The shifting forms of continental colonialism: An introduction

Abstract

Colonialism is not simply, or even mainly, an overseas phenomenon nor is it a thing of the past. Delving into these complexities this chapter provides the reader with a general insight into the scholarship of modern colonialism highlighting recent discourses in colonial and postcolonial studies. While addressing various forms and types of colonialism from historical and anthropological perspectives, definitions are offered and accepted notions from the anthropology of colonialism are challenged in order to sharpen our analytical lens. Introducing an array of colonial examples worldwide, focus is laid on the differences in concept and meaning between continental and overseas colonialism on the one hand and between internal colonialism and political regionalism on the other discussing in particular the overlapping of class and colonial exploitation.