Empires and Colonial Incarceration in the Twentieth Century

This book explores the history of political incarceration in imperial spaces during the twentieth century,from the mid-1800s to the late twentieth century. It offers a multi-disciplinary perspective on the topic,addressing the establishment of penal colonies and concentration camps in British,French,German,Belgian, and Portuguese dominions. The chapters discuss penal legislation,policies of convict transport,resettlement,prison regimes,resistance and liberation struggles,counter insurgency,prisoner agency,and prisons as cultural spaces and of memory.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 230 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into a contentious topic, namely the establishment of penal colonies and concentration camps in imperial spaces, which have sparked ongoing debates on the repressive practices of colonial rule and popular resistance against it. The contributors present a fresh reassessment of the history of politically motivated incarceration in a global and imperial context during the twentieth century.

The introduction and seven chapters explore comparative and transnational perspectives on political persecution, forced confinement, and colonial rule in British, French, German, Belgian, and Portuguese dominions across Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Focusing on the global imperial dimensions of political incarceration, they examine the organization, strategies, narratives, and practices associated with political internment in Africa (Angola, Tanzania, Rhodesia, South Africa), Latin America (French Guyana), and the Pacific region (New Caledonia). The chapters discuss penal legislation, policies of convict transport and political imprisonment, resettlement, prison regimes, resistance and liberation struggles, counter insurgency, prisoner agency, and prisons as cultural spaces and sites of memory across various time periods from the mid-1800s to the late twentieth century.

The chapters build upon the ongoing debate on political incarceration within the empire and the remarkable scientific research witnessed over the last decades. As a result, they offer novel insights into the nature of legal systems, colonial discourse, memory, racial segregation, persecution, prisoners' narratives of punishment and incarceration, and human rights abuses in imperial spaces.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032002736