Settler Colonialism in Ungreen, Climate-Unfriendly Disguise and As a Tool for Genocide

More recently, the concept of settler colonialism has come to be used increasingly in analyses of the colonial relationships between the Swedish state, the Swedes, and the Sámi. The history of interaction is complex, as the territory has been shared for millennia. The concept of settler colonialism...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Öhman, May-Britt
Format: Book Part
Language:English
Published: Uppsala universitet, Centrum för mångvetenskaplig forskning om rasism (CFR) 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-521530
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Summary:More recently, the concept of settler colonialism has come to be used increasingly in analyses of the colonial relationships between the Swedish state, the Swedes, and the Sámi. The history of interaction is complex, as the territory has been shared for millennia. The concept of settler colonialism is nevertheless useful to apply to strategies that aim to displace Indigenous rights to the lands and waters and replace them with those of the settlers, as if the settlers hold equal and/or authentic rights as heirs. Furthermore, a specific way of life—that of the settler—takes precedence, whereas nomadic lifestyles are considered to be outside of the normal way. The colonial state’s ethnic cleansing of Sámi forms part of these settler-colonial practices, within which racism has been, and still is, used as a tool. In this essay, I discuss some of the perspectives on “climate change” and “green transition” I have come across within my research and supradisciplinary collaboration over the last two decades. I also argue for the use of the concept of (cultural) genocide as a basis for discussing the Swedish state’s actions and policies regarding the Indigenous Sámi. Svensk titel: Bosättarkolonialism i ogrön, klimatovänlig förklädnad och som redskap för folkmord “Safe and Sustainable Energy Futures in Sápmi” (FORMAS dnr 201601039) “Dálkke: Indigenous Climate Change Studies” (FORMAS dnr 2017-01923) “Living Without Oil?! Rethinking Relations with Lands and Waters with Indigenous Land Based Expertise for a Transition Toward a Fossil-Free Welfare Society” (FORMAS dnr 2019-01975) 'Sijddaj mahttsat' means 'coming home' in Lule Sámi' (Vetenskapsrådet dnr 2021-03080)