Introduction
The controversial and thought-provoking essay “Crimes against Humanity” by Ward Churchill was published in 2001. In the essay, Churchill looks at how Indigenous peoples have been treated historically and currently in the United States, paying particular attention to the effects of colonization and American government policies. When discussing the essay, several sources can be used to demonstrate the oppression of the Indigenous populations in the past and its continuing presence in modern times.
Sources Illustrating the Suppression of Indigenous Communities
North American Genocides
The first resource that can be applied is the book by Whitt and Clarke, published in 2019. The book emphasizes how the oppression of Indian Americans is a “massive historical trauma and violence” (Whitt & Clarke, 2019, p.9). The reason why this source is crucial is that it shows how such practices destroy group viability. Consequently, one sees a failure to recognize Indigenous culture and accommodate Indian Americans with the necessary rights.
Making the Case for Genocide
Another crucial source is the 2020 article written by Carranza Ko. Here, the author focuses on research on forced sterilization in America and how the studies look at this horror through the lens of sexual rights violations (Carranza Ko, 2020). Moreover, the writer emphasizes the role of human perceptions in the context of cultural inferiority, which is crucial when analyzing crimes against humanity.
Race, Language, and the Passive Voice
The third source is the 2020 article published by Jimenez. Here, the writer accentuates the role of the criminalization of cultures and how racial prejudices have endured into the modern era. The source can be used because it shows the use of literary devices and provoking explanations of violence are used to justify bias (Jimenez, 2020).
Base Built in the Middle of ‘Rice Fields’
Finally, the 2022 article by Nishiyama investigates the role that ignorance plays in modern imperial international affairs and island politics (Nishiyama, 2022). The source is vital to explain modern-time atrocities and disregarding the presence of non-white Indigenous people and communities.
Conclusion
In summary, when discussing the essay, a number of sources can be cited to illustrate both the historical and contemporary oppression of Indigenous populations. The book written in 2019 by Whitt and Clarke is the first applicable resource. Carranza Ko’s 2020 article is another important source. The Jimenez article from 2020 serves as the third source. Lastly, Nishiyama’s article from 2022 explores the part ignorance plays.
References
Carranza Ko, Ñ. P. (2020). Making the case for genocide, the forced sterilization of indigenous peoples of Peru. Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal, 14(2), 90-103. Web.
Jimenez, J. (2020). Race, Language, and the Passive Voice: Hardship narratives in US Social Studies Textbooks from 1860 to the present. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 11(2), 1-26. Web.
Nishiyama, H. (2022). Base built in the middle of ‘Rice fields’: A politics of ignorance in Okinawa. Geopolitics, 27(2), 546-565. Web.
Whitt, L., & Clarke, A. W. (2019). North American genocides: Indigenous nations, settler colonialism, and international law. Cambridge University Press.