Gender, Violence and Criminal Justice in the Colonial Pacific: 1880-1920

This book explores the introduction of British and French colonial criminal justice in the Pacific Islands during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on Fiji, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu/New Hebrides. It highlights the experiences of Indigenous Islanders and indentured laborers in the colonial court system, revealing how hierarchies of race, gender, and status shaped the practice of colonial law. Trials provided a space for individuals to narrate their own story and challenge the operation of colonial law. The book also explores the intersections of legal pluralism and local pragmatism across British and French colonialization in the Pacific, showing how island communities and early colonial administrators adopted diverse and flexible approaches towards criminal justice.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 25 July 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This open access book delves into the complex introduction of British and French colonial criminal justice in the Pacific Islands during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with a particular focus on Fiji, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu/New Hebrides. It sheds light on the experiences of Indigenous Islanders and indentured laborers in the colonial court system, which provided a platform for marginalized voices to enter the historical record. Through cases of rape and sexual assault, the book highlights how hierarchies of race, gender, and status shaped the practice of colonial law in the courtroom and the gendered experiences of colonialism. Trials offered a space for individuals to narrate their own stories and challenge the operation of colonial law. Gender, Violence, and Criminal Justice in the Colonial Pacific reveals the extent to which colonial bureaucracies engaged with and affected private lives, as well as the varied ways in which individuals and communities responded to such intrusions. Stevens explores how the courtroom became a theatrical space in which authority was performed, obscuring the more complex and violent practices that were central to both colonialism and colonial law-making. By examining the intersections of legal pluralism and local pragmatism across British and French colonialization in the Pacific, the book demonstrates how island communities and early colonial administrators adopted diverse and flexible approaches towards criminal justice, pursuing alternative forms of justice ranging from unofficial courts to punitive violence.

Weight: 458g
Dimension: 155 x 234 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350275553