settler

A settler is a person who moves to and establishes a residence in a territory claimed by a state or power other than their own, with the intention of remaining and forming a community there. In colonial contexts, settlers occupy land that is often governed or inhabited by Indigenous peoples. The term emphasizes ongoing presence and the establishment of social, political, and economic institutions in a new homeland, rather than temporary residency or short-term work.

Etymology and usage: The word derives from settle, and has been used in various historical periods to describe populations that establish long-term communities in new territories. In contemporary discourse, “settler” is frequently contrasted with indigenous or native populations to highlight differing claims to land and sovereignty.

Historical context: The term is commonly applied to frontier and colonial settings from the early modern era onward, including European settlement in the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as other regions where colonizing populations established towns, farms, and governance structures. Settlement often occurred in tandem with legal changes, forced displacement, or assimilation policies affecting Indigenous communities and land rights.

Modern usage and scholarly perspective: In postcolonial and Indigenous studies, the concept of settler colonialism describes a structural framework in which settlers seek to replace Indigenous sovereignty through land acquisition and the establishment of a lasting settler state. Scholars such as Patrick Wolfe have argued that settler colonization is an ongoing condition rather than a completed event, shaping political and legal realities over time.

See also: Settler colonialism, Indigenous peoples, Colonialism, Land rights, Migration.