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Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'
Not a Nation of Immigrants: Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
4 reviews
readingwithcoffee's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Comments on Audiobook Specifically: Shaun Taylor-Corbett performs the book wonderfully, his trump voice when quoting is both honestly fairly accurate and also funny but not distracting, his Spanish accent is good when Spanish names and word come up.
My Only Criticism: I don’t hold this against the author bc soooo many Mexican Americans have invested in Cesar Chavez being not just not polarizing but a Saint people don’t like and actively accuse you as anti Mexican American or “too woke” or self hating for talking about Chavez as very important man who hated immigrant farm workers. He only changed his position because the young upcoming Chicano movement that was less removed from Mexico and being children of immigrants and did politics actually involving Mexico made him shut up and change the organization but he called migrants wet backs and meant it as a slur whatever someone who’s not immigrant and family never crossed or been here so and so generations might claim. He was furious at Chicanos who supported them and there’s even stories from migrants and others how he and another guy from the organization who viewed im groaned as scabs and strike breakers (not unlike poor whites frankly) encouraged border patrol and themselves sometimes patrolled areas with a gun and assaulted some. Like the book discusses him being anti immigrant but it was much worse even if him and Dolores have actively cleaned up their views as it became deeply unpopular very quickly around them.
Also the book is so concise and covers sooo many centuries of history and touches Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America relative to the United States, so I understand not wanting to dedicate pages to dissecting Chicano ethnic nationalism that’s anti indigenous and anti black but basically a spin off of how Mexico the state sees race and ethnonationalism, especially because I think the book talking about how their mythic land claim overlaps with existing Native American tribes literal reservations was meant to show how it can be, but I really think the book should have been more critical especially how Chicano version mestizaje also contributes to anti indigenous pan Indian myths. Though she did liken it explicitly as similar to Hispano’s self indigenizing to get away from settler guilt and claim indigenous things.
Otherwise deeply wonderful book and so concise while covering so much ground, a lot of history books could take notes.
My Only Criticism: I don’t hold this against the author bc soooo many Mexican Americans have invested in Cesar Chavez being not just not polarizing but a Saint people don’t like and actively accuse you as anti Mexican American or “too woke” or self hating for talking about Chavez as very important man who hated immigrant farm workers. He only changed his position because the young upcoming Chicano movement that was less removed from Mexico and being children of immigrants and did politics actually involving Mexico made him shut up and change the organization but he called migrants wet backs and meant it as a slur whatever someone who’s not immigrant and family never crossed or been here so and so generations might claim. He was furious at Chicanos who supported them and there’s even stories from migrants and others how he and another guy from the organization who viewed im groaned as scabs and strike breakers (not unlike poor whites frankly) encouraged border patrol and themselves sometimes patrolled areas with a gun and assaulted some. Like the book discusses him being anti immigrant but it was much worse even if him and Dolores have actively cleaned up their views as it became deeply unpopular very quickly around them.
Also the book is so concise and covers sooo many centuries of history and touches Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America relative to the United States, so I understand not wanting to dedicate pages to dissecting Chicano ethnic nationalism that’s anti indigenous and anti black but basically a spin off of how Mexico the state sees race and ethnonationalism, especially because I think the book talking about how their mythic land claim overlaps with existing Native American tribes literal reservations was meant to show how it can be, but I really think the book should have been more critical especially how Chicano version mestizaje also contributes to anti indigenous pan Indian myths. Though she did liken it explicitly as similar to Hispano’s self indigenizing to get away from settler guilt and claim indigenous things.
Otherwise deeply wonderful book and so concise while covering so much ground, a lot of history books could take notes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Hate crime and Colonisation
lee_noel's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.5
A vital look at the truth behind the lie of “A nation of immigrants”. While the text is dense, the audiobook recording was well done and easier to absorb. This book takes a close look at the long history of European, British, and American colonialism both within the current borders of the United States and beyond. From the continuing genocide of indigenous peoples of the Americas to the Irish fleeing British imperialism unknowingly into American imperialism, to refugees of American wars across the globe, Not “a Nation of Immigrants” aptly, holistically, and individually reflects on the compounding impacts of settler colonialism on everyone, including those who unknowingly perpetuate the colonizing of indigenous peoples and lands. A very important book for all settlers of Turtle Island.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, War, Gun violence, Antisemitism, Deportation, Police brutality, Racism, Mass/school shootings, Colonisation, Genocide, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, and Slavery
stevia333k's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
This book clarified a lot of discussions I've had historically & why I run into racists too much. It gave me some ideas on how to handle white guilt to say the least of it. Seriously, the section about "self-indigenation" was very important, along with the stories given to various ethnic groups.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Genocide, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Mass/school shootings, Police brutality, Sexism, Slavery, and Torture
aubreyhi's review
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
4.75
This is an excellent book to read today. A dense history of settlers in what is now the United States. A good frame for thinking about immigration, race, and colonization. It will be off-putting to those not already aware of the history, as the author does not hide her anger at the continued myth-making of America. She brings all the receipts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
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