Ecologies of Imperialism in Algeria

Between 1865 and 1872, a plague of locusts and a drought destroyed crops, leading to a famine and migration that caused the deaths of eight hundred thousand Algerians. Brock Cutler's book explores how ecosocial divisions in nineteenth-century Algeria led to modern imperialism, with officials repeating narratives of "transgression," border violence, and vagabondage, separating political entities, human from nature, rational from irrational, and women from men.

Format: Hardback
Length: 242 pages
Publication date: 01 October 2023
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press

Between 1865 and 1872, a devastating ecological disaster unfolded in modern North African history, resulting in widespread death and disease. This calamity took the form of a plague of locusts that decimated crops during a catastrophic drought, leaving many Algerians landless and starving. The famine that ensued led to a massive migration of vulnerable individuals, who were concentrated in unsanitary camps, where typhus and cholera ran rampant. Before the rains returned and harvests normalized, approximately eight hundred thousand Algerians had perished.

In his book Ecologies of Imperialism in Algeria, Brock Cutler delves into the intricate relationship between ecological crises and the emergence of modern imperialism in nineteenth-century Algeria. These ecological crises, encompassing both cultural and natural dimensions, caused profound divisions within communities, separating individuals from their homes and society from its customary ecological relations. Simultaneously, ongoing settler colonialism and extractive imperial capitalism further fragmented Algeria, creating new connections between the country and France.

Ecosocial divisions became evident in the performances of imperial power in Algeria. Officials along the Algerian-Tunisian border, for instance, relentlessly repeated narratives of "transgression," which over time solidified the divide between the two countries. A case of poisoned bread, which affected settlers in Algiers, tied them to Paris, highlighting the exceptional nature of imperial sovereignty. Border violence between Morocco and Algeria exposed the fragility of imperial borders and the complex dynamics of power relations in the region. Additionally, a case of vagabondage in Oran brought to light colonial gender binaries and the ways in which ecological factors influenced social divisions.

While these performances occurred in the nineteenth-century Maghrib, the process described by Cutler extends beyond spatial and temporal boundaries. It encompasses a broader field of inquiry that examines the interconnectedness of social, political, and ecological systems. By analyzing the ways in which ecological crises and imperialism intersected in Algeria, Cutler sheds light on the complex web of factors that shaped the country's history and contributed to its ongoing struggles.

Ecologies of Imperialism in Algeria offers a valuable perspective on the intersection of environmental history, imperialism, and social divisions. It challenges the traditional narratives that portray imperialism as solely a political and economic phenomenon and emphasizes the importance of considering ecological factors in understanding the complexities of imperial power. The book provides a rich analysis of the ways in which ecological crises, migration, and border violence shaped the political and social landscape of nineteenth-century Algeria and their enduring impacts on the country's present-day reality.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496232533