This book uses identity theories to explore the struggles of indigenous peoples against the domination of the settler imaginary in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. The book argues that a new relational imaginary can revolutionize the way settler peoples think about and relate to indigenous difference.

"Superb. A powerful and rich piece of writing about a key relationship in today's world: that between indigenous and settler peoples. With clarity and grace, this book provides new insights into the necessary engagements between us." - Professor Alison Jones, University of Auckland, New Zealand

"This book should be on the shelves of every researcher working on identity issues - mandatory reading for those working on settler societies such as the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Avril Bell combines rich, riveting accounts of settler-indigene relations with elegant, accessible reviews of key theory. I am recommending this gem of a book to all my graduate students and to all those interested in the possibilities for new kinds of political and ethical relations in postcolonial contexts." - Margaret Wetherell, Open University, UK

Autorentext

Avril Bell is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at The University of Auckland, New Zealand. She specializes in settler identities and the relationships between settler and indigenous peoples, particularly in relation to New Zealand society. Her work addresses the ongoing legacies of colonization and practices of decolonization.

Inhalt

1. Introduction PART I: THE SETTLER IMAGINARY 2. Indigenous Authenticity and Settler Nationalisms 3: Hybrid Identities and the One-Way Street of Assimilation PART II: POSTCOLONIAL RESISTANCES 4. Performative Hybridity, Unhomely Temporality and Cultural Difference 5. Strategic Essentialism, Indigenous Agency and Difference PART III: TOWARDS THE RELATIONAL IMAGINARY 6. 'Deep Colonising': The Politics of Recognition 7. Ethical Obligation and Relationality