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A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...

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Deterritorialization helps the historian realize how <strong>German</strong>y and Africa were interrelated<br />

within the colonial system, a realization frequently ignored by other colonial histories.<br />

111<br />

The specificity and historicity of this study of <strong>German</strong> colonialism admittedly<br />

qualifies extrapolations to imperialism in general. Nonetheless, notions important for the<br />

study of imperialism flow logically from this particular investigation. This study has<br />

proved Galtung’s structural conception of imperialism to be correct. In seeing<br />

imperialism as an accretion of elements, social, cultural, economic and political, the most<br />

comprehensive image of imperialism can emerge. By stressing variation, syncretism,<br />

negotiation and composite forms, Deleuze and Guattari’s vision encourages generative<br />

and mutative histories of imperialism. Through this analysis of the broad reaches of<br />

colonialism, Spivak’s contention that Deleuze and Guattari essentialize imperialism<br />

becomes questionable. 8<br />

Deterritorialization is further helpful in capturing the social and economic<br />

dimensions of imperialism. Deterritorialization locates the important role of social<br />

groups in the colonial expansion. Social desires to create or re-establish society in the<br />

colonies formed a vital element of <strong>German</strong> colonialism and African resistance. Similarly,<br />

different social groups displayed very different actions in deterritorialization and<br />

reterritorialization. Finally, deterritorialization illustrates how much of the interaction<br />

between and within colonialism was socially constituted. In economic matters, the<br />

authors’ formulation establishes the importance of capitalist modes of exchange within<br />

imperialism. This study of <strong>German</strong> colonialism in light of the deterritorializing power of<br />

capital has placed economic motivations at the centre of the expansion. As well,<br />

economics have a guiding role in determining the exact course of the conquest. It was

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