A Meaningful Subjection: Coercive Inequality and Indigenous Political Economy in the Colonial Northeast

In this lunchtime talk, NERFC fellow Peter Olsen-Harbich will discuss his dissertation project, which offers an original interpretation of the relationship between Europeans and Northeastern Native Americans. His time at the CMCH will be spent looking at the Wyllys and Wolcott Papers, and the underappreciated role played by the Connecticut Council in building a unified Indian policy. He’ll also examine the Samson Occom papers, a vital source for Southern New England Algonquian life in the late 18th century. His research seeks to reassess the effect of inequality and coercion on many aspects of colonial life, including the subsistence of early colonies; the attempted incorporation of these colonies into indigenous “confederacies”; the adoption of European material culture by indigenous elites; and the mobilization of indigenous men as allies in imperial wars.

We will provide coffee and dessert; bring your lunch to enjoy during the talk. Please RSVP by calling (860) 236-5621 x238 or emailing [email protected]. Questions? Contact Natalie Belanger, Adult Programs Manager, at [email protected].

Free for members; free with admission for non-members.