settlerera

Settlerera is a term used in historical and post-colonial studies to denote a period characterized by the expansion of settler populations and the establishment of settler-led political and legal institutions in colonized regions. The word combines settler with the suffix era to indicate a distinct phase in the timeline of colonial expansion. The term is not universally standardized, and its dating and regional scope vary among scholars.

It is commonly invoked to distinguish a settlement-driven phase from other periods of colonial rule, such as centralized imperial administration or extractive economies, and is often discussed within the broader framework of settler colonialism, which emphasizes the replacement or restructuring of Indigenous governance and land use by settlers.

Core features commonly associated with a settlerera include displacement or marginalization of Indigenous populations, the establishment of permanent settlements, the creation of legal and property regimes favorable to settlers, and the integration of local economies with metropolitan centers. In many cases, infrastructural development, land surveys, and treaty-making or legal arrangements accompany this phase.

Regional scope and terminology: The concept has been used to describe multiple regions, including parts of North America, Australasia, and other areas where settler populations established political sovereignty over Indigenous lands. The dating of a settlerera is region-specific and often contested.

Critique and discussion: Some scholars caution that labeling a broad "settlerera" risks oversimplifying diverse local histories or foregrounding settler perspectives at the expense of Indigenous narratives.

See also: Settler colonialism, Indigenous peoples, Land rights, Treaty.