A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...

problems of colonial history, but also serve as a caution about some of the dangers of the
writing of comprehensive history.
Echoing Thomas’ belief that only the specific inquiry can reveal the general, this
study focuses upon the German African colonies in order to represent one facet of
colonialism, yet shed light on the multiple articulations of the power dynamics of
colonialism. 78 With regard to the perspective of this analysis, the descriptive dimensions
of Deleuze and Guattari’s work will be manifest in the application of deterritorialization
to the theme of expansion in the German African colonies. In this manner, the very
elements of German colonialism can be deterritorialized from their context and given
new voice through Deleuze and Guattari’s theories. By applying these theories to this
historical issue, while emphasizing change throughout history, this project is also an
attempt to refute Deleuze and Guattari’s claim that “history is always written from a
sedentary point of view.” 79 This refutation in the shape of historical exploration will be
evident in the next chapter’s examination of the shifting relations between Germany and
Africa in the social and cultural manifestations of colonial expansion.
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