"Understanding Settler Colonialism: A Brief Overview"
The concept of settler colonialism, originating in academia, has surged in use over the past two decades and is now widely taken up on the activist left, applied to various subjects including Israel. While some see it as a useful analytic concept to illuminate similarities and differences across societies, others view it as a dangerously simplistic view of history. The term generally refers to a form of colonialism in which existing inhabitants of a territory are displaced by settlers who establish a permanent society with privileged status enshrined in law. The idea has deep roots in Native American studies and has spread into various scholarly circles, as well as being embraced by the activist left for drawing connections across a broad range of issues.
