The Domination Chronicles

Listen to our discussion of the North American Roman Catholic bishops’ Doctrine of Discovery

Steven Newcomb — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:45:59 GMT

In this episode, Peter interviews Steve about a three-day conference Steve attended, 26 to 29 May 2026, in Edmonton, Alberta, billed as a Knowledge-Sharing Symposium on the Doctrine of Discovery, hosted by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Where Are We Now? Why Domination Is the Beginning of the Conversation, Not the End

Steven Newcomb — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:17:37 GMT

Our conversation starts by noting how “domination” and “discovery” are often presented as memes, slogans. The problem is that memes and slogans appear as if they were the outcome of research and conversation. In fact, memes and slogans skip over research and conversation.

Memes and slogans about “domination” and “discovery” are superficial allusions to c…

“Tribal Sovereignty” 101: Why Words Matter

Peter d'Errico — Mon, 25 May 2026 22:57:54 GMT

In this episode, we take up a phrase that circulates constantly in legal, political, and activist discourse: “tribal sovereignty.” At first glance, the phrase sounds powerful. It appears to affirm Native nations and peoples as self-governing, independent, and enduring. But when we look closely at how the phrase functions inside federal anti-Indian law, …

How Students are Directed Away from Insights about Domination

Steven Newcomb — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:44:06 GMT

I recently purchased a nearly twenty-year-old college political science textbook at a local thrift shop. The book was used at Los Angeles City College for a course titled “Political Science 1, Government & Politics of the United States. The book’s title is, Struggle for Democracy (2007), by Edward S. Greenberg and Benjamin I. Page.

Chapter 1 is titled, “…

LORETTA AFRAID OF BEAR-COOK: LIVING IN OGLALA LAKOTA COMMUNITY

Steven Newcomb — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:33:27 GMT

We’re very glad to share a new episode of Domination Chronicles featuring Loretta Afraid of Bear-Cook, an Oglala Lakota elder whose life and work are grounded in language, tradition, community, and service.

A Promised Land

Steven Newcomb — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:44:29 GMT

What an interesting coincidence that former U.S. President Barack Obama titled his 2020 memoir A Promised Land and I titled my 2008 book Pagans in the Promised Land: Decoding the Doctrine of Christian Discovery.

In a 60 Minutes interview, Obama explained why he chose that title:

The Fiction of Plenary Power a Conversation with Mark Savage

Steven Newcomb — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 01:49:10 GMT

There are some doctrines in American law that have been repeated so often they begin to sound inevitable. Plenary power is one of them.

Legalized Lawlessness: Bruce McIvor on Colonial Power, the Doctrine of Discovery, and the Fraud of Reconciliation

Steven Newcomb — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:31:01 GMT

In our newest episode of Domination Chronicles, we sit down with Bruce McIvor—lawyer, historian, and founder of First Peoples Law—for a conversation that cuts to the core of colonial domination in Canada. Bruce argues that too often the legal profession hides behind complexity, when in fact one of its deepest responsibilities should be helping non-lawye…

Colonists, Settlers, Invaders, Expansionists, Immigrants — why the words matter

Steven Newcomb — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:49:48 GMT

In Episode 16 of Domination Chronicles, we take up a question that is never merely semantic: What do we call the waves of non‑Native people who poured into Indigenous territories—often with government support, armed protection, and an explicit goal of pushing Native nations off their lands? We critique a recent Economist piece that (in our view) misuses…

Billie Eilish Repeats a Meme at the Grammys: “No One Is Illegal on Stolen Land”

Steven Newcomb — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:44:13 GMT

John Gast’s Painting of “Manifest Destiny [of Domination]” (1872)

At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Billie Eilish caused a furor and received fierce ridicule and push back when she repeated the meme, “No one is illegal on stolen land.” The word “illegal” in that slogan obviously refers to the massive upheaval that happened regarding acts of domination exhibited…

“STOLEN LAND”: THE DANGER AND LIMITATION OF PERFORMATIVE SPEECH

Steven Newcomb — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 21:00:01 GMT

In Episode 15, “STOLEN LAND”: The Danger and Limitation of Performative Speech, we start with a flashpoint in pop culture: the Grammys furor after the phrase “no one is illegal on stolen land,” and the fast pushback that tried to shut the conversation down. But the public clash is not the real issue.

Limited-Time Offer: Join for Just $5

Steven Newcomb — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:05:42 GMT

Limited-Time Offer: Join Us for Just $5 — Thank You for Making This Possible

To all of our loyal supporters who have been subscribing at the $7 level: thank you. Your commitment, encouragement, and steady support have enabled me to expand our work and open the door for even more readers to join this growing community.

For a limited time, I am offering a s…

TRUTH BEFORE RECONCILIATION: A CONVERSATION WITH RUSSELL DIABO

Steven Newcomb — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 19:29:45 GMT

Physics, Reality, and Human Consciousness

Steven Newcomb — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:44:10 GMT

Physics, Reality, and Human Consciousness

My father Tom attended college in Oregon in the late 1950s and early 1960s. I recently stumbled upon my dad’s old physics textbook, which is simply titled Physics (Boston: D. C. Heath and Co., 1951), authored by N. C. Little. When I flipped open the cover, I saw my dad’s handwritten formula notes.

At the opening o…

The Federal Indian Boarding School Report: Apology, Assimilation, and Ongoing Domination

Adam DJ Brett — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 20:20:02 GMT

An Upcoming Fifty-Year Retrospective (1977-2027)

Steven Newcomb — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 20:04:59 GMT

Indigenous Peoples Representatives Entering the Palais des Nations in Geneva for the Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, United Nations Offices in Geneva (1977) Photo from Peace House.net

The Newcomb Domination Translator

Here’s how the translator works:

· Place the word “domination” in brackets after a word or phr…

Erasing Evidence of Domination

Steven Newcomb — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:44:14 GMT

U.S. National Parks Service workers were recently directed to remove a history display at George Washington’s House Site in Philadelphia. The display provided specific biographical information about slaves who were the property of George Washington. The current U.S. administration decided that the display was contrary to the Trump administration’s desir…

2026 - The Year Ahead

Steven Newcomb — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:49:44 GMT

When we reach 500 YouTube subscribers, we will be doing a book giveaway.

To Be Freed From Slavery And Still End Up Living Under Domination

Steven Newcomb — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 17:44:49 GMT

Among my collection of books is a little paperback, a children’s Newberry Honor book, entitled To Be A Slave (1968). The author is Julius Lester, had gathered the material for the book by combing through old records and the statements of ex-slaves. “One of the greatest overlooked sources for information concerning slavery,” writes Lester, “has been the …

The Enduring Story ( Myth) of 1776 for the American Empire

Steven Newcomb — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 17:44:28 GMT

Partial Image of an Inscription on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land and Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof.”

The Upcoming Commemoration

This coming July 4^th, the people of the United States will commemorate the signing of their Declaration of Independence. Ever since that summer day, two hundred and fifty years ago, …