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Cambridge Imperial and Post-Colonial Studies
Settler Colonialism: A Theoretical Overview
Settler colonialism is a global and transnational phenomenon, and as much a thing of the present as a thing of the past. In this book, Lorenzo Veracini explores the settler colonial 'situation' and explains how there is no such thing as neo-settler colonialism or post-settler colonialism because settler colonialism is a resilient formation that rarely ends. Not all migrants are settlers come to stay, and are founders of political orders who carry with them a distinct sovereign capacity. And settler colonialism is not settlers want Indigenous people to vanish (but can make use of their labour before they are made to disappear). Sometimes settler colonial forms operate within colonial ones, sometimes they subvert them, sometimes they replace them. But even if colonialism and settler colonialism interpenetrate and overlap, they remain separate as they co-define each other.
189 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 2010
About the author
Lorenzo Veracini
15 books10 followersLorenzo Veracini is a historian and professor at Swinburne University of Technology’s Institute for Social Research. He is the editor in chief of Settler Colonial Studies and has been a key figure in the development of the field of settler colonialism. His book Settler Colonialism: A Theoretical Overview was published in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 21, 2019
One of the more interesting and welcome developments in discussions of colonialism in recent years has been the growing clarity about distinctions between settler colonialism, that is the permanent settlement of already occupied areas by an incomer population with a view to state building, and colonialism premised on resource extraction and ‘development’. In particular, and building on work by Patrick Wolfe, the emerging central point of analyses of settler colonialism is the notion that settlers engage in actions that are designed see them become ‘native’ at the expense of already indigenous peoples. That is to say, the emerging view is that settler colonialism is premised on cultural if not physical genocide. A key advantage and outcome of this growing line of analysis is a growing recognition of indigenous voices and of the structural similarities between settler colonies in places as diverse, and in common, as the USA, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Israel, Norway, New Zealand: although there is little (no?) current literature in English we could consider Siberia and the Caucuses and Hokkaido through this lens also.
Analyses of settler colonialisms have been developing and refining for some time. Although it is now almost 10 years old Lorenzo Veracini’s superb ‘state of the art/research’ analysis remains the clearest and most forceful statement on settler colonialism as a model. He builds his case through a synthesis of research to date (in this case, round 2009) as well as an explicit model-building approach. That case, then, is structured around four key themes – population ‘transfer’, the development of notions of sovereignty and therefore myths of national distinctiveness, the development of a settler colonial consciousness as ‘native’ and the self-justificatory stories settler colonies tell about themselves. What is clear, and alarming, about these themes is how the allow him to expose common characteristics, that we all know – the myths of empty lands, of ‘uncivilised’ peoples, of the extraordinariness of violence (by settlers). It is a compelling case, based in his observation that “all settler projects are foundationally premised on fantasies of ultimately ‘cleansing’ the settler body politic of its (indigenous and exogenous) alterities” (p33).
This quotation however points to one of the deep tensions in the case: on the one hand he recognises multiple groups, which he reduces to four key categories – settlers, indigenous others, exogenous others and abject others – thereby escaping the tendency to binary analyses often seen in settler colonial analyses. On the other hand, he cannot quite escape that tendency to binary logic: it is a powerful trope. To his credit, he seems to recognise his struggle with this trope pointing to the limitations of the ‘black-white’ binary in the closing discussion of the distinctiveness of settler colonial decolonisation, and the need for model and approaches that allow for notions of indigenous ‘third-space’. In this contradiction the book reflects and engages with a profound tension in the field, and one that those of us whose work focuses on settler colonialism/settler colonies struggle with, principally (I think, this is still a work in progress) because settler colonialism was not an event ‘back then’ but is a continuing project in the now. Veracini draws these tensions out and makes them vital to his argument.
In short, then, this is an essential text, defining and refining the field and giving us a foundational text to build on and a sacrificial text to critique as we build our understandings of this continuing project.
Analyses of settler colonialisms have been developing and refining for some time. Although it is now almost 10 years old Lorenzo Veracini’s superb ‘state of the art/research’ analysis remains the clearest and most forceful statement on settler colonialism as a model. He builds his case through a synthesis of research to date (in this case, round 2009) as well as an explicit model-building approach. That case, then, is structured around four key themes – population ‘transfer’, the development of notions of sovereignty and therefore myths of national distinctiveness, the development of a settler colonial consciousness as ‘native’ and the self-justificatory stories settler colonies tell about themselves. What is clear, and alarming, about these themes is how the allow him to expose common characteristics, that we all know – the myths of empty lands, of ‘uncivilised’ peoples, of the extraordinariness of violence (by settlers). It is a compelling case, based in his observation that “all settler projects are foundationally premised on fantasies of ultimately ‘cleansing’ the settler body politic of its (indigenous and exogenous) alterities” (p33).
This quotation however points to one of the deep tensions in the case: on the one hand he recognises multiple groups, which he reduces to four key categories – settlers, indigenous others, exogenous others and abject others – thereby escaping the tendency to binary analyses often seen in settler colonial analyses. On the other hand, he cannot quite escape that tendency to binary logic: it is a powerful trope. To his credit, he seems to recognise his struggle with this trope pointing to the limitations of the ‘black-white’ binary in the closing discussion of the distinctiveness of settler colonial decolonisation, and the need for model and approaches that allow for notions of indigenous ‘third-space’. In this contradiction the book reflects and engages with a profound tension in the field, and one that those of us whose work focuses on settler colonialism/settler colonies struggle with, principally (I think, this is still a work in progress) because settler colonialism was not an event ‘back then’ but is a continuing project in the now. Veracini draws these tensions out and makes them vital to his argument.
In short, then, this is an essential text, defining and refining the field and giving us a foundational text to build on and a sacrificial text to critique as we build our understandings of this continuing project.
April 20, 2021
It’s a niche read but this really is a very good theoretical analysis of settler colonialism. Veracini’s structured exploration of population, economy, consciousness, and narratives provides a clear framework for understanding the complexities of settler colonial communities, and the relationship between this phenomenon and colonialism itself. It’s explored through a broad range of well-explained examples, and historiographical analysis. Bonus points for a bunch of content that is directly relevant to my scholarship programme.
August 30, 2022
A very handy, short and compressed sketch of what settler colonialism is.
Veracini carefully distinguishes it from plain old colonialism in many ways, notably with the shifting roles played by a settler population standing between indigenous people and foreign conquerors. The book breaks things down into how views of these populations change over time and across nations, then how this leads to rethinking sovereignty. Veracini delves into mental states for one section, ending with a nice neologism of "the unsettler." He concludes with stories and how changing settler colonial understandings generate and are shaped by them.
Recommended as a quick dive into the topic.
Veracini carefully distinguishes it from plain old colonialism in many ways, notably with the shifting roles played by a settler population standing between indigenous people and foreign conquerors. The book breaks things down into how views of these populations change over time and across nations, then how this leads to rethinking sovereignty. Veracini delves into mental states for one section, ending with a nice neologism of "the unsettler." He concludes with stories and how changing settler colonial understandings generate and are shaped by them.
Recommended as a quick dive into the topic.
December 3, 2020
Borrowed on the assumption it would give a coherent definition of the concept. Intentionally and needlessly opaque.
e.g.
‘The structural difference between colonial and settler colonial narrative forms does have an impact on the ways in which the decolonisation of settler colonial forms can be conceptualised’
Would not reccomend as a starting point, knowledge of other theorists and works seems like a prerequisite.
e.g.
‘The structural difference between colonial and settler colonial narrative forms does have an impact on the ways in which the decolonisation of settler colonial forms can be conceptualised’
Would not reccomend as a starting point, knowledge of other theorists and works seems like a prerequisite.
June 2, 2019
Excellent analysis of settler colonialism. Sound understanding of the process and nature of the structure and how it manifests. Lots of examples and theories to support and is convincing. Also effectively addresses the difficulties in breaking down the settler colonial structure. Word of warning though, very academic in its writing and required some ‘stickability’ on my part!
December 15, 2020
An essential text to further your understanding of colonialism and settler-colonialism. The book is mostly abstract, yet it adds a lot to this specific field as it builds on other theorists and social scientists. Veracini is a promising scholar and seems to have in-depth knowledge and critical insights on these topics with powerful examples from different contexts.
March 16, 2020
A little bit abstract in portions, but overall an amazing resource for the topic!
December 21, 2015
Settler colonialism starts at one specific point, and it never ends. This book is just like that; you start it and then you are unable to escape what is proposed inside it!
The language is very academic, sometimes you need to read and reread to understand!
The language is very academic, sometimes you need to read and reread to understand!
April 17, 2014
An excellent work with an intense level of detail; not a book you can skim read.
May 28, 2015
WAY too theoretical and fancy but for some reason I still really liked it. If you know how to read academic language there's some really good stuff in here.
November 7, 2015
Loved it. Dense but genius. I was lucky enough to hear Lorenzo speak at the WHA2015 conference in Portland. The man is amusing, engaging, and brilliant.
August 3, 2025
A compellingly comprehensive yet in-depth overview, with much theoretical invention put to work in analyzing concrete contexts and abstract forms of settler colonialism.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews