The theory and practice of indigenous dispossession in the late nineteenth century: the Saami in the far north of Europe and the legal history of colonialism

The dispossession of indigenous peoples is one of the central issues of the post-colonial world. The purpose of this article is to explore the Saami dispossession in the nineteenth century in the far North of Europe through a comparative approach. By comparing the theory and practice of the Saami dispossession with examples from Oceania, North America and Africa, this article analyses the role of legal and anthropological doctrines in the process of dispossession. Linking the history of colonialism with the idea of progress inherent in Western historical thought, it follows the complex convergence and transfer of ideas of property and indigenous rights that still influence debates on indigenous land rights.