Discovering Indigenous Lands PDF | Doctrine of Discovery & Colonial Law

Discovering Indigenous Lands: The Doctrine of Discovery in the English Colonies PDF

Examine the historical and legal development of the doctrine of discovery and its role in European claims over Indigenous lands and peoples.

This book studies colonial uses of the doctrine in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, connecting religious and ethnocentric ideas of European superiority with claims to property, sovereignty, political authority, and commercial control.

Written by Indigenous legal academics connected to the Eastern Shawnee, Māori, Aboriginal Australian, and Cree communities, the volume brings Indigenous perspectives to the history and continuing legal significance of the doctrine.

Digital edition details

• PDF digital edition
• Topics include Indigenous land rights, colonial law, sovereignty, property, and the doctrine of discovery
• Geographic coverage includes the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
• Useful for Indigenous studies, legal history, colonial history, international law, and human rights research
• Readable on a phone, tablet, computer, or e-reader
• No physical item is shipped

Research context: The doctrine of discovery is a contested legal and historical framework with continuing consequences. Read the book alongside Indigenous scholarship, legal decisions, archival evidence, and the perspectives of the communities whose lands and sovereignty are discussed.