Germany's overseas colonial empire was relatively short lived, lasting from 1884 to 1918. During this period, dramatically different policies were enacted in the colonies: in Southwest Africa, German troops carried out a brutal slaughter of the Herero people; in Samoa, authorities pursued a paternalistic defense of native culture; in Qingdao, China, policy veered between harsh racism and cultural exchange.
Why did the same colonizing power act in such differing ways? In
The Devil's Handwriting, George Steinmetz tackles this question through a brilliant cross-cultural analysis of German colonialism, leading to a new conceptualization of the colonial state and postcolonial theory. Steinmetz uncovers the roots of colonial behavior in precolonial European ethnographies, where the Hereros were portrayed as cruel and inhuman, the Samoans were idealized as "noble savages," and depictions of Chinese culture were mixed. The effects of status competition among colonial officials, colonizers' identification with their subjects, and the different strategies of cooperation and resistance offered by the colonized are also scrutinized in this deeply nuanced and ambitious comparative history.
In contrast to
Amazon and other book retailers,
who might also feature The Devil's Handwriting within their extensive online inventories,
our focus at BulkBooks.com is on dealing with bulk orders while providing personalized service.
With our amazing team of friendly professionals, Price Matching, and our user-friendly
Quote form,
we aim to simplify and expedite your bulk book purchasing process.
Should you wish to interact with a person while placing your bulk order for The Devil's Handwriting?
We have a Bulk Book Specialist available to help, poised and prepared to assist you.
Chat us or
Contact us now!
Dimensions (WxH):
6.17 x 8.91
Publisher:
University of Chicago Press
Publication Date:
December 01, 2007