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9th out of 234 books
—
188 voters
Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide
A recognized Native American scholar and co-founder of INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, the largest grassroots, multiracial feminist organization in the country, Andrea Smith (Cherokee) is an emerging leader in progressive political circles. In Conquest, Smith places Native American women at the center of her analysis of sexual violence, challenging both convention...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
May 1st 2005
by South End Press
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Oct 10, 2012
tope
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
interested in american history or social justice (esp. anti-DV or anti-racism)
Smith's account of the many, many ways state and societal violence have been and continue to be perpetrated against indigenous people (focusing mostly on the Americas) is a difficult but necessary read. Seriously, all non-indigenous Americans should read this book. Longer thoughts coming.
eta:Conquest starts with the observation that sexual and reproductive violence against Native women are forms of racial and colonial violence, unpacking the various ways in which sexual violence "serves the goal...more
eta:Conquest starts with the observation that sexual and reproductive violence against Native women are forms of racial and colonial violence, unpacking the various ways in which sexual violence "serves the goal...more
Everyone should read this book.
Smith unpacks politics, economics, culture, sexuality, colonialism, and spirituality in this slim book. It's a searing indictment of the United States' policies toward American Indian people, and the consequences of colonialism upon the bodies of Native people - particularly women; particularly in terms of the systemic and personal violence they withstand.
The book has permanently shifted my perception of organizations I thought were doing good - Planned Parenthood,...more
Smith unpacks politics, economics, culture, sexuality, colonialism, and spirituality in this slim book. It's a searing indictment of the United States' policies toward American Indian people, and the consequences of colonialism upon the bodies of Native people - particularly women; particularly in terms of the systemic and personal violence they withstand.
The book has permanently shifted my perception of organizations I thought were doing good - Planned Parenthood,...more
Violence against Native American women and women of color is a marginalized issue, as is the topic of how colonialist/genocidal policies get internalized in corporate and state decision-making.
Smith asks why sexual violence is so prevalent in the U.S. in the first place, and provides historical answers.
Each chapter is direct, well-researched, and unsettling. Smith's scholarship on environmental racism, American Indian boarding schools, the appropriation and disrespect of Native American spiritua...more
Smith asks why sexual violence is so prevalent in the U.S. in the first place, and provides historical answers.
Each chapter is direct, well-researched, and unsettling. Smith's scholarship on environmental racism, American Indian boarding schools, the appropriation and disrespect of Native American spiritua...more
I'm astonished at both the scope and depth of this relatively slim volume - Andrea Smith covers everything from the secret histories of residential schools, to forced sterilizations in American Indian communities, to New Age spiritual appropriation and theft as a mechanism of colonialism charged with sexual violence. But this is no publish-or-perish anthropological survey, rather a call for systemic change meant to end sexual violence and empower native peoples everywhere. In addition, Smith is...more
The title says it. Andrea Smith writes with clarity and delivers her arguments with powerful evidence that can sometimes be very disturbing to read. After reading it, it feels like a central piece that was once missing in history's great puzzle is finally in place. She makes connections between feminism, current U.S. politics, history, environmental justice, and human rights. I would recommend this excellent book to everyone.
A severely horrific book about stuff most Native's hear about but don't know the extent of the extinction agenda being enacted upon us as a people. Women in this book, and in reality get it the worse. Violations on all fronts. Raped in every concievable way possible. I could go on and on but there is just so much in this book that saddens one's heart and spark a renewed anger. The language like most Native American books would even challange English born speakers into submission. That is the onl...more
Andrea Smith is brilliant and while i found some of this book to be a bit didactic mostly I think her writing is clear and straightforward. And boy is she pissed. With good reason.
This is an utterly eye-opening, fierce, and challenging book which makes a compelling link between sexual violence and American colonialism, both historical and contemporary. Some of what she writes about historical violence against American Indians was known to me, but her exploration of present-day abuses was much newer to me, surprising and horrifying. I was particularly struck by the chapters on environmental racism (and will be looking much more closely at the mail I get from the Sierra Clu...more
In this book, Smith examines how colonialism is tied to sexual violence and how that lense can be used to examine what has been done and is still being done to Native Americans, especially Native American women. This covers not just what we generally think of as sexual violence, but also cultural appropriation, environmental damage, and population control. It's a really excellent book and while it wasn't written in a casual manner, I found the language pretty easy to follow most of the time.
hoy shit overall. some parts were hella boring. too much statistics/repetitive facts. but other than that it was really great. some things are really obvious like control of land--and physical bodies being related (through capitalist critique) but i dont think her argument was necessarily about proving to ppl those connections exist. anyways, im almost done w it. cant believe ppl can be in such a state of cruel optimism at this historical point of complete crisis/doom.
This is one of my favorite feminist books. It's a good overview for those unfamiliar of some of the issues with colonialism and indigenous people generally, but native women in particular. The perspective is feminist/activist and Smith's narrative is very easy to follow. You'll come away feeling like you've learned something, and hopefully, will have some ideas for how to change the deplorable status quo.
This is a powerful book, and an important one to read, but it was very difficult for me to read. I only made it halfway through before I felt too traumatized to continue. I want to be clear, however, that this is an incredibly important book that needs and deserves to be read in order to understand fully the pain and torment our forefathers put Native Americans through, and how this chapter of history has been completely glossed over. I hope someday to be able to finish it.
A brief, interesting. sometimes-devastating overview of sexual violence and its link to colonial conquest and dominance in Indigineous American communities. I wish the author could have gone into more depth certain dynamics, but she provided unfamiliar readers such as myself with accessible summaries of complicated historical trends and traces them up to present-day.
this has a lot of really important things to say about sexual violence against native women in the united states (native women are more than twice as likely to be sexually assaulted than any other ethnic group). it's also full of a lot of conspiracy theory-the vaccines are killing us-pretty out there stuff. however, that's only a minor distraction from the cold, hard facts. worth understanding that the ripples and echoes of genocide continue in these women's lives today.
Smith writes an amazing book and the critical connections she makes are phenomenal. It was a difficult read for myself a white, middle-class priveleged woman but it certainly changed the way I look at the world and my responsibility for what has occured in history. I think this book provided one of those key turning points for me in that like slavery and contemporary racism, I can no longer say that I am not responsible but rather what am I going to do now that I recognize my role in the oppress...more
Had to read it for a college class... those are hours I will never get back. I kind of think the author is kind of nuts, trying to tie in colonization with how we treat Native American women today. She then jumps around to other atrocities that occurred in times past, and tries to tie them to today... I just don't buy it.
Nov 01, 2008
Ciara
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
feminists, folks interested in the intersection of race & gender, community activists, indians
LOVE this book! go read it right now! andrea smith writes an INCREDIBLE book about the sexual violence practiced against all american indians in the last 500 years, & especially indian women. it was published by boston's own south end press, which made me so proud to live in boston. this book blew mymind--well-researched, passionate, straightforward, full of important information, & best of all, smith uses her brilliant mind to brainstorm solutions to many of the problems she addresses,...more
An eye-opening piece of non-fiction that discusses the genocide committed against American Indians, in particular the sexist genocide consisting of sexual violence (rape, forced sterilization) and slaughter of American Indian women. Compelling and shocking; this is an important read.
This book blew me away. I encourage anyone to read this who has any questions whatsoever about the History of the United States and specifically the interactions of colonizers on indigenous populations. Really the best book I've read in the last year.
Jul 26, 2012
Concetta Lowery
added it
One of the main reasons I became interested in rape/sexual violence particularly towards Native women. I love theh history, philosophy, and contemporary view of the ongoing issue in Indian County.
Excellent book. Smith illustrates why it isn't always a great idea to rely on mechanisms of state power in opposing violence against women--it is the state that often perpetuates such violence.
Nov 30, 2011
Sage Gonzalez
added it
I really like this book because it examines to psychological, physical, and emotional aspects of genocide on native people. It really puts into perspective the on-going struggle of people of color.
This book was extremely informative and thought provoking. Much of the book made truly sad and angry with American and Canadian policies.
devastating and unrelenting. This book of essays will shake to complacent from their seats.
Amazing, eye opening, heart renching. Everyone should read this book, everyone should know.
Mar 31, 2009
Scott Neigh
added it
Reviewed here.
There were ideas I was not in agreement with but overall, an interesting view on the subtle forms of oppression and conquest that continue even today..
Simply amazing. Folks should read this in high school.
Essential read for anyone who works within human, social, feminist, political rights frameworks. Really challenging concepts towards feminism, body politics, domestic violence, colonialism, nationalism, sovereignty, spirituality and transparency. Well written, page turner.
Powerful!
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Andrea Smith is a Cherokee intellectual, feminist, and anti-violence activist. Smith's work focuses on issues of violence against women of color and their communities, specifically Native American women.
Along with Nadine Naber, she co-founded INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence in 2000, and she plays a prominent role in its National Planning Committee. INCITE! is a national grassroots organiza...more
More about Andrea Lee Smith...
Along with Nadine Naber, she co-founded INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence in 2000, and she plays a prominent role in its National Planning Committee. INCITE! is a national grassroots organiza...more
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Sep 24, 2012 03:10pm