Settler Colonialism and the Transformation of Anthropology: The Politics and Poetics of an Ethnographic Event (Writing Past Colonialism Series)

This work analyzes the politics of anthropological knowledge from critical perspective that alters existing understandings of colonialism. At the same time, it produces fresh insights into the history of anthropology. Organized around a historical reconstruction of the great anthropological controversy over doctrines of virgin birth, the book argues that the allegation a great deal about European colonial discourse and little if anything about indigenous beliefs. By means of an Australian example, the book shows not only that the alleged ignorance was an artefact of the anthropological theory that produced it, but also that the anthropology was an artefact of the anthropological theory that produced it, but also that the anthropology concerened has been closely tied into both the historical dispossesion and the continuing oppresion of native peoples. The author explores the links between metropolitan anthropological theory and local colonial politics from the 19th century up to the present, settler colonialism, and the ideological and sexual regimes that characterize it. Organized Around A Startling Historical Reconstruction Of The Political And Theoretical Conditions That Produced The Great Anthropological Controversy Over Doctrines Of Virgin Birth, This Book Argues That The Allegation That Natives Do Not Understand The Relation Between Sex And Conception Reveals A Great Deal About European Colonial Discourse And Little, If Anything, About Indigenous Belief. As The Author Explores The Links Between Metropolitan Anthropological Theory And Local Colonial Politics From The Nineteenth Century To The Present, The Specificity Of Settler Colonialism And The Ideological And Sexual Regimes That Characterize It Emerge With Increasing Clarity. In Addition To Re-reading The History Of Anthropology And Its Intersections With Colonial Power, This Book Obliges Us To Reconceptualize The Heterogeneity Of Colonialism Itself. -- Back Cover. Introduction Text And Context: Anthropology And Settler Colonialism -- White Man's Flour: Virgin Birth In Anthropology And In Australian Settler Discourse -- Science, Colonialism And Anthropology: The Logic Of A Global Transformation -- Mother-right: Sex And Property In Victorian Anthropology -- Totemism Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow: Victorian Anthropology's Eternal Dichotomy -- Survival In A Paradigm Shift: E.b. Tylor And The Problem Of The Text -- Repressive Authenticity. Patrick Wolfe. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [215]-241) And Index. This is a brilliant history of anthropology from its origins in 19th century Europe to the present day. Underlying this and closely connected to this meta-narrative is the story of European settlement and colonialization of Australia and the distressing history of Australian official policy towards the Australian aboriginal population (other colonial enterprises are also examined; for instance, the book incorporates a discussion of the late 19th century development of American cultural anthropology and its relation to the European settlement of North America). He shows how anthropological theory emerged from the political and intellectual culture of Victorian England (and to a lesser extent Germany and the United States) and examines its relationship to science, particularly evolutionary science.This book is an analytic tour de force that will be of interest to socio-cultural anthropologists, historians of ideas, social and cultural geographers and post-colonial theorists. Contents......Page 6 Illustrations......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Credits......Page 9 Note on Terminology......Page 10 INTRODUCTION: Text and Context: ANTHROPOLOGY AND SETTLER COLONIALISM......Page 12 CHAPTER 1 White Man's Flour: VIRGIN BIRTH IN ANTHROPOLOGY AND IN AUSTRALIAN SETTLER DISCOURSE......Page 20 CHAPTER 2 Science, Colonialism and Anthropology: THE LOGIC OF A GLOBAL TRANSFORMATION......Page 54 CHAPTER 3 Mother-Right: SEX AND PROPERTY IN VICTORIAN ANTHROPOLOGY......Page 80 CHAPTER 4 Totemism Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: VICTORIAN ANTHROPOLOGY'S ETERNAL DICHOTOMY......Page 117 CHAPTER 5 Survival in a Paradigm Shift: E.B. TYLOR AND THE PROBLEM OF THE TEXT......Page 140 CHAPTER 6 Repressive Authenticity......Page 174 References......Page 226 C......Page 253 H......Page 254 M......Page 255 R......Page 256 Z......Page 257