think you're an anti-semite, but it's something to be aware of.

This is an interesting article:

'Radicalizing Relationships To and Through Shared Geographies: Why Anarchists Need to Understand Indigenous Connections to Land and Place'
http://www.jennypickerill.info/wp-content/uploads/BarkerandPickerill2012.pdf

Also work by Andrea Smith is worth reading:

'Indigeneity, Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy'
http://www.worlddialogue.org/content.php?id=488

Are there any good introductions to decolonization theory? I know that I'm kind of really skeptical of "decolonization" and it's buzzwordiness (Decolonize your BRAIN). I'm also skeptical of anything that affirms a national bourgeoisie... I understand the importance of recognizing the colonization of Native American groups up to today, but there are some troubling conceptual problems in dealing with them from a class struggle/ historical materialist approach. The most problematic point I can think up is the argument that colonization is a progressive force (like capital). But on the other hand, any sort of colonized people that have their own patriarchical, class, hang-ups, etc. present social problems as well. If we proclaim that no one has the right to exploit someone else, is this a form of colonizing their culture with our notions of right and liberty, work etc.?Should we prop up their nation/ethnic group's ruling class (whether feudal, tribal) in the name of them as a totality?

I'm pretty ignorant of this stuff, so any reccomendations are appreciated. This post isn't geared toward Drakula though, bleh.

EDIT: Kropotcorn, your post is noted, and I'm reading over the Andrea Smith stuff, but I'm kind of looking for something even more.... broken down?