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Because it is There: Cartography, Mountaineering and the Colonization of Chomolungma Item Info

The first ascent of Chomolungma (also known as Mount Everest) is often characterized in popular and academic literature alike as an act of “conquest,” an event preceded by a series of unsuccessful “assaults.” Instead, though critical analysis of expeditionary accounts, memoirs, imperial correspondence, and contemporary print culture, this thesis argues that the history of mountaineering on “Mount Everest” is better described as a process of colonization. This process began with the British “discovery” of the mountain and its construction as terra nullius onto which a European name was imprinted. It was imbricated with other colonial enterprises, notably the colonization and mapping of India, and was made possible through direct acts of military coercion. Rather than mere beneficiaries of the colonization, mountaineers were active and crucial participants in it transforming Mount Everest into a space for performances of masculinity, nationalism, and empire.

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Title:
Because it is There: Cartography, Mountaineering and the Colonization of Chomolungma
Creator:
Laferriere, David
Date Created:
2024
Degree Awarded:
Master of Arts
Subjects:
Australia -- History Europe -- History Oceania -- History History Modern Asia -- History
Geographical Focus:
Tibet
Supporting Materials:
n/a
Description:
The first ascent of Chomolungma (also known as Mount Everest) is often characterized in popular and academic literature alike as an act of “conquest,” an event preceded by a series of unsuccessful “assaults.” Instead, though critical analysis of expeditionary accounts, memoirs, imperial correspondence, and contemporary print culture, this thesis argues that the history of mountaineering on “Mount Everest” is better described as a process of colonization. This process began with the British “discovery” of the mountain and its construction as terra nullius onto which a European name was imprinted. It was imbricated with other colonial enterprises, notably the colonization and mapping of India, and was made possible through direct acts of military coercion. Rather than mere beneficiaries of the colonization, mountaineers were active and crucial participants in it transforming Mount Everest into a space for performances of masculinity, nationalism, and empire.
Source
Preferred Citation:
Laferriere, David. Because it is There: Cartography, Mountaineering and the Colonization of Chomolungma. 2024. Carleton University, Master of Arts.
Reference Link:
https://cuhistory.github.io/grads/items/hist_348.html
Rights
Rights:
Copyright the author, all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
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