m1 Flashcards
From Erasing the Human, the six features of colonialism are discussed in the book and included in the slides from this week’s lecture. Questions that will focus on each of the six elements.
Global Project: The European colonial endeavor was a worldwide initiative, covering every continent and integrating both known and previously “unknown” parts of the world into a new colonial system.
Racial Project: The colonial era was distinctively racial, categorizing the world along lines of human and sub-human. This period saw the emergence of racism as a global hierarchy of superiority and inferiority, deeply intertwined with the institutions of the modern/colonial world-system.
Economics, Capitalism, and Technology: The colonial period marked the fusion of newly developed modes of economic production and capitalism with technological innovation and exploration, distinct from any pre-modern era. This included the merging of commercial interests, the civilizational mission (“White Man’s burden”), Christianity, and advanced military technology.
Genocides: Global settler colonialism led to the policy-driven genocide of indigenous populations. This was a crucial component for clearing vast lands for colonial claim, through the elimination, transfer, or displacement of indigenous people.
Slavery - Demand Driven: Genocidal campaigns against indigenous populations created a market and rationale for demand-driven slave markets. This further cemented the social construction of race developed during this era.
Christianity – Religion and Colonization: Christianity was spread across the globe as an imperial and colonially imposed religion. It acted as a justifier and rationalizer for the colonial powers’ massive ethical and moral violations under the guise of spreading civilization, thus playing a handmaiden’s role to colonial ambitions.
How did Ramon Grosfoguel define racism?
A. As a social construct that varies significantly across different cultures.
B. As a global hierarchy of superiority and inferiority along the line of the human, politically, culturally, and economically produced by the institutions of the modern/colonial world-system.
C. As a personal prejudice that individuals might hold against others from different racial backgrounds.
D. As an outdated concept that no longer has significant impacts in modern societies.
B. As a global hierarchy of superiority and inferiority along the line of the human, politically, culturally, and economically produced by the institutions of the modern/colonial world-system.
Which of the following best describes the role race played in the colonial era?
A. It was a minor factor in the establishment of colonies, with economic interests playing a more significant role.
B. Race was used to justify the colonization and exploitation of territories and peoples deemed inferior by European powers.
C. Race relations improved significantly due to the cultural exchanges between colonizers and the colonized.
D. The concept of race was not recognized or considered relevant during the colonial era.
B. Race was used to justify the colonization and exploitation of territories and peoples deemed inferior by European powers.
According to the first contact with Columbus, how were the indigenous populations viewed?
A. As equals with whom Europeans could establish mutually beneficial relationships.
B. As savages who needed to be civilized through European intervention.
C. As artless and generous people, showing no hostility and willing to share their resources.
D. As potential rivals in trade and commerce that needed to be swiftly eliminated.
C. As artless and generous people, showing no hostility and willing to share their resources.
How are the historical perspectives on race and colonialism connected to the contemporary immigration and refugee crisis?
A. There is no connection; modern immigration issues are solely a result of economic disparities.
B. Historical racial hierarchies and the legacies of colonialism have no lasting impact on current global dynamics.
C. The historical exploitation and imposed global hierarchies have contributed to economic and social conditions that drive contemporary migration and refugee flows.
D. Modern immigration and refugee crises are entirely due to natural disasters and have no historical precedents.
C. The historical exploitation and imposed global hierarchies have contributed to economic and social conditions that drive contemporary migration and refugee flows.
Which of the following best describes the global project of colonialism?
A. A series of isolated expeditions with no significant impact on global relations.
B. A comprehensive initiative by European powers that affected every continent, integrating both known and previously unknown parts of the world into a new colonial system.
C. An economic strategy focused solely on the exploitation of natural resources in the Americas.
D. A cultural exchange program aimed at sharing European advancements with the rest of the world.
B. A comprehensive initiative by European powers that affected every continent, integrating both known and previously unknown parts of the world into a new colonial system.
How did the colonial era intertwine economics, capitalism, and technological advancement?
A. By limiting technological advancement to Europe to ensure economic superiority.
B. By merging newly developed modes of economic production with technological innovation and exploration, unlike any pre-modern period.
C. By rejecting capitalist practices in favor of traditional economic systems in colonized territories.
D. By discouraging any form of technological advancement in colonies to prevent economic competition.
B. By merging newly developed modes of economic production with technological innovation and exploration, unlike any pre-modern period.
What role did enslavement play in the colonial era?
A. It was a marginal practice that had little impact on colonial economies.
B. Enslavement was primarily a social system with no economic motives or benefits.
C. It created a rationale and market for demand-driven slave markets, further cementing the social construction of race.
D. It was discouraged by colonial powers as inconsistent with Christian teachings.
C. It created a rationale and market for demand-driven slave markets, further cementing the social construction of race.
Which statement best describes the occurrence of genocide during the colonial era?
A. Genocide was a rare and unintended consequence of colonial expansion.
B. Global settler colonialism made genocide a policy-driven effort to clear lands for colonial claim, involving the elimination or displacement of indigenous populations.
C. Colonial authorities took significant steps to prevent genocide and protect indigenous populations.
D. Genocide was primarily a myth perpetuated by anti-colonial historians with no basis in historical fact.
B. Global settler colonialism made genocide a policy-driven effort to clear lands for colonial claim, involving the elimination or displacement of indigenous populations.
How was Christianity used during the colonial era?
A. As a tool for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect between colonizers and colonized.
B. Solely as a means of spiritual support for colonizers far from their homeland.
C. As an imperial and colonially imposed religion to justify and rationalize the massive ethical and moral violations of colonial powers.
D. Christianity played no significant role in colonial expansion or administration.
C. As an imperial and colonially imposed religion to justify and rationalize the massive ethical and moral violations of colonial powers.
Who wrote the White Man’s Burden poem?
Rudyard Kipling
The key elements mentioned in the lecture about white mans burden.
Civilizing Mission: The poem embodies the idea of the “civilizing mission,” a concept used by colonial powers to justify their expansion into and domination over non-European lands. This mission was purportedly to enlighten, civilize, bring order, and democracy to the colonized peoples, who were considered unable to govern themselves.
Moral Justification for Imperialism: Kipling’s poem served as a moral justification for imperialism, suggesting that it was the duty of European powers (referred to as the “white man”) to take up this burden for the betterment of the colonized peoples.
Racial Superiority: The poem reflects the prevailing attitudes of racial superiority held by many Europeans at the time. It implies that white Europeans are morally and culturally superior to the peoples they colonized.
Sacrifice and Paternalism: The poem portrays colonialism as a thankless task that requires sacrifice on the part of the colonizers, who are depicted as paternal figures guiding and providing for the child-like colonized peoples.
Critique and Controversy: While Kipling intended the poem to affirm the imperialist endeavor, it has been widely criticized for its patronizing tone and overt racist underpinnings. It exemplifies the Eurocentric perspective that justified colonial abuses and exploitation under the guise of benevolence.
The poem and its themes were instrumental in propagating the ideological justifications for colonialism and have since become a subject of analysis for their representation of colonial attitudes and the ethical dilemmas of imperialism.
When and how did the Doctrine of Discovery come into circulation?
The Doctrine of Discovery came into circulation through a series of papal bulls issued by the Catholic Church in the 15th century. Two of the most significant were:
Dum Diversas (1452), issued by Pope Nicholas V, which granted Portugal the right to conquer non-Christian lands and enslave non-Christian people.
Inter Caetera (1493), issued by Pope Alexander VI, which granted Spain the right to conquer newly discovered lands in the Americas, provided they were not already under the control of a Christian ruler.
The key elements of the Doctrine of Discovery were:
Justification for Colonial Expansion: The doctrine provided a moral and legal justification for European Christian monarchs to claim sovereignty over and colonize non-Christian lands and to dominate Indigenous peoples. It was based on the premise that non-Christian territories were terra nullius (nobody’s land) and could be claimed by Christian rulers.
Impact on Land Rights: The doctrine significantly impacted land rights and control of non-European territories. It legitimized the seizure of lands from Indigenous peoples, who were not recognized as sovereign entities or as having rights to their own territories.
Legal and Political Legacies: The principles of the Doctrine of Discovery were embedded in the legal systems of colonial powers and continued to influence laws and policies regarding land ownership and Indigenous rights well into the modern era. In some countries, such as the United States, the doctrine was incorporated into legal decisions regarding Indigenous land rights, most notably in the 1823 Supreme Court case Johnson v. M’Intosh, which held that Indigenous peoples had rights to occupy land but did not have the sovereign right to own land.
Contemporary Impact: The legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery has had lasting impacts on Indigenous peoples worldwide, including loss of land, sovereignty, and rights. It has been critiqued and challenged by Indigenous leaders and in international forums as a basis for asserting Indigenous rights and sovereignty.
Doctrine of Discovery What impacts did it have on land rights and control of non-European territories?
The doctrine’s implications have been profound, underpinning colonial land acquisitions and the displacement of Indigenous peoples, and its effects are still felt today in ongoing debates over land rights, sovereignty, and the decolonization of legal systems.
How does Eurocentric universalism contribute to the erasure of epistemic diversity?
A. By promoting a single, global standard of knowledge that values European perspectives above all others.
B. By encouraging the integration of multiple epistemic traditions from around the world.
C. By ensuring that non-European knowledge systems are given equal validity and visibility in global discourse.
D. By facilitating a multicultural dialogue that respects and incorporates diverse ways of knowing equally.
A. By promoting a single, global standard of knowledge that values European perspectives above all others.
What role does the concept of the ‘Other’ play in Eurocentric universalism?
A. It is used to identify and celebrate cultural differences in a respectful and inclusive manner.
B. It designates non-European cultures as exotic, contributing to a rich tapestry of global diversity.
C. It positions non-European societies as fundamentally different and inferior, legitimizing their exclusion from the construction of universal knowledge.
D. It has no significant impact on the development or dissemination of knowledge within Eurocentric frameworks.
C. It positions non-European societies as fundamentally different and inferior, legitimizing their exclusion from the construction of universal knowledge.
Which of the following best describes the impact of Eurocentric universalism on non-European societies?
A. It has led to a renaissance of indigenous knowledge systems and traditions.
B. It marginalizes and devalues non-European epistemologies, often rendering them invisible in global academic and intellectual discourse.
C. It has had little to no impact, as non-European societies have successfully maintained and promoted their own epistemologies on a global scale.
D. It has encouraged non-European societies to adopt superior European methods, leading to their advancement and development.
B. It marginalizes and devalues non-European epistemologies, often rendering them invisible in global academic and intellectual discourse.
In the context of ‘Erasing the Human,’ how can epistemic diversity be restored and promoted?
A. By continuing to prioritize Eurocentric knowledge as the universal standard for truth and rationality.
B. By recognizing and integrating the epistemologies of non-European cultures into the global knowledge base, acknowledging their value and legitimacy.
C. By dismissing the importance of cultural context in the production of knowledge.
D. By ensuring that European epistemologies remain dominant while superficially acknowledging the existence of other knowledge systems.
B. By recognizing and integrating the epistemologies of non-European cultures into the global knowledge base, acknowledging their value and legitimacy.
Match the term to its correct definition.
A. Immigration
B. Refugees
C. Asylum Seeker
D. Internally Displaced Person (IDP)
E. Stateless Person
1 A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.
2 A person who moves to a foreign country for various reasons, including employment, education, or to be closer to family.
3 An individual who is seeking international protection but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been determined.
4 Someone who has been forced to flee their home but remains within their country’s borders.
5 An individual who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law.
1 B - Refugees
2 A - Immigration
3 C - Asylum Seeker
4 D - Internally Displaced Person (IDP)
5 E - Stateless Person
What is the primary difference between a refugee and an asylum seeker?
A. Refugees are officially recognized, while asylum seekers are waiting for their status to be determined.
B. Asylum seekers cannot apply for international protection.
C. Refugees can freely move back to their home country, while asylum seekers cannot.
D. There is no difference; both terms are interchangeable.
A. Refugees are officially recognized, while asylum seekers are waiting for their status to be determined.
Which of the following statements best describes internally displaced persons (IDPs)?
A. They have fled to a different country for safety.
B. They have the same legal protection as refugees.
C. They remain within their own country and often face similar risks as refugees.
D. They are individuals who have voluntarily moved to another place within their country for economic reasons.
C. They remain within their own country and often face similar risks as refugees.
Statelessness is often a result of:
A. Economic migration.
B. Climate change.
C. Discrimination and gaps in nationality laws.
D. A person’s decision to renounce their citizenship.
C. Discrimination and gaps in nationality laws.
Why is the distinction between economic migrants and refugees important?
A. It helps in providing the appropriate legal protections and support based on the reasons for displacement.
B. Economic migrants are not entitled to any form of protection.
C. Refugees are always prioritized for employment opportunities in the host country.
D. There is no significant distinction; all migrants should be treated equally regardless of their reasons for migration.
A. It helps in providing the appropriate legal protections and support based on the reasons for displacement.
Which organization was specifically created to support Palestinian refugees?
A. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
B. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
C. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
D. International Organization for Migration (IOM)
B. United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
What distinguishes Palestinian refugees from other refugee populations under international law?
A. Palestinian refugees do not seek asylum in other countries.
B. Palestinian refugees are under the jurisdiction of UNRWA, not UNHCR.
C. Palestinian refugees are the only group with a right to return to their homeland.
D. Palestinian refugees cannot receive assistance from international organizations.
B. Palestinian refugees are under the jurisdiction of UNRWA, not UNHCR.
