Description
Colonizing Animals: Interspecies Empire in Myanmar offers a innovative perspective on British imperialism by centering the experiences and labor of animals within colonial systems. Jonathan Saha demonstrates how the colonization of Burma was inseparable from the control and commodification of its animal populations, particularly elephants who were essential to timber extraction and military operations.
Through detailed historical analysis, Saha reveals how colonial administrators developed new practices of animal governance, classification, and surveillance that reshaped both ecosystems and human societies. The book challenges traditional imperial histories by showing that animals were not merely resources or backdrop, but active participants whose behavior, needs, and resistance shaped colonial projects and policies.
This interdisciplinary work bridges animal studies, environmental history, and postcolonial studies, offering valuable insights into how power operates across species boundaries and how examining animal histories illuminates previously hidden dimensions of colonialism.
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