Colonial genocides : Aborigines in Queensland, 1840-1897, and Hereros in South West Africa, 1884-1906
Studies of genocide rarely move beyond the Holocaust (1939-1945) and the Aimenian genocide (1915-1917), and few make comparative analyses ofdifferentcases. This study seeks to develop understanding of which economic, political and social conditions give rise to a specific type of genocide - colonial genocides. An in depth study is made of the genocide of Aborigines in Queensland (1840-1897) and this is systematically compared to a briefer study of the genocide of the Hereros in South West Africa (1884-1906). Of the factors compared, four are verified by both cases, albeit with certain modifications. A common argument is made that genocide is preempted where the victim group is needed as labour for the perpetrator society. Neither case supported this factor: rather, it was found that the genocide continued despite this need. Whilst these factors provided necessary conditions for genocide, they were not sufficient to explain why genocide had been pursued rather than policies of assimilation or expulsion. Hence the role of ideologies and popular perceptions in Britain and Germany, and their colonial purposes, were examined to explain their different roles in the genocides. The particular forms of ideologies and
Palmer, Alison Elizabeth
History
Colonial genocides : Aborigines in Queensland, 1840-1897, and Hereros in South West Africa, 1884-1906. Studies of genocide rarely move beyond the Holocaust (1939-1945) and the Aimenian genocide (1915-1917), and few make comparative analyses ofdifferentcases. This study seeks to develop understanding of which economic, political and social conditions give rise to a specific type of genocide - colonial genocides. An in depth study is made of the genocide of Aborigines in Queensland (1840-1897) and this is systematically compared to a briefer study of the genocide of the Hereros in South West Africa (1884-1906). Of the factors compared, four are verified by both cases, albeit with certain modifications. A common argument is made that genocide is preempted where the victim group is needed as labour for the perpetrator society. Neither case supported this factor: rather, it was found that the genocide continued despite this need. Whilst these factors provided necessary conditions for genocide, they were not sufficient to explain why genocide had been pursued rather than policies of assimilation or expulsion. Hence the role of ideologies and popular perceptions in Britain and Germany, and their colonial purposes, were examined to explain their different roles in the genocides. The particular forms of ideologies and
colonial genocide south west_africa studies genocide rarely move_beyond holocaust genocide make comparative_analysis study_seek develop economic_political social_condition give_rise specific_type genocide colonial genocide depth_study make genocide systematically compare study genocide south west_africa factor compare case albeit certain modification common argument_make genocide victim group need labour perpetrator society neither case support factor rather find genocide continue despite need whilst factor provide_necessary condition genocide sufficient explain genocide pursue rather policy assimilation expulsion hence role ideology popular_perception britain_germany colonial purpose_examine explain different role genocide particular_form ideology