Colonial and Postcolonial Experience

The colonization of Latin America and the Caribbean followed the European discovery of the Americas. As the first wave of Western colonialism, the majority of the nations of Latin America had already won their independence from Spain and Portugal before colonialism had fully taken root in other parts of the world. But colonialism lasted longer in the Caribbean and its legacy lingers in Latin America. Special attention is paid to colonial society, which bore little resemblance to the indigenous societies but was a major influence on Latin American societies. An indispensable resource for students of history or Latin America.

While the British became the dominant colonial power in South Asia, the Dutch, Portuguese, and French also initially vied for control of the region. This volume traces the rise of European influence in South Asia with an in-depth discussion of the path to colonialism and various facets of colonial rule. It contains a history of resistance to colonial rule, discusses how the people of South Asia won their independence, and how explains how the region evolved after independence-including the partition of India and Bangladesh's separation from Pakistan. Readers will come away with an understanding of how colonialism shaped South Asia today.

Much of East Asia and Southeast Asia were unaffected by colonialism until the 19th century, when European nations, the United States, and Japan spread their influence and control throughout the continent of Asia. This resource traces the impact of foreign rule on the region, gaining insight into the many wars and policies that affected the local people, economy, and society. Though most of the modern-day countries of East and Southeast Asia gained independence in the wake of World War II, when Japan was defeated and the Allied powers began to lose control of their colonies, the impact of colonialism lingers on.

Colonialism in the Middle East came from within for many centuries, as the Ottoman Empire dominated the region until the end of World War I. Great Britain and France imposed mandates over several of the Arab provinces, beginning a trend of Western interference across the region. This resource documents the complex colonial history of the Middle East, the establishment of autonomous countries across the region, and the struggles each country faced in the early postcolonial years. Important events and key figures are documented, illustrating how the region's colonial history continues to affect its modern politics, societies, economies, and international relations.

By the early twentieth century, nearly the entire continent of Africa had been divided up between European powers. This volume traces the history of colonialism in each of Africa's regions, as well as the fight for independence and the challenges of establishing viable nations after years languishing under the colonial yoke. The political, economic, and social elements of colonialism are all explored. The title also delves into the patterns in European-African interactions that led to colonialism, including the slave trade and the ivory trade. A comprehensive, wide-ranging reference volume.