Colonialism and Antarctica: Attitudes, Logics, and Practices

The book explores how colonialism can help to understand the past and present of Antarctica, and how Antarctica may illuminate the limits of colonialism as an analytic concept. It provides fresh and timely contributions that critically explore different practices, attitudes, and logics that suggest that colonialism may have been and may still be present in Antarctica, ranging from religion to material culture to the treatment of animals.

Format: Hardback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 30 July 2024
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Antarctica, a continent devoid of an indigenous population, has been profoundly shaped by political and economic forces that have defined the rest of the world. Despite its unique governance arrangement, the Antarctic Treaty System, the continent has been the site of various practices, attitudes, and logics that suggest the presence of colonialism. This book explores these practices, attitudes, and logics, ranging from religion to material culture to the treatment of animals. It also explores the connection between colonialism and cognate terms like capitalism, socialism, nationalism, and environmentalism. The book provides a fresh and timely set of contributions that critically explore different aspects of colonialism in Antarctica.

One of the key themes of the book is the impact of colonialism on the environment. The continent's unique geography and climate have made it a valuable resource for scientific research, but it has also been subjected to significant environmental degradation. The book explores the ways in which colonialism has contributed to this degradation, including the exploitation of natural resources, the introduction of invasive species, and the disruption of indigenous cultures.

Another theme of the book is the impact of colonialism on indigenous peoples. The continent has been home to a diverse range of indigenous communities, and many of these communities have been negatively affected by colonialism. The book explores the ways in which colonialism has disrupted indigenous cultures, including the loss of land, the loss of language, and the loss of cultural practices.

The book also explores the ways in which colonialism has been resisted in Antarctica. Despite the challenges faced by indigenous communities, there have been a number of successful resistance movements in Antarctica. These movements have included the establishment of indigenous land claims, the establishment of indigenous-led conservation organizations, and the promotion of indigenous languages and cultures.

One of the challenges faced by the book is the lack of indigenous perspectives on colonialism in Antarctica. Many of the contributions to the book are written by non-indigenous scholars, and this can lead to a lack of understanding of the experiences of indigenous peoples. The book attempts to address this issue by including a number of contributions from indigenous scholars and by providing a critical analysis of the literature on colonialism in Antarctica.

Another challenge faced by the book is the impact of climate change on Antarctica. Climate change is a significant threat to the continent's environment, and it is likely to have a significant impact on indigenous communities. The book explores the ways in which climate change is affecting indigenous communities, and it provides a number of recommendations for how to address this issue.

Despite these challenges, the book provides a valuable contribution to the study of colonialism in Antarctica. The book provides a fresh and timely set of contributions that critically explore different aspects of colonialism in Antarctica, and it provides a valuable resource for scholars and policymakers interested in the region.

In conclusion, this book explores how the concept of colonialism can help to understand the past and present of Antarctica, and how Antarctica may illuminate the limits of colonialism as an analytic concept. Despite lacking an indigenous population, the continent has been shaped by many of the same political and economic forces that have defined the rest of the world, and it has been the site of various practices, attitudes, and logics that suggest the presence of colonialism. The book provides a fresh and timely set of contributions that critically explore different aspects of colonialism in Antarctica, and it provides a valuable resource for scholars and policymakers interested in the region.

Weight: 670g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526170637