Inland Empire: Settler Colonialism and Modern Architecture in Southern

Inland Empire: Settler Colonialism and Modern Architecture in Southern is the first volume of the Global And Insurgent Legalities Ser. This history and architecture text examines the Aguas Calientes Spa in Palm Springs to illustrate how mid-century design reinforced settler hegemony. Manuel Shvartzberg Carrió analyzes how modernist architecture facilitated the appropriation of Indigenous land and water resources while ignoring Native American territorial sovereignty.

The book explores the intersection of modern architecture and settler colonialism, focusing on the Cahuilla community. Through archival research, the author demonstrates how architectural paradigms promoted the false narrative of empty desert lands. Inland Empire: Settler Colonialism and Modern Architecture in Southern documents the tension between historic buildings conservation and Indigenous resistance against assimilation. This scholarly work provides a critical look at land tenure and human ecology in North America.